Forget tackles, tries and assists, it was an intercept by Terry Campese sealed the minor premiership for the Queanbeyan Blues in the Canberra Raiders Cup.
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The Blues secured the crown after beating the Tuggeranong Bushrangers 22-16 Greenway Oval on Saturday.
It was a bad case of the Blues for Tuggeranong, who thwarted their second chance to claim the top-spot.
Queanbeyan dominated from the opening whistle and took just nine minutes to mark the scoreboard. Second-rower Josh Struckey crossed over with hooker Zachary Patch, who sent the forward through a gap to score the four points.
"Patch has been great for us and definitely controls our middle," Campese said.
"I told him he was due for man-of-the-match and he got it! There was some great work out there, especially defensively, and that's what wins footy games."
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The Blues rode on the momentum and doubled their lead ten minutes later when Patch sent Campese through another gap untouched.
But Tuggeranong clawed their way back into the game when Jacob McGrath scored five minutes before halftime.
The Blues shot out to a 22-6 lead in the second-half, through tries to Jack Williams and George Stewart, before the Bushrangers bounced back with a McGrath double.
Queanbeyan started to sweat as Tuggeranong winger Connor Massen scored and brought the margin down to six.
"It worried me to be honest," Campese admitted.
"But it's all been leading up to this. We seem to be a lot stronger and closer together now under pressure."
The Bushrangers pushed for the equaliser but Campese took a vital intercept in the final minute to secure the match.
"All my little fella talks about is intercepts so I was a hero after the game," Campese said.
"I wanted to try something at the end and score a try but luckily enough I was in the right spot at the right time. It was a great team effort and a great game of rugby league."
The Blues and Bushrangers will face each other again in a semi-final clash next week at Seiffert Oval.
CANBERRA RAIDERS CUP
Queanbeyan Blues 22 (Tries: Stuckey, Campese, Stewart, Williams; Goals: Campese 3) bt Tuggeranong Bushrangers 16 (Tries: McGrath 2, Massen; Goals: Mitchell 2)
West Belconnen Warriors 38 (Tries: McQueen 3, Roberts 2, Loughhead, McDonald; Goals: Roberts 5) bt Woden Valley Rams 6 (Try: Thompson; Goal: Withers)
Queanbeyan Kangaroos 28 (Tries: Pagura 3, Ingram, Robinson; Goals: Ingram 4) d Belconnen United Sharks 20 (Tries: Aroha-Tuinavai, McAskill, McCarroll, Tupuola; Goals: Aroha-Tuinauvai 2)