Inverell might have relinquished the Kookaburra Challenge Cup but the Highlanders remain still firmly in the hunt for the most prized silverware.
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After claiming the trophy for the first time with their win over Gunnedah in the first round, they handed it back to them on Saturday after going down 34-24.
Highlanders coach Ariki Wineti was understandably disappointed with the result, especially coming off a great win over Narrabri the previous week, but said they'll learn from it and was proud of the heart they showed to come back.
They scored two late late tries to earn the four try bonus point.
It was deserved consolation. They trailed from the fifth minute of the game but didn't take a backwards step or give up.
They were unlucky not to only be trailing by five at half-time, the Red Devils forwards flexing their muscles and driving over in the final seconds to push out to a 24-12 lead at the break.
Harry King had a few minutes earlier finished off a great passage of play to, for the second time in the first half, close back within five points.
But the Highlanders were for much of the half, and the second half too, feeding off scraps, which made it hard to really get any momentum and put the Red Devils under any sustained pressure.
"We had clean ball at the start but we just didn't use it well and then after that we were playing catch-up football," Wineti said.
"They played to their strengths with a big forward pack and then they've got that outstanding winger (Waqavulagi). They fed him the ball and he hurt us."
The only side, so far, to have defeated the competition leaders, Wineti said the big difference between the first round and Saturday was ball control.
"The big thing was we controlled the ball better especially for that first 50 minutes, and then they came home really strong," he said.
"We worked their big forwards around and got points."
"Today we tried to do that but just the linking passes and all that stuff at the end we couldn't quite finish."
That was for him probably the most disappointing part of the performance.
"We've set a standard with our ball handling and it was pretty poor today," he continued.
The loss saw the Highlanders slip back to third but they still have a firm hold on a finals spot.
"We're not going to look too far ahead of ourselves because it's pretty close," Wineti said.
"(But) I think that will be the top four, it's just a matter of where you finish."
"Our big goal is to finish in the top two and have a shot at that major semi-final hopefully.
"If not we'll do it the hard way."
They do have a pretty good run home with the bye next week, then Scone away and Quirindi at home to finish. Both are games that on paper they should win.
"The good thing is from years gone by we're controlling our own destiny," he said.
"We're not worrying about other teams winning to get into that top four."
He couldn't go past breakaway Max Davidson as their best on Saturday.
"There's not much to him, he's a string bean, but what he does with his heart..." he said.
"He was outstanding today, gave it his all."
