The Northern Jets had their season ended in the cruellest fashion on Saturday, beaten by a Coleambally ‘golden point’ 14 minutes into extra time, after a controversial call not to award a Jets goal at the other end.

Showing remarkable sportsmanship, Fisher and his co-coach Darren Jackson, were gracious in defeat after more than 110 minutes of game-time boiled down to a couple of key decisions.

“It’s very disappointing for the boys to put all the hard yards in all season, just to come up short by a point in extra time, it’s very, very heart-breaking,” Fisher said.

“A few calls we thought didn’t go our way in the last little bit but that’s how they go in finals footy. 

“Well done to Coly, they’ve been one of the benchmark sides all year… but it was very disappointing for the umpires to have such a big impact in a good game like that.”

The records will show Coleambally beat the Jets 11.8 (74) to 11.7 (73) in the Farrer League preliminary final at Robertson Oval.

But it doesn't explain a game that was largely uninspiring for two quarters, before the Jets opened it up in the third. And then someone flicked the switch to ‘maximum drama’ in the fourth.

Coleambally – who had kicked five goals in three quarters to trail by 19 points – launched a stunning comeback, hitting the front in the 20^th minute, through veteran midfielder Shane Pound. 

The teams traded goals but the Jets still trailed until a Sam Fisher shot in the 24^th minute was knocked through for a point to tie it up.

Dean Pound kicked the only goal of the first five minutes of extra time.

In the second, Fisher missed a couple of chances but the points were valuable when Brad Moye goaled to tie it up with around 90 seconds of play to come. 

The Jets then looked to have found the winner when Mark Kimball chipped to Justin Mesman in the goal square who, after a contest with Carl Pound, soccered it through off the ground. But a huge call was made to award a mark to the Blues full-back.

The Blues then went down the wing and after two more free kicks Shane Pound kicked the behind to win, some 90 seconds into what was effectively ‘golden point’. 

It was a heart-breaking finish to the year and left the Jets lamenting every play.

“I missed two goals in that last five minutes which could’ve put us out of reach,” Fisher said. “But the umpires made a few calls right at the end… it was clear as day that wasn’t a mark but anyway.”

There were also question marks about the last free kick but Fisher and fellow co-coach Darren Jackson didn’t want to take away from Coleambally’s win. They conceded they hadn’t been able to put the game away, or to halt the resurgent Blues. 

But it still hurt.

Full-time (after extra time) 

COLEAMBALLY:     2.0  4.1  5.2  10.5  11.8 (74)

NORTHERN JETS: 2.0  4.0  8.3  10.5  11.7 (73)

Goals: (Coleambally)  D Pound 4, S Pound 2, G O’Connell 2, S Light, S Mackie, C Cerato; (Jets) J Mesman 2, S Fisher 2, B Moye 2, M Haddrill, M Kimball, M Maguire, P Bray, J Grinter.

Best: (Coleambally) J Hamilton, B Jones, S Light, S Pound, C Cerato, M Carroll; (Jets) D O’Rourke, A Bonny, C Bell, S Fisher, D Keenes, M Haddrill