The league's first R U OK round, spearheaded by the Tigers, which had the home side sporting yellow socks and shoelaces to raise awareness for mental health, was a classic on and off the field.

Off-field, it showed how far the league's mental awareness has come in 2019 following the death of Chris Rothnie in February, and while on-field it wasn't pretty football but it was as tense as they come.

Kicking with the breeze in the first quarter, the Demons picked up an early lead off the back of dominating the midfield and repeat entries.

Spearhead Bevan Charlton-White was given plenty of space and looked ominous early matched up on Callan Hunt and Joe Hedger was busy in the middle, with the Tigers unable to clear the ball clearly into the breeze.

The home side settled in the second quarter, largely off the back of man-of-the-match Callan Naden and the forward-line presence of Tyson Hannus, to bring the ledger square at the long break.

Both sides squandered shots on goal and chances to put the match to bed in the third, with the Tigers holding a two-point break heading into the tense final stanza.

Post-match, Tigers co-captain Mick Evans said it was "probably the longest fourth quarter we've played a part in aside from last year's grand final", and while they held a nine-point lead through most of the game after a Luke Thorley goal it was cut to just three when Charlton-White outmarked Hunt and struck true from long range.

It gave the Demons a sniff, and while the ball was predominately down the Tigers' end the visitors kept bringing it forward and looking dangerous doing so, but in the end they didn't have enough time to hit the scoreboard again.

"Probably one of the tougher games we've had this season, it wasn't one of the cleanest from a skills point of view but both teams really put their head over the ball and didn't take a backward step all game," Evans said.

"I think that [win] does hold us in good stead going into finals."

Evans said the win was a "big deal" not so much for securing a top-two finish although he was "stoked" to have nabbed it, but more so because his side came into the game without any continuity to speak of.

They lost the week before and prior to that they'd had a forfeit, a handful of byes and a game abandoned in the preceeding weeks.

"Winning a close one here really starts building that momentum," he said.

WATCH: The Tigers and Demons run out together pre-game....

The Demons have been on the wrong side of a few close losses in 2019, which was something skipper Ben Madigan lamented post-game.

He said while the side has by and large shaken the travel "curse" which has traditionally resulted in big losses on the road, the next step was winning those close games.

"We thought we could come here and win today and we thought we could really take it up to these guys, which we did but unfortunately not a win," Madigan said.

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"We had a few chances early which we blew on the scoreboard but we battled hard all day and gave it our all but Orange were too good.

"Earlier in the year we went to Bathurst and lost close ones as well but we're just a kick out of it, we just need that five per cent extra.

"We're confident while travelling we can put a good side together every week and there's no reason why we can't beat any of the top four."

However, both captains - and everyone on the field - acknowledged the occasion was bigger than the game, with both clubs remembering Chris Rothnie.

"It's a good initiative and something I think we should keep doing every year, it's a great cause," Madigan said.

"It means a lot, we were devastated about Chris, I knew the guy, I used to play on him and he was a great guy.

"It's a great cause and it means a lot to us in Dubbo and I'm sure it means a hell of a lot to Orange."

Evans echoed Madigan's calls and called the round "massively important".

"Obviously we had a tragedy earlier in the year and we took the time out today to have a think about how each of us are going and encourage the guys to say if you're not feeling okay talk up, and get that camaraderie, take that macho-ness aside and just play footy," he said.