THE Queanbeyan Whites are a step closer to their third consecutive John I Dent Cup premiership after securing their place in the grand final with a thrilling win over Royals yesterday.
The Whites repelled a second-half surge from the minor premiers and held on for a 32-31 win in the major semi-final at Viking Park.
Queanbeyan has not lost a finals clash in three years.
And despite his team's stunning performance, Whites coach Wayne Southwell said his players would not be satisfied until they held the premiership cup.
''It's great to be [in the grand final] but we know the job isn't finished,'' Southwell said.
''We've got one to go ... that was our most outstanding defensive effort this season and that took courage at times. We haven't really thought about three in a row.
''It's going to be tough whoever we play and we know that and it's nice to know we're capable of scoring points when we need to.''
The one-point victory means the Whites get a week's rest next weekend while Royals play the winner of today's minor semi-final between the Tuggeranong Vikings and Wests.
Despite having just five players with finals experience, Queanbeyan showed no signs of nerves and dominated the opening stages of the match.
For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times
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