The loss knocked the home side out of finals contention, allowing Drouin to play in finals for the first time since joining premier league football. The winning margin was the closest by Sale since it defeated Moe by one point in the 1973 grand final.

After a sluggish start the Magpies gained the upper hand during the second and third quarters. However, with their season on the line, the Gulls came back hard during the final term to snatch the lead with two minutes left and looked like running out winners.

It was the cool heads of Sale's more experienced players, led by captain Chris Laverty, to steady the ship and regain the lead in the dying minutes of the game.

Despite an early setback when forward Justin McLay was carried off with a knee injury, it was first game player Justin Howe, with two goals, and Callan Elliott, one, which gave Sale additional scoring options.

The Magpies began sluggishly and were unable to kick a goal in the first quarter, scoring six behinds to the Gulls' six majors. Warragul full forward Tom Johnson, who kicked three goals, and Nathan Leishout were a big worry to the Sale defenders.

Sale got its game together in the second quarter with Toby Leeds dominating the centre bounce hit-outs.

The Magpies looked a winning combination with a 22-point break at the final change.

Desi Barr and Leigh Sheehan became effective for the Gulls, but the Magpies kept persisting until McAdam got the ball to Darcy Thorpe for a much-needed goal.

The Gulls took back the lead after a long goal by Josh Helliwell at the 26-minute mark.

The experienced Magpies players had the final say when a long handpass from Fraser found McAdam, who weaved through the Warragul defence and kicked a long goal with a minute to go as Magpies won by the narrowest possible margin, 13.13 (91) to 13.12 (90).

With a bye to come in the final round, Sale finishes the season winning a credible five wins, four of them coming in the second half of the season after having one victory in the first half.

In the earlier games, Sale won the under 16s by 62 points with Warragul winning the under 18s and reserves games convincingly.

The Magpies will hold their presentation night on Saturday, October 3.