Just a moment to cup their face in their hands, recline their head back against the wall and soak up their 17-16 grand final win over a never-say-die Glebe Burwood Wolves.

It was their changeroom and they really had done it - taken on Sydney and come away with the prize, a gleaming silver cup which was doing a lap of the room for each person to hold.

When words failed to describe the feeling there was a knowing nod to a teammate and another shout of delight.

Vice-captain and front-row leader Sam Anderson stepped forward and found the words.

"I just want to thank Matty (Lantry) and the club for daring to win, daring to be part of something special," he told a suddenly quiet room. When Sam Anderson speaks you listen.

"There were plenty of knockers and doubters, but Matty's a winner and when he came forward with the idea of playing in Sydney I wanted to be part of what he was offering."

It was a moving moment and Anderson's teammates and the assembled coaching and support staff acknowledged it with applause and some even with a tear in their eye.

And then coach Lantry was promptly drenched with a bucket of icy cold Gatorade poured over his head by the effervescent Chad O'Donnell who had failed to pass a fitness test to play but was beside his mates to give them encouragement and support throughout Sunday.

Winners are grinners and premiership coaches get drenched.

The rollercoaster of emotions and special moments had been playing out all week for players, staff and fans alike.

The fans came in numbers, some drove themselves, others on a chartered bus where the chat was jovial and footy-centric, but no one really dared to broach the subject of a premiership.

There was plenty of hope, but after some lean years since the 2010-11 premiership double no one wanted to risk premature boasting.

NSWRL CEO David Trodden tapped into the sense of hope when he delivered the premiership medallions to the Pickers changerooms post match, one of many grand final traditions curtailed or altered by Covid-19.

"I suspect you guys don't realise what an enormous thing you have done for the whole community just by playing footy this year, because you restored hope in the whole community," he told the playing group.

"Whether it's in Maitland, the NSWRL or across the whole state that is what you have done, do not underestimate what a wonderful thing you have done this year by simply playing footy."

An overstatement?

Ask the fans who travelled from Maitland and across Sydney to be part of Sunday's grand final action at Bankwest Stadium, or the 1700 supporters, representing the wider community, who cheered the Pickers onto victory against the Hills Bulls in the elimination final at Maitland Sportsground the Saturday before

"It was a massive effort and I was just proud of Maitland as a community and as a rugby league club," said proud skipper Alex Langbridge answering my rhetorical question, as usual half-a-step ahead of play.

"It would have been an easy year to say we'll just give it a miss or just play in the local competition but these opportunities were put in front of us and I think we grabbed it with both hands.

"I'm just super stoked for the club and the community as a whole."

Langbridge and younger brother Daniel have embraced Maitland as wholeheartedly as they play and plan to be part of the club for several years to come, along with five-eighth Chad O'Donnell, who played in an under-17 premiership with the Pickers.

For young forward tyros Cooper Jenkins and Cal Burgess the grand final could well be their last in Pickers colours for a number of years as they look to return to Newcastle Knights under-20s in 2021.

Jenkins, 19, said it was a dream to play for the Pickers since watching them as a kid.

"I was a bit nervous in the morning. It's just great to get the win. My whole life I had wanted to play for the Pickers," he said.

"After the pre-season with the Knights, Covid hit and I didn't think I was going to get any footy. To come back home and getting to play top level footy was great."

Jenkins said to share playing in the premiership with Burgess was extra special.

"I've played with Cal since I was 11 or 12,first out at Morpeth and we've come through the system together."

Burgess, also 19, said it had been a great year for his development.

"It was another level up, playing with and against guys from NSW and Queensland Cup has been awesome," he said.

"I've learnt so much from Sammy Anderson and Jimmy Taylor and to part of a Pickers premiership is a dream."

The finisher of the match-winning try, centre Gary Anderson admits he was nearly in tears when he scored on the end of a pin-point Brock Lamb kick on the right attacking edge to give Maitland a 16-10 lead.

"All I could think was don't drop the ball," Anderson recalled as he caught the ball AFL style with his arms outstretched above his head before diving across to score.

"I was just so relieved that I held it. I almost had a tear in my eye I was that excited."

Lamb extended the lead to 17-16 with a field goal from 30 metres out, but there was still another twist with Glebe scoring and converting leaving almost a minute on the clock.

A strong set and tricky kick kept the Wolves' alive, until Jimmy Bradley stepped in and ran the ball over the tryline to end play.

Bradley had scored the opening try running onto a clever Daniel Langbridge grubber, but said he got a greater thrill from the final defensive play.

"Crossing the tryline at the end outdid scoring the first one. You knew all the work was done. That was it. It was a great feeling," he said.