RUGBY LEAGUE: Winning a premiership is always sweet, but it's even sweeter winning it in extra-time for the second consecutive year and sweeter again when it's the perfect send off for some club and football legends.
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Man-of-the-match Craig Wilkinson sealed the deal for the Blues in their 24-14 win, with his try in the fourth minute of extra time, but most agreed the match was still anyone's until Queanbeyan winger Jake Wheeler crossed the line after the siren, thanks to a turnover and sprint up the line from David Pengai.
"I really wasn't confident we'd won until David Pengai picked the ball up," Blues coach Simon Woolford said.
"It was always going to be one of those games that was going to be close, I'm very thankful that we won.
"It's sweeter this year [than last] after losing the semi final and everything with me [facing disciplinary action for smashing the coaches box window in the semi-final] last week- we've gone the hard way so it was sweeter."
It was a tight tussle in the first half, Jake Wheeler drew first blood, the Bulldogs responded and a late penalty goal from Wilkinson put the Blues up by just two points at half-time.
Tom Ruediger extended the Blues lead to eight points early in the second half, but soon enough the Bulldogs tied it up with 15 minutes on the clock.
Two penalty goals from Craig Wilkinson before extra time kept the Blues in the hunt, aspects of the match that will haunt Goulburn after two unsuccessful field goals in the dying minutes.
The win sends off former Canberra Raiders Trevor Thurling and Blues skipper Marc Herbert as well as club faithfuls Ben Nicoll and Scott Rutland.
"It was a pretty awesome win, one of the best games I've been a part of in the local comp, the quality of the game was great," Herbert said.
"This year we went in as slight underdogs- we struggled a little towards the middle and end of the the season, but once finals came around people found that extra 10-20 per cent. I'm very proud for myself and for a few of the other boys who are retiring.
"I'll take it easy next year, I'm busy in other parts of my life, but I'll go out to a few games and see how the boys are going. There are elements of the game I'll miss- I won't miss the cold nights at training- but I'm happy with my time at the club."
It was the third year in a row the Blues had played a grand final in extra-time after losing to the Roos in 2013, before back-to-back wins over Goulburn.
For a few the win was their first win with the Blues, for some, like man-of-the-match Craig Wilkinson it was retribution from the 2013 loss.
Wilkinson played the whole 2013 season ending with the extra-time loss to the Roos and a groin injury sat him out of last year's premiership. Wilkinson said he was thrilled to win and get the man-of-the-match award, but said he thought there were other players more deserving of the honours.
"I thought I was pretty lucky to get it because I'm on the wing, without the other blokes on the team doing their job I wouldn't get the ball," Wilkinson said.
"I thought [back-rowers] Mike Cullen and Trevor Thurling were really good, even Tom Ruediger, but I'll still take it.
"I was pretty relieved to get the win, It's nice to get the win for Trevor Thurling, Marc Herbert, Ben Nicoll and Scott Rutland."
QUEANBEYAN BLUES 24 (Jake Wheeler 2, Tom Ruediger, Craig Wilkinson tries; Wilkinson 4 goals) bt GOULBURN WORKERS BULLDOGS 14 Codie Medway, Ben Marmont, Matt Worboys tries; Ben Picker goal) in extra-time at Seiffert Oval on Sunday.
