“It's unbelievable and hasn't really sunk in yet,” Quinlan said.

“When you start the season, it's what every player wants to do (win the competition) and to be able to do it with such a good bunch of blokes, makes it even better.

“It’s such a good reward for them all of them and all the hard work we put in on and off the field this year.

“It's definitely up there as my career highlight, second only to my NRL debut.”

Cutters’ Levi Dodd opened the scoring after just four minutes, before the NRL experience of Kurt Mann and Kalifa Fai Fai Loa extended the advantage.

Had Mann not been offside when he gather in a kick to setup another try-scoring opportunity, the Cutters’ lead may have been unassailable.

Instead, Mounties hit back, trailing 16-14 at half-time, before powering to the lead as hot favourites Mounties hit the front three minutes later the resumption.

But with the NRL talent of Josh Dugan, Tyson Frizell, Ben Creagh and Benji Marshall at Pirtek Stadium, the Cutters found another level.

Fai Fai Loa levelled the scores with 15 minutes remaining, then halfback Drew Hutchison coolly put them in front with six minutes left, with a calmly taken field goal.

Former Dragons playmaker Sam Williams, who returned to Canberra this year, had two chances to send the grand final to extra-time, but missed in the frantic final moments. 

Fullback Quinlan and the Cutters, who finished four games behind Mounties on the NSW Premiership ladder, now take on Queensland Cup champions, the Burleigh Bears, on NRL grand final day at ANZ Stadium.

“Obviously we are on a big high at the moment but we always had in our plans to be playing in this game,” Quinlan said.

“I'm sure everyone will knuckle down and train hard going into it this weekend’s match.

“Everyone wants to finish this season on a high.”