The fairytale wasn't to be for Gunnedah.
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The Red Devils will have to wait another year at least to end their 52-year premiership drought - the longest in the competition - after being taught a grand finals lesson by Narrabri on Saturday.
Cheered on by a big, and predominantly red-clad, crowd for what was their first home grand final in more than half a century the Red Devils landed the first points through skipper James Perrett. But there wasn't a lot else to cheer about as their title hopes were quashed by a more clinical Blue Boars 25-8.
The best team through the regular season, a very disappointed Perrett said they were "very good in parts" but just "lacked that spark that we generally have".
That wasn't to take anything away from the Blue Boars.
"They played a very good structure and a good game plan and they executed it very well," he acknowledged.
"They just disrupted us. We couldn't get a flow on basically and I think that was to their credit a lot and to our small errors".
The errors were the thing that really cruelled them, that execution just not quite there when they needed it.
"Just that last pass or that trying to go one too far or beat that one more person, stuff like that. Things that you shouldn't do in a grand final and we did," Perrett said.
Their set piece also "didn't fire" as it has throughout the season, which meant that weren't able to get that front foot ball.
It wasn't helped by losing lineout general Tim McDermott, the second rower stretchered off in the ninth minute with a lower leg injury after coming down in a lineout.
It was a big blow, not just for how important he is for their lineout and his ability to disrupt the oppositions, but he is also big voice around the park, Perrett said.
He thought they started well and felt if they had of been able to score a try or two in the first 20-25 minutes it might have "been a different story". They would have had their tails up. Instead the Blue Boars grew in confidence and it made them feel like they needed to force things.
That was one of the key periods from the Red Devils' perspective.
The other was midway through the second half. At that stage trailing only 15-8 they were camped in their 22 for about 10 minutes. But despite coming close a couple of times they couldn't land the try that potentially could have levelled it for them.
That was when it probably slipped away from them with the Blue Boars going up the other end and scoring to push out to a two converted try lead with 17 to play.
"They did very well to hold us out. We did some silly things and let the pressure off them which cost us," Perrett said.
"And then once you're out of that 22 attacking area then you've got to work harder to get back there."
Their best chance for a lot of years to finally get their hands back on the Heath Shield, the town was a sea of red. Perrett said that was probably the most disappointing thing; that they couldn't repay "the amount of support" and "amount of love" they received.
"To come out and not be able to finish it off for them is very disappointing," he said.
"But we'll be back next year and we'll do it again next year for them."
The first time playing in a grand final for a lot of the players, they will be better for the experience, he said.
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