The Gulgong Bull Terriers are one game away from their piece of Castlereagh League history following a 34-28 victory over the Cobar Roosters in Saturday's Major Semi-final at Billy Dunn Oval.
After a fast and furious start, where the Terriers led 18-0 after 15 minutes, the home side was made to work for the victory.
The Roosters climbed off the canvas to level the scores 24-24 midway through the second half.
According to Gulgong coach Brad James, it was a “nervous finish” for both sides. But the Terriers shot ahead 30-24 before being reeled 30-28 with just seven minutes left on the clock.
Both sides had their chances, but the deciding moment was when Eth Pegus finished an outstanding play to score with four minutes to go.
That put the exclamation mark on a tense six-point win for the Terriers.
"We got out to that good lead but made error after error … and we let them back into it," James said.
"To be honest, I don't know how we did it; Cobar were there to play, but we're a gritty bunch that keeps turning up for each other, and we just find ways to win."
With the Terriers qualified for the 9 September Grand Final, which will be held in Gulgong, the community is already buzzing with shop fronts decorated ahead of the decider.
"To be honest, it's a bit surreal, and if you had told me 12 months ago that this would be happening, I would have eaten my hat," James said.
"With it being our centenary year and how everything has happened the way it has happened, and then for people to be talking about the Clayton Cup and us, it's just blown me away.
"Plus, all these Old Boys who went through undefeated and won the comp in 1997; they came to our centenary celebrations, and some of those guys have relatives playing in the team this year, and it's as if everything is just falling in place and it's just unbelievable.
"Still, there has been a lot of hard work, and it's not just happened overnight, and now we are one game away from the perfect season."
Gulgong will face Cobar or Narromine, who meet in Saturday's Preliminary final at Cobar's Tom Knight Oval.
While the Roosters will be favourites on their home deck, Narromine will have their tails up after the Jets landed a comprehensive 60-10 win over the Dunedoo Swans in their Minor Semi-final at Robertson Park on Sunday.
When asked who he'd like to play in the Grand Final, James quickly shone the light on the Roosters.
"I would like to play Cobar again; it would be great," James said.
"We played them in the last round, and that was a great game, and then again in the Major Semi-final, and it would be good to see if we could do it again in the Grand Final."
For all Castlereagh League draws and results, click here.
