ALBURY stamped itself as the Ovens and Murray Football League's greatest team of all-time by clinching a fifth premiership in seven seasons of sustained dominance that is showing no sign of ending.
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The Tigers snared their 20th premiership from a record-equalling seventh successive grand final appearance on Sunday.
The modern-day superpower beat a brave Lavington by 29 in front of a crowd of 10,022 people which was up on last year's turnout of 9189.
Wangaratta Rovers were the previous team to play in seven successive grand finals, but between 1974 and 1980, the Hawks claimed four flags.
The Tigers are fast closing in on the Hawks' record of six flags between 1971 and 1979.
The grand final wasn't without its fireworks Tigers' stopper Joel O'Connell and his direct opponent Tom Hargreave being stretchered from the ground within 10 minutes of eachother in the second quarter.
Both played no further part in the game with both incidents likely to be subjected to video review in coming days.
O'Connell ran back onto the ground with his team-mates after half-time, but wasn't called upon.
The Panthers, playing in their first grand final since 2008, had to come from 27 points down in the third quarter to be still in the game at three quarter time.
Lavington kicked the final goal of the last quarter to bring the margin to seven points before two of the Tigers’ stars on the day, Did Simpson medal winner Joel Mackie and John Mitchell booted two goals in quick succession to seal the win.
Mackie's standing in the league rose further with his best-on-ground performance following on from his second Morris Medal triumph.
Co-coach Daniel Maher said the Tigers’ run wasn't finished yet.
"We've obviously got a great structure in place and Chris (Hyde) and I have been able to reap the benefits what the club built before us," he said.
"The club is in good stead for the next few years.
"We are obviously getting older, but we are going to hang on while we can."
The Tigers are also poised to regain the 2011 Morris Medallist Shaun Daly from three successful seasons in Queensland.
Lavington scored some consolation with an 81-point reserves win against Wodonga and Wangaratta defeated Wodonga by nine points in the under-18 grand final.
The Magpies have won four of the past five under-18 flags.
Wodonga won its first A grade netball premiership since 2004 with a one-goal thriller against Yarrawonga.
