If Gunnedah coach Dan Martin needed confirmation of what his side is made of he got it at Scone on Saturday.
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Playing for a finals berth, the Red Devils were looking in control up 24-5 at half-time. But the Brumbies stampeded their way back into the contest and by midway through the second half their lead had been whittled back to just seven points.
Last season a game they probably would have lost, the Red Devils showed good composure and were able to switch back on, Scott Mitchell scoring with a minute to go to clinch a 29-17 victory.
As a bonus they will host this weekend's minor semi-final with Moree's loss to Narrabri seeing the Red Devils leapfrog them into third.
"We had a plan at the start of the year to try and make finals, both teams, and we've done that," Martin said, with second grade also finishing third.
"There's still a lot of belief in the group that we can go a lot further in the finals."
They will though have to produce a more consistent 80 minute performance.
"It was a game of two halves," Martin said.
"The first half we controlled things pretty well."
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Winger Thomas Adams got the Red Devils on the board six minutes in, and with the forwards, as they have done throughout the season, setting the platform they dominated the half.
But in the second half they "went to sleep a bit" and fell away from their structure.
As disappointing as that was, the resolve they showed and the way they kept their nerve under pressure was for Martin one of the most pleasing, and encouraging, aspects of the performance.
Returning from his week's suspension, Sanimo Navatu was immense for them at No.8. He was adjudged the best on ground picking up the zone three best and fairest points.
"He stood up today," Martin said.
"And Jono Madden played extremely well again."
They will host Pirates in the minor semi-final with the reigning premiers scraping into fourth, and as Martin put it have "a lot we have to do now".
"We've got a few injuries and few niggles, and got a few things to shuffle around to get our best side on the paddock," he said.
The main concern is centre Jamie Mitchell.
He injured his groin and will be a wait and see prospect.
The Red Devils seconds meanwhile finished off the regular season in impressive fashion, defeating the Brumbies 41-5 and will now tackle Gwydir in the minor semi-final.