Both sides went into the decider at Jack Arrow Oval undefeated in 2022, the Saints holding the mantles of defending premiers and minor premiers as well.

Just as was the case in the 2021 grand final when the Saints and CYMS clashed, there were some huge hits in defence and slick individual skills on show.

But unlike the inaugural season when the Saints held on to beat the Dubbo outfit, this time CYMS carried an 18-10 lead into half-time and from there went on with the job.

The Saints threw plenty at CYMS in the second half - Trae Fitzpatrick was called back after taking an intercept and dashing 70 metres, then later produced a 40-20, Aiden Stait was held up over the line, Cooper Akroyd at one stage dragged four defenders towards the posts and produced an off-load that was dropped and Jacob Ciccocioppo lost the ball trying to dive over in the corner.

But handling errors and gritty on-line defence from CYMS held the Saints out and when second rower Kyujan Crawford crossed with just over two minutes left after the Fishies had earned back-to-back sets, it was game over.

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"They deserves that, they were bloody awesome. They turned up to play, they were up for it," Medlyn said.

"They had done a bit of home work on where they had to be better and that's a credit to them and Yeoy [CYMS coach Paul Yeo].

"Just those couple of dropped balls hurt us, we'd start to get a roll on and then there'd be those dropped balls. We knew what we needed to do to beat them, but at the end of the day we just couldn't hold the ball.

"That's football, if you hold onto the ball you get rewarded, if you drop it the other team does. We just couldn't do what we went out there to do."

For Dubbo CYMS coach Paul Yeo, to see his players post a sixth consecutive win to finish as premiers was a moment of satisfaction.

After missing out last season CYMS had entered 2022 hungry for a premiership. They trained hard, they improved and they delivered.

"Being under 21s there's a lot of boys who can't play next year, this is their last year. We set a goal six weeks ago so to win, we're just over the moon," Yeo said.

"It was a messy first half, a few ups and downs and both sides sort of kept each other in it.

"In the second half we got a couple of sets put together and put a bit of pressure on, there's some pretty talented footballers amongst them so we just needed those couple of sets in a row.

"When we got them, got those back-to-back sets, we made the most of them. I'm just really glad they got the opportunity after being bridesmaid last year."

There was drama from the opening seconds of the decider as the Saints fumbled the kick-off over the dead-ball line and were forced into a line drop-out.

Soon after star CYMS halfback Jordi Madden - who was named player of the grand final - caught out the marker defence as he dived over the line. He converted his own try to make it 6-0.

But the reply from the Saints was swift in coming.

A crunching tackle as CYMS returned the ball from the kick-off forced a knock-on. The Saints played out that set, drew a drop out, and when fullback Jack MacLeod bounced out of a tackle and dived over, the hosts were on the board.

With just over 11 minutes gone the Saints took the lead when hooker Jackson Vallis went over from dummy-half, Will Poole's conversion making it 10-6.

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Momentum was with the hosts, but Crawford snatched it back - literally - for CYMS. The second-rower pulled off a one-on-one strip, the ball then being spread to the left edge where Mitch Cleary scored.

CYMS pushed further in front just before the break, centre Kalolo Uele scoring and Madden converting to make it 18-10.

Two minutes after play resumed came a big moment in the match. Saints halfback Fitzpatrick plucked a intercept and sprinted away to the line, but as a CYMS player had been taken out late in back play, no try was the ruling.

"Grand finals are made of moments like that," Yeo said.

The Saints continued to press and for much of the half were camped in CYMS territory.

Though they came up with the biggest hit of the match - a Stait-Ciccocioppo bone-rattler - they couldn't find the try they were so hungry for.

In contrast when CYMS got a sniff as the clock ticked down, they capitalised. Crawford's try sealed.

Yeo praised captain Sullivan Haycock for his efforts, but said the talented hooker was not the only player to impress for the Fishies.

"Sullivan Haycock led them around really well with the help of Jordi Madden, Tom Stimpson and Jackson Bayliss. There were plenty of other senior players in there that helped along the way," he said.

While the Saints were disappointed not to capitalise on the chances they created, in addressing them afterwards Medlyn told his men those emotions could be a positive.

"I said to the boys in the changeroom after, last year they [CYMS] felt what we're feeling now and that's what drove them to win this time. Now we've got something to take us there next time," the coach said.

"Our attitude was there, it was just ball security. We wanted to get through our sets and get points, but we just couldn't hold onto the ball."

DUBBO CYMS 22 (Kalolo Uele, Mitch Cleary, Jordi Madden, Kyujan Crawford tries; Jordi Madden 3 goals) defeated BATHURST ST PAT'S 10 (Jack MacLeod, Jackson Vallis tries; Will Poole goal)

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