Home ground advantage proved to be no advantage at all as Gundagai avenged last week's loss to Tumut to be the first team through to the Group Nine grand final.
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Very little has separated the two rivals all season and it was the same story at Twickenham on Sunday.
However this time it was the Tigers who came out on top with a 8-6 win.
Even with Damian Willis sin binned with 11 minutes to play, Gundagai held off Tumut's charge to return to the grand final after missing out for the first time in five seasons last year.
Coach Adam Perry was pleased with how his team toughed it out.
"It was a tough last 11 minutes, and we didn't play well in the second half either, so I'm really proud of them for hanging in there and defending the way they did," Perry said.
After a draw to start this season, two points separated the two sides last week as Tumut went on to win the minor premiership.
James Luff had a chance to level things at Anzac Park with a conversion attempt but missed.
Eight days later his boot proved to be the difference as the reigning Weissel Medallist slotted a penalty goal with 13 minutes remaining to put the Tigers back in front.
He was pleased to be able to respond.
"It was great to get that goal after missing last week," Luff said. "It was a bit of redemption."
Gundagai had plenty of opportunities in the first half but struggled to find a way through.
Tumut eventually cracked as Dane O'Hehir sliced through to score with nine minutes left in the half.
It was enough to give the Tigers a 6-0 lead at the break but it didn't last long as Jacob Anderson stepped back on the inside and went over eight minutes into the second half.
The game turned into a stalemate before Gundagai went back in front after Austin McDougall was penalised with the ball with 14 minutes to play.
The win ensures Gundagai head into the grand final with a week off.
Perry believes it will be a boost.
He is also confident they can go more with their attack in the decider at Equex Centre on September 27.
"I think if we play the way we did in the first half 100 more times we score a heap more tries," he said.
"We just couldn't finish those opportunities and Tumut did well to stop us a few times there, so well done to them, but next game if we keep creating opportunities like that we will score more points than we did today."
As for Tumut they need to regroup for their clash with Young in the preliminary final at Anzac Park on Sunday.
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Courtney Rees
Courtney is a sports journalist from The Daily Advertiser focusing on Group Nine, Southern Inland, cricket, harness racing and greyhound racing.
Courtney is a sports journalist from The Daily Advertiser focusing on Group Nine, Southern Inland, cricket, harness racing and greyhound racing.
