Second rower Chris Heighington said it was inches from being "the win of my life".
In a dismal season for the Cronulla Sharks, a bits-and-pieces football team missing 17 top liners provided a third performance which should enter the club's folklore.
From a wooden spoon year.
First they won from 22-0 down, then from 24-0 down – and now they've gone agonisingly close to beating a glittering North Queensland side in Townsville.
"I'm so proud of the boys. It's a bit emotional to be honest. It was so close to being the win of my life," an emotional Heighington said less than five minutes after Johnathan Thurston's overtime field goal.
"That's the best one (this year) for me me – I think; three regular first graders in the team. Our plan was to bring enthusiasm and that took us a long way.
"We've got the wooden spoon. We've lost a few coaches, we've had a few injuries – I can't be prouder.
"That will still go down on my highlight reel as one of my top five games. Look at their side, they've got all internationals and we really put it to them.
"With all the injuries we've had, we've had a few good young kids come through.
"At the start of the year, I couldn't see that. The future for the Sharks is bright."
For James Shepherd, the caretaker coach who will go back to being a school teacher at the end of the season, it probably was the game of his life despite the defeat.
Shepherd decried the current video refereeing procedure, which saw a try given to Jason Taumalolo in the 58thminute when Jonathan Thurston's kick bounced off an upright - despite there being no clear vision of the ball on the ground.
"Am I in favour of them guessing and sending it upstairs?" he said. "Probably not."
He concluded: "That's the character in the club. For what the club's gone through, from the challenges and distractions, they just keep turning up.
"Those three performances … have been absolutely fantastic."
