He'd been calling for his South Dubbo Raiders to get closer to the posts so a shot at field goal could be taken inside the final minute of Saturday's under 16s grand final.

His side knew what to do though and one player earlier than the coach might have expected Jye Day hit it as sweet as he could to nail the field goal and secure the Dubbo District Junior Rugby League premiership.

The Raiders downed St John's in a thrilling finale to grand final day on Saturday, with Day's field goal with just 30 seconds remaining securing the 17-16 victory in the showpiece match.

It was a hugely gutsy win for the Raiders side, which had Aston Warwick sin-binned just before half-time before the key man and NSW Country representative exited the match soon after returning with a suspected broken collar bone.

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On top of that, halves Blake Merritt and Dalin Smith failed to finish the match as exhaustion and cramp set it.

"Both our playmakers went off and I didn't even know who took the field goal," Kelly stated post-game.

"I was singing out to Jye to work us in for the one-pointer and it was banged over nicely."

At one point in the first half it appeared Kelly's Raiders were going to cruise to victory.

The underdogs shot out to a 10-0 lead following tries for Smith and Merritt and the flair in attack and desire and effort in defence and the youngsters in blue controlling proceedings.

But that match changed shortly before the break when Warwick was given a stint in the bin.

His Raiders held off the minor premiers until the break, but the second half saw the Saints start to produce the kind of play junior footy fans have become accustomed to this season.

With Braye Porter pulling the strings the favourites for the title got back in the match.

Fullback Cameron Longhurst, outstanding in a beaten side, got his side's first try and Noah Strickland grabbed the second for St John's soon after.

Porter's missed conversion saw things locked up at 10-all but even after Warwick's return the momentum was with Saints.

Longhurst scored a slick second and Porter's conversion put St John's in front and when Warwick went down injured it appeared the Raiders were right up against it.

But the season's top try-scorer, Brandon Hamilton showed all year with the Raiders and Western Rams he can find the tryline as well as anyone and he joined in a swift attack from the back and flew down the wing in a showing of real speed before running around to score next to the posts.

Tye Sutherland's conversion levelled it up and then the crowd was left on the edge of its seats during the thrilling finale.

And just when it appeared the match was headed to extra-time Day nailed the field goal attempt.

"They believe in themselves," Kelly said.

"We played them [St John's] a month or so ago when we had four or five of our really good players out and that gave us a bit of hope.

"This was pretty tough and everything went against us in that second half but it was a good tough game.

"We only had 12 men at a really crucial time and they put a couple of tries on us but they hung in and are such a good bunch of kids."

The St John's players were left shattered at full-time after failing to cap off a sensational season with a premiership win, but coach Ben Williams said the Raiders deserved the praise.

"It was always going to be bounce of the ball or something little to decide it but they did enough to win and to be honest we did enough to lose it," Williams said.

"In the first half we gave them too much ball and too many options and then we gave it a fair crack but it was their night."

The win, and the premiership success in the under 14s, was a welcome boost for the Raiders after what was a tough season in the senior grades.

Both coaches made a point post-game to state they hope the players stick with their footy and move into the Group 11 juniors next season after a year in which a number of clubs battled for numbers in that grade.