Northern Tigers clinched only their second Super League Grand Final berth for next Sunday with a very hard fought 2-1 victory over Premiers Parramatta Eagles at Jensen Park on Sunday afternoon

The Premiers loss continued a tradition in the NSW Super League with the top team on the table missing out during the finals series and taking no part in the Grand Final.

This time the reason may have been a combination of a settled and emerging foe in the Tigers, bad luck with regular 'keeper George Bouropoulos out injured as late as Thursday (Simon Jaeger signed to come in), some ill discipline, and an odd decision by the otherwise solid referee. I'd lean toward the first two of these, as they had the better of the Eagles in the season plus seem to have a production line of talent and the Eagles defence looked shaky.

The Tigers were quickly into attack, and forced a corner with a header on target in the 2nd minute - that stand-in Eagles Simon Jaeger was glad to parry - but a few minutes later Thomas Wilson tried a snap shot from out of the area at the other end that did not trouble the Tigers custodian Stuart Page.

Parramatta gave away possesion down their left flank too easily - from the ball played into the area Tom Spencer rose high (see photo) to head it in past a grasping Jaeger. 0-1

As Tigers fans were celebrating and almost from the re-start Eagles Kutaiba Elrich strode through and blasted one into the net. 1-1

We could have thought the floodgates might have opened for these two high scoring sides, but the first half got bogged down in midfield play, only lifted by some creative work down the left by Max Glanville that alas for the Tigers didn't lead to a shot on target, and two strong attempts off-target by Eagles top-scorer Shane Ardle.

The start of the second half saw the Tigers switch sides for Glanville and handy Korean Park Sung-yun which gave them more penetration but attracted more attention on Park from Daniel Fogarty who eventually saw red when he swung a boot at Park from the ground following some spirited contesting of the ball.

In the 52nd minute the Eagles were saved by a clearance off the goal-line from a shot by Park.

Glanville and Park both had chances they couldn't convert and substitute Mitchell Duke for the Eagles hit the side netting.

Shortly after the red card to Fogarty in the 71st minute the Eagles were attempting to clear the ball in their penalty area and a defender couldn't bring the ball under control so keeper Jaeger saw the chance to grab it and move clear. Confusion when referee Andrew Best saw this is a 'back-pass' and awarded an indirect free-kick. Tom Spencer drilled it straight into the net. 1-2

The goal seemed to blunt the Eagles ambition as it was the Tigers who looked like adding to their tally for most of the half - with Spencer, Glanville and substitute Danny Vukovc troubling the keeper - and it was only at the last gasp that the Eagles had the Tigers back in their own half.

A good win to Northern Tigers and they will want to ensure that they do not let the Saints escape again, this time for a Grand Final win, after letting them off the hook in the dying moments of their last encounter. Should be a cracker! Come along to the Gabbie (aka 'Lily Homes Stadium') at Seven Hills next Sunday afternoon for some great action.

Earlier in Grade 20 St George Saints triumphed over the Northern Tigers to go into the Grand Final.