Heading into the start of the 2023, Narwan Eels were looking at a re-build.
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Gone was a large portion of the 2022 grand final-winning squad, as well as a host of off-field dilemmas, but they regrouped, built and now have the first spot in the Group 19 men's rugby league grand final.
Narwan took on the minor premiers in the Guyra Super Spuds in Sunday's major semi-final and finished the physical affair with a 26-22 victory.
The win means they are the first team through to the grand final on August 27 and they will host it.
Narwan president Shaun Collins was lost for words when describing the result.
"It is a big achievement, we are so proud," he said.
"My nerves are gone, I don't know how you can describe it.
"It has brought our community back together."
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Of the game, Collins said it was hard-fought.
They battled and it came to a gallant effort in the final stages of the fixture which got them over the line.
"I think the boys dug deep, to me it came down to the last 10 minutes," he said.
"Guyra had all the ball and the boys never gave up.
"Like our little saying goes, it is 'all heart, no quitters' and that really showed today.
"I think it was all around the park, no one you could really single out, it was a team effort."
Narwan's league tag and under 18 teams also have chances to qualify for grand finals with the junior boys scoring a 32-20 win over the Inverell Hawks on Saturday.
Collins coaches the side, and has since their beginnings.
He said their win over Inverell was reminiscent of what they did when they won the title as an under 10s team.
"The three teams were the same three teams that were back then - Oscar and Archie in that [Guyra] side and all the Glen boys," Collins said.
"All these boys and the same thing happened; Guyra beat us all year, it came to the semi and Glen put them back to us, we put Guyra out, and we played Glen in the grand final and we scored the winning try.
"All the boys know each other and I am super proud of the young men I have coached."
The league tag team will face Walcha-Uralla in the Plate preliminary final next Sunday in Guyra.
Collins also confirmed Narwan want to host the grand final at the University of New England's Bellevue Oval, where they had their success last year.
"It is a nice ground, it is big enough for people to park cars and people to get in," he said.
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