Never behind, the Blues dominated the set piece to win  a typically tough decider.

Armidale  co-captain Ed Hiscox was proud of  his side’s effort.

“We set out to dominate the set piece and we did it,” Hiscox said.

Both halves were started with penalty goals, one each way, with the Blues taking an early 3-nil lead.

Not long after, big number eight Mike TeMoana busted the line.

Outside centre John Roberts has been hanging off his shoulder for points all season and did it again when it counted to get the premiers out to a 10-nil lead.

Coach Alan Jones said the pair seem to have a sixth sense with each other.

Captain Dan Ah See was directing the play well and needed to, with Robb nipping at their heels but just not executing in the first half.

“It is the most composed and prepared Robb side I have seen for a while,” Jones said.

The Blues found themselves a man down for 10 minutes for consistent infringements but made it to the sheds up 13-7 after a late penalty.

Robb got back to 13-10 early in the second half but were beginning to lose ground at the breakdown as the game rolled on.

The students’ openside flanker was sin-binned and, in a strange call, not replaced at the scrum.

TeMoana must have thought Christmas had come early as he picked  up the ball at the back and ran over his opposite number to score.

Blues flanker Alex Smith saw the opportunity and made sure his number eight knew.

TeMoana broke from a scrum close to the line and, with no flanker, touched down to seal the game.

He and Smith were both stand-outs, giving the Blues the upper hand at the ruck in the second half.

“We dominated territory and missed a few penalties at the back end,” Jones said.

“But it was a tough game and very even in the first half.”