After winning their way through to their second successive Central North women's 10s grand final, Narrabri co-captain Toni Gale paid tribute to late former coach Will Guest.
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Guest, who passed away in late 2022, coached the Blue Boars from 2020 to last season.
"It's a credit to him, because where we are right now is his legacy and him making us train hard and push hard," Gale said.
Where they are, is preparing to take on Gunnedah for the silverware, after withstanding a late Pirates surge in Saturday's preliminary final to prevail 22-12.
From the relative comfort of a 22-nil lead early in the third quarter, the Blue Boars went into the final break holding just a 10 point lead and had to produce some outstanding defence to keep it at that with Pirates coming home with a wind in their sails.
Their title defence on the line they were really building some momentum, but the Blue Boars tackled like their season depended on it.
Post-match Gale touched on the defensive effort.
"I always say to the girls defence is what wins us games not scoring tries," she said, adding that it was "the individual defence".
"After the girls made a tackle, we've got people getting off the ground and making another tackle.
"Even when they're (Pirates) running the entire field no-one gave up; the constant penalties we held them off our line," she said.
There were a couple of times in the final quarter, and even late in the third when Pirates looked to be away but some desperate chasing from the Blue Boars broke the attacking raid down.
Another big moment was a turnover from Esta Kalatzis on the Blue Boars line with just over four minutes to play. A try then would have made it a try or less the difference.
But while their defence was what won it in the end, it was their attack in the second quarter that set it up.
Runaway tries to Gale and Cassidy Morley to start the quarter saw them skip out to a 17-nil lead.
After another try to Gale in the opening minute of the third, they looked to have a stranglehold on the game.
But, as she told the Blue Boars pre-game, Pirates would give them "hell the whole time", and after a great interchange between Rosie Ferguson and captain Shae Partridge to get on the board they scored again virtually straight from the kick-off to set up a thrilling final quarter.
Beaten by the Red Devils in the qualifying final seven days earlier, Gale said the big difference on Saturday was the mentality.
"We were really hungry today," she said.
"I think also knowing we didn't have a second chance to get in we were hungrier to get that spot and the girls just showed up for each other the whole game."
There was a bit of extra satisfaction in the result given that it was Pirates that beat them in the grand final last year.
The Blue Boars' first time in the decider, Gale believes they will be better for the experience.
"Even though we've got a few new players most of the girls now they've got the nerves out of the system," she said.
"We know what it feels like to have that grand final energy."
