The Pickers had looked to lock in a home game semi-final next Sunday before Tumut ran in five first half tries.

Young managed to outscore the Tumut side in the second half however the Blues had already done the hard work to take a 34-26 victory.

The loss knocks the Cherrypickers out of second place and means the home side will now travel to Anzac Park this Sunday to tackle Gundagai for the right to play Southcity.

The Cherrypickers could also be in further trouble as Tumut are weighing up whether to cite Young five-eighth Jesse Corcoran over his hit on Bristow on Sunday.

The Blues alleged it was a shoulder charge that caught their fullback high and he played no further part in the game.

The Cherrypickers have been without play-maker Ray Talimalie who has been serving a four week suspension.

While the win was a confidence booster it has cost the Tumut side dearly with the team finishing with no one left on the bench at the end of the game.

The Blues coach Jarrad Teka was pleased with the performance but is worried about the long term damage it could have caused.

“The result speaks for itself as they (Young) are a quality team and to beating them in the style that we did was very pleasing,” Teka said.

“I think on the game side of things it was exactly what we needed but we’ve come out of the game with a lot of injury worries.”

Teka is hoping they can regroup in time to tackle Kangaroos in the elimination final at Twickenham on Saturday.

TUMUT 34 (D Bristow 3, J Teka, T Ioane, A Pearce tries; J Toppin 4, R Luke goals) defeated YOUNG 26 (J Bush 2, T Woolford, W Aiken, S Lealaitafea tries; J Corcoran 2, J Bush goals) at Alfred Oval.

1. South City – 33

2. Gundagai Tigers – 30

3. Young Cherrypickers – 29​

4. Tumut Blues – 27

​5. Wagga Kangaroos – 20

6. Wagga Brothers – 17

7. Albury Thunder – 16

8. Temora Dragons – 16

9. Junee Diesels – 14

10. Tumarumba Greens – 9

11. Cootamundra Bulldogs – 9