In short, The Rock-Yerong Creek locked in a third place finish with a rare victory at Nixon Park.

The 13.12 (90) to 11.8 (74) was only their second at the ground in at least 10 years and ensured they surpassed the pre-season goal of simply making the top five.

But the Magpies ran as hot and cold as the atmosphere around the Riverina as a beautiful late-winter's day -and people out and about enjoying their communities - was spoiled mid-afternoon with the news of a statewide lockdown.

A game that had begun amid talk of TRYC playing without their Canberra stars due to the ACT lockdown finished amid fears about the Farrer League finals.

In between, there was a massive fourth-quarter momentum swing, a confusing scoreboard mix-up, and a 'Pies player kicking the wrong way - into Temora's forward line, with the game in the balance - prompting co-coach Heath Russell to declare, "Just when you think it couldn't get any dumber..."

But that was later. Early on the Magpies had nearly put the game beyond doubt with a 23-point lead inside the first 17 minutes.

They'd actually kicked three in three minutes to take control early as Cody Cool, playing in the midfield, the recalled Ryan Kirkwood and last week's hero Tom Collins went bang-bang-bang and they went to the first break with six individual goalkickers.

But Temora had no intention of simply rolling over, and every aspiration of sending departing coach Jake Wooden out a winner.

They put together some good passages, with the first two scoring shots, against the breeze, and first-term goals to Joe Ryall and Joe Morton before Wooden himself put his side within 16 points early in the second

TRYC controlled most of the second as David Peiper and Shannon Williams both kicked their second and Jack Driscoll and Todd Hannam ensured they went to the main break five goals up.

At that stage, there was no indication the pendulum could swing, and certainly not as far as it would.

The teams traded two goals each in a scrappy, and at times fiery, third quarter but it was 2.5 for TRYC to 2.0 for Temora.

But come the fourth quarter, three of their best all day - Ryall, Jack Cullen and Lachie Pellow - lifted ,and inspired their 'Roos teammates to lift, as they controlled the game and booted four unanswered goals.

They were millimetres off a fifth when Rob Krause looked to have kicked a beauty only for it to be touched on the line. It would've put the 'Roos within a kick. Confusingly, most at the ground thought it had after the scoreboard attendant put up a goal instead of a behind, and totals showing 79-84 instead of 74-84.

In a frenetic last couple of minutes, the 'Pies finally went forward and Kirkwood booted his third goal to seal victory by 16 points and help avoid chaos had Temora goaled again.

"Our first half was really, really good," TRYC co-coach Brad Aiken said, after an impressive effort for a side suddenly without five important players, Riley Budd, Dean Biermann, Joe Hancock, Cooper Diessel and Tim Sullivan.

"Skill errors hurt... and knowing where the game's at, at the back end of quarters."

TRYC are a finals team. As it stands, their Canberra players are due to come out of lockdown before we are.

If they get to play one, Aiken knows they need improvement.

"We've got to get better. Coming up against East Waggas and Marrars, they'll cut us to pieces. But we were missing a lot of players. It wasn't a pretty win but hopefully it gives these blokes self-belief that they're capable," he said.

There was a bit to like, including the leading of forward Shannon Williams (three goals), the promise of big man Jack Driscoll and Cody Cool and Mitch Stephenson's games in the middle, particularly early.

"I liked it when we were in front. I liked it when we were in front by a lot," Aiken said. "It's less stressful."

It brought the curtain down on Jake Wooden's five years, and four seasons, in charge of Temora. They made finals the first three years, and avoided the wooden spoon this year, enjoying a big finish after a winless first half.

"It's mixed feelings. It hasn't finished my footy career but it finishes my coaching career at the Temora 'Roos," Wooden said.

"I've enjoyed every bit of it. This year was definitely the hardest of the lot, but that's the other side of coaching. You're not always at the top and it's not always easy."

The Kangaroos players set up a guard of honour and Wooden, just before he passed through it, paid tribute to their efforts to pull a win out of the fire late.

"We gave it a crack. One quarter of footy and we almost did it. But that's been our season. We haven't been consistent."

Full-time:

TRYC 6.2, 10.6, 12.11, 13.12 (90)

Temora 2.4, 5.5, 7.5, 11.8 (74)

Goals: (TRYC) Ryan Kirkwood 3, Shannon Williams 3, David Pieper 2, Todd Hannam 1, Harrison White 1, Tom Collins 1, Cody Cool 1, Jack Driscoll 1; (Temora) Joseph Ryall 2, Joseph Morton 2, Jack Cullen 2, Jack Thompson 2, Lachlan Pellow 1, Brad Moye 1, Jacob Wooden 1.

Best: (TRYC) Mitchell Stephenson, Jordan Kemp, Joel Kelly, Cody Cool, Shannon Williams, Jack Driscoll; (Temora) Joseph Ryall, Jack Cullen, Lachlan Pellow, Robert Krause, Liam Pattison, William Hughes.

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