Wanderers have denied Town a record fourth straight premiership in a thrilling 2020 decider at Alec Inch Oval on Saturday.
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The season may have been curtailed due to COVID with only three teams in this year's Mount Isa Rugby League season but the intensity was as strong as ever in a gripping final game that brought back memories of the last time Town and Wanderers played off in the final in 2015.
The first half was tight as defences sniffed out any chance of danger and both sides guilty of dropping the ball.
Wanderers were first on the scoreboard, Luke McKenna crashing over after eight minutes.
George Huma doubled the lead after 23 minutes to make it 8-0 though the Devils were unable to grab the extras on either occasion.
This failure hurt them when Townies finally got on the board after 36 minutes when Joshua Bentley's try was converted by Brandon McConachy.
That left matters delicately poised at 8-6 when the half time siren blew.
It seemed as if momentum was suddenly with the Lions and they came out strongest in the start of the second half.
They grabbed the lead for the first time in the game in the 45th minute when Scott Perrin scored a try to make it 10-8 but back came Wanderers and they restored their lead out of nowhere when Daryl Avery grabbed a try in the corner 10 minutes later.
In what was becoming a see-sawing match Townies went straight back up the other end causing a mistake and Bronson Smith followed up with the try.
Now 14-12, Town scored again when Ronnie Francis took a screaming mark that would not have looked out of place in AFL to set up another try.
But failure to convert haunted Town too and there was only six points in it at 18-12.
McKenna grabbed his second try on 72 minutes to narrow the margin to two and set up a grandstand finish.
Sensing blood the Devils surged forward and Jekope Kauvere grabbed the winning try with two minutes to go leaving Townies no time to reply,
Wanderers celebrated with their fans as they hung on to win by four points.
Final score Wanderers 22, Town 18.
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