After stunning Orange Hawks in last weekend’s elimination semi-final at Blayney, the Tigers have again clinched victory from the jaws of defeat, with Brien scoring the match-winning try - his third of the game - with just 58 seconds left on the clock, to hand Oberon a 24-22 minor semi-final win over Cowra Magpies at Wade Park on Sunday.

Brien was brilliant, he just doesn’t know it, after he was semi-concussed while scoring the game-winning try for the Tigers.

“I’m a bit speechless. I’ve been knocked around a bit,” he said with a wry smile.

“I can’t really remember. I hit the ground pretty hard.”

Racing to a 10-nil lead thanks to tries to Desi Doolan and KJ Wood, Cowra’s advantage was short-lived as the determined Tigers hit back through Brien and then Brenton Gibson to level the scores at 10-all.

Both sides traded tries for the remainder of the match, until Brien completed another stunning comeback for Oberon.

The two-point loss left Magpies coach Ryan Downing asking what if.

“To come that close, only to get taken back over in the last minute, it’s a bit disappointing,” Downing said.

“We’re still happy with the year and good luck to Oberon for the rest of it.”

Downing said his side’s strength was out wide, and they should have gone that way more often, with Doolan’s brace the perfect example of the Cowra side’s potency out wide.

“We spread the ball well, I thought,” he added.

“Defence was good for the majority of the game, it just let us down on our line a couple of times.”

Brien said the reason behind Oberon’s thrilling semi-final run was playing simple footy. 

They’ll need to maintain that standard of play against defending premiers Orange CYMS in next Sunday’s preliminary final at Lithgow.

“We had to keep the ball in our hands and not give away any stupid penalties,” the three-try hero said.

“Play smart footy and go with it.”

OBERON TIGERS 24 (Jackson Brien 3, Sam Gascoigne, Brenton Gibson tries; Zac Elwin 2 goals) def COWRA MAGPIES 22 (Desi Doolan 2, KJ Wood, Larz Burke tries; Caley Mok 3 goals)