After scoring with a minute to go to pip Inverell last week and earn their place in the decider, the Brumbies’ title hopes looked slim with the Red Devils up by four and only a couple of minutes remaining.

But they got one last shot and, after captain and centre Joseph Bridge had burst through and got the Red 

Devils’ defence on the back foot, Paul McTaggart ran onto an offload from Adam Peterson to score and steal it for the Brumbies 18-15.

It secured them their first silverware since they came into the Central North competition.

The game see-sawed, with the Brumbies kicking first points, but two tries to second- rower Will McPhee put the Red Devils ahead 12-6 with 12 to go in the first half.

The Brumbies closed it to a point at half-time, with second-rower Zac Rahn scoring after a break from Bridge.

Shane Lutze extended the Red Devils’ lead to four a few minutes into the second half, and more points seemed likely when they were camped on the Brumbies’ line for about 10 minutes.

But the Brumbies scrambled well to hold them out.

The Red Devils also turned down the points a few times. 

It looked like that might come back to bite them when the Brumbies finally got out of their half and almost scored immediately.

They were ruled to have been held up, and then should have been in from the scrum but, rather than put it through the hands, went for the long option and knocked on with a two-man overlap.

From there they had the momentum, with the Red Devils, playing into the wind, struggling to get out of their 22.

Then just as it looked like they might have done enough, the Brumbies struck.

Brumbies coach John Maxwell said the first half instructions – playing into the wind – were to keep the ball in hand. They spoke about keeping it in hand, being patient and waiting for their opportunities.

“They followed it intermittently,” he said.

That defensive effort early in the second half was probably where they won it.

“If you hold out and get up the other end, opportunities will come,” Maxwell said.

“You just have to be patient.

“Gunnedah didn’t do that. They tried to force things,” he said.

Bridge led from the front and was named player of the grand final.

“Everytime the pressure’s on he finds something for us,” Maxwell said.

Peterson, Daniel Burt, Richard Thew and Chris Lavis were also good.

For the Red Devils, it was one that got away.

“We just didn’t take our opportunities when we should have,” stand-in coach Stu Morrison said.

It was a case of a few wrong decisions at the wrong times.

“We turned down a lot of easy points, and also kicking the ball away in the last couple of minutes,” he said.

He was fairly happy at half-time. He thought they were looking like they were in control.

The forwards were good for them. Josh Launders in the centres was also strong.