The home team scored five tries, including two 50m plus efforts in an enterprising display.

IN OTHER NEWS:

"We've spoken about moving the ball, it's fun playing when you play footy like that, there's a lot of smiles on the boys' faces and hopefully we can carry that momentum into the next two weeks," coach Adrian Purtell said.

"It was a massive game for us, we knew if we won, at worst, we get a home final, so there was a lot to play for against a good quality opposition and I thought the way we played nullified them."

Thunder's hopes of stealing third spot and the double chance in last week's final round disappeared when Southcity toppled ladder leaders Gundagai 34-26 yesterday.

It means the Border outfit can't move from fourth spot when it travels to Wagga Kangaroos on Saturday.

Thunder will host Wagga Brothers on Saturday, August 24.

It will be the club's first final since losing to Junee in 2016.

And providing it can get through the 'Roos game with no injuries, Thunder will be quietly confident after producing another strong display against the in-form Cherrypickers.

Young went into the match on the back of an upset win over Southcity and a spirited display against now competition leaders Tumut, but the visitors couldn't breach the defensive line.

At one stage early in the second half, the Cherrypickers spent eight minutes camped on Thunder's line.

Thunder absorbed the pressure and then hit back when nuggety halfback Robbie Byatt produced a chip kick on the halfway line with Purtell kicking the ball off the ground twice to dive over.

The former NRL player called on his team to play a more attacking brand last week and it produced a 60-point hiding of Cootamundra.

Thunder produced another entertaining performance, including a superb movement late in the first half.

The ball passed through a number of pairs of hands and while the movement was stopped a few metres out, pacy winger Keanau Wighton scored from the next tackle for a first half hat-trick.

In fact, Wighton scored all points in the first stanza for a 16-0 lead.

Purtell's try was followed after Liam Wiscombe produced a barnstorming run, charging over the fullback, before popping a lovely short pass for hooker Joe Lumb.

It was a strong team performance with the English front-row of Lumb, Brad Nicholson and Brad Hill combining force and finesse, while Byatt, Purtell and the flying Wighton also played well.