The Hawks rallied in the second half after trailing 10 to 12 going into the sheds, scooting to a 22 to 10 lead, before the local side forced enough ball-handling error to quash the lead.

“It was great for our club and means a lot to the players, their families and our supporters and hopefully our town,” Boomerangs coach Chris Binge said.

“We work really hard on and off the field and for our boys the season started way back in November last year throughout our pre-season and through January and February, and then into season starts. It’s been a long year but credit goes to where credit is due.”

It was the third time the local boys had faced the Hawks this season, and came away with a second victory.

Binge said the match, at Inverell’s Varley Oval, had everything fans and coaches wanted to see and a bit of what they didn’t, as both teams kept the pressure high, vying for grand final hosting rights.

“Both side counted each other out and from that pressure you force each other in to making uncharacteristic errors and that exactly what happened particularly in the first 40 minutes, but I must say the defence of both teams were of a very high standard; no one gave an inch and that’s why it may not have been the spectacle everyone was hoping for. It was a nice, hard, tight match up, which was great,” he said.

The local coach said the strategy was to play the full 80 minutes, focus on tight defence and do the little things right—a plan that paid off at the full-time gong.

He said the squad have set their sights on Salvos Stadium, with final preparations gearing towards the grand final kick-off on Sunday, September 13.

The odds of an all-Moree grand final have not been ruled out as the Boars make their way to Varley next weekend to take on the Hawks.

The Inverell squad will be keen to take last-chance shot at the season title, where a win could see the Rangs-Inverell grudge match reignited in a fortnight, but a loss will see the Boars and the Boomerangs knuckle it out for the top spot and local bragging rights.