Woo even admitted as much after Gundagai was stunned 33-24 by Albury in the Group Nine preliminary final at Equex Centre on Saturday.

"The game was there for us to lose," Woo said later.

Cutting a lonesome figure following the Tigers dramatic reversal of fortunes, Woo could only reflect on Gundagai's inability to finish off what the team had started.

Blown away for seven fateful minutes in the first half, the Tigers recovered from a 16-0 deficit to be setting the pace at 24-16 midway through the second half.

And, just like they had done earlier, the Tigers succumbed to Albury's two most dangerous players.

Thunder five-eighth Willie Heta produced his best performance of the year - possibly any year - to deliver most of the misery for the Tigers, but hooker Adam Coote was not far behind.

Plain and simply, Heta and Coote destroyed Gundagai's bid to get another shot at the Group Nine title.

Instead, the two dynamic playmakers sent the Thunder steaming into their third successive grand final, this time against arch-nemesis Southcity at Equex Centre on Sunday.

Coote created mayhem with his dummy half bursts, while Heta was at his beguiling best.

Heta's creative running, and brilliant ball play, often make a mockery of Gundagai's often tough and resolute defence.

For Woo, Saturday's failure would have hit like an arrow to the heart.

The young captain-coach had done wonders to get the Tigers this far, but he wanted to go a bit further.

However, Woo is adamant all is not lost as Gundagai still tries to break a three-decade premiership drought.

"We'll be back bigger and better next year," Woo said.

Sadly, the Tigers gave their best shot, but came up short again in a game of amazing swings.

There were four critical momentum changes - and Gundagai was on the wrong end of the last of them.

The Thunder were almost down and out when Gundagai led 24-16 in the 64th minute.

Significantly, big Joe Silafau made the break of the day moments later and set up Chris Seaton for a magic Thunder try with a superb one-handed offload.

This try turned the game - the Albury body language went from "we're beaten" to "we can win" in a split second.

By the time Coote wrestled away from three woeful attempted tackles to score in the 70th minute, the Thunder were rightly ready to celebrate.

Aside from Coote and Heta, Silafau, lock Lou Goodwin and second rower Jake Grace made a great impact, but James Luff, James Smart, Woo and Rulon Nutira were the best for the gallant losers.