ALBURY has maintained its status as the Ovens and Murray Football League's modern day powerhouse with a commanding 40-point grand final win in tough conditions at Lavington Oval on Sunday.
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The Tigers are one win away from emulating Wangaratta Rovers' golden run in the 1970s when they won seven flags in nine seasons after dominating after half-time to complete a second recent premiership hat-trick.
Albury was again in a class of its own when the premiership was up for grabs in the third term with no obvious signals the Tiger machine is growing tired of its success.
But the downside of their time at the top is fan fatigue with possibly the lowest grand final crowd in the league's 123-year history of 4175 turning up to watch the Tigers win another flag.
The grand final was the wettest in 21 years, but unlike 1995 between Albury and Wodonga when heavy rain bucketed down all day, the rain stopped before half-time.
Daniel Cross crowned a superb comeback season to Tigerland when he was a clear cut choice for the Did Simpson medal for best player on the ground.
Cross has book-ended a stellar 249-match AFL career at the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne with O and M reserves and senior premiership medals for Albury.
He joined his father Peter and uncle Terry as premiership players for Albury in a season in which he also represented the Ovens and Murray at inter-league level.
Irishman Setanta o'hAilpin also helped break the game open with two goals at crucial stages and being a force all day in the ruck.
The Tigers successfully rolled the dice on injured duo Michael Thompson and Elliott Powell on a day when ruckman Ben Dower broke through for his first premiership medal.
Dower was a late call-up for injured backman Jay Koehler and Powell made a miraculous recovery from a foot injury which threatened to end his season after the second semi-final.
The Tigers other co-coach Daniel Maher steps down from the role with a sixth premiership medal.
Albury hasn't made a call on whether his partner Shaun Daly will do the job next season on a solo basis or another co-coach will be appointed.
Lavington's banner which read in part: "Lavington Panthers Can Beat Albury Joss" was also a pre-match talking point.
But the Panthers were blown away in the second half and the celebrated careers of John Hunt, Adam Butler, Justin Koschitzke and Kade Stevens could have all ended after back-to-back grand final defeats to the Tigers.
Yarrawonga won the reserves and under-18 premierships and A and B grade netball flags.