Newtown stole the NRL State Championship from Burleigh on the final hooter after Jackson Ferris scored from a last-gasp Billy Magoulias chip kick at ANZ Stadium.
The Jets trailed by 14 midway through the second half but ran in four late tries to clinch a 20-16 result and mark the fourth straight year that a NSW club has won the fixture.
Hard-working Jets prop Toby Rudolf was Man of the Match.
It was only last weekend that Magoulias - who wore No.13 but played five-eighth on Sunday – bravely kicked ahead to set up a Will Kennedy try in extra time to secure the Canterbury Cup title.
In the moments after full-time, Magoulias downplayed the deft chip that cruelly evaded Bears fullback Kurtis Rowe for Jets centre Ferris to gleefully collect as "lucky".
"We needed to play and I just went down the short-side and had a look," Magoulias told pan66.com.
"There was really nothing on numbers-wise so I just put the chip over the top into space and we got the bounce."
Match: Jets v Bears
NRL State Championship -
home Team
Jets
away Team
Bears
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Jets halfback Braydon Trindall had the chance to lock the scores after Sione Katoa nabbed a double in the 76th minute but the talented youngster shanked the sideline conversion attempt.
Magoulias said it may have been the best outcome for Newtown.
"I was kind of happy he missed it because we were playing positive and we scored a try," Magoulias said.
"Obviously the kick would have been nice but then it becomes a drop goal-athon and I don't know if you really want to lose the game like that.
The Magoulias miracle part two wins it for Newtown
"We had some time to score a try and I think that suits us a little bit more than setting up for a field goal because we're not too good at it, to be honest."
Magoulias made his NRL debut for the Sharks this season and many good judges believe he is the man to fill the shoes of retiring legend Paul Gallen going forward.
However, Newtown coach Greg Matterson said the 22-year-old has more to learn.
"He needs to control it a bit; he sort of overplayed his hand a bit today," Matterson said.
"But when we needed him he came up with the clutch play. He's a good footy player."
Burleigh dominated for much of the contest, with Titans NRL winger Anthony Don bagging a double in the opening stanza.
Bears halfback Jamal Fogarty – the 2019 Intrust Super Cup Player of the Year – showed his class as he scored a try, set one up and kicked with aplomb.
The Bears copped a setback in the early exchanges when hooker Pat Politoni was forced from the field against his former club with a suspected broken arm.
After Newtown opened the scoring with a Trindall penalty goal in the 19th minute, Burleigh capitalised on two Jets errors to post successive tries.
Tensions boiled over near half-time and young Jets centre Ronaldo Mulitalo was sin-binned and placed on report for leading with the head in a tackle.
Katoa goes acrobatic to get Newtown back in the game
The Gold Coast-affiliated team appeared certain to win when Fogarty snatched the first try of the second term but the Jets finally clicked into gear.
Two acrobatic finishes from Sione Katoa either side of a Ferris four-pointer handed Trindall the opportunity to lock the game up.
Burleigh looked assured of the silverware after the No.7 pushed the kick across the face of goal - but Magoulias's final roll of the dice paid huge dividends again.
"You never say die. It wasn't our best day today, we were off for the first half," said Matterson.
"We could have turned it off when they went to 16-2 but I knew there was plenty of time."
