THE GREY gloom that descended on Newbridge’s Riverside Oval just after three-quarter time of the Loddon Valley football grand final perfectly matched the sombre mood of Bridgewater’s players, officials and fans.
Glorious sunshine initially shone on a day of great promise but as it faded so did the Mean Machine, another victim of the unstoppable Marong juggernaut, which ran to a 32-point win.
Four senior flags in succession puts the Panthers in rare air, with a dynasty developing that may yet rival Bridgey’s six in a row from 2010.
Finals’ experience was telling, with all 22 Marong players having won senior premierships and almost half the side now four-time Loddon Valley winners.
Every time Bridgewater challenged – and it was game-on in the third quarter when the Mean Machine closed to within eight points – the Panthers were able to find a goal.
The last couple of minutes of that third term typified the pattern of the day.
Bridgey was full of momentum and had the roaring crowd on its side as a major to Josh Roberts brought the margin back to eight points for the second time in the quarter.
But as the clock ticked over 30 minutes Marong manufactured a goal, and all the air seemed to be sucked out of the contest.
Just over a goal in arrears became just over two goals, and when Panthers co-coach Kain Robins, previously well held by Joe Mayes, kicked his only two of the game early in the final quarter, the task became too great.
Bridgey began brightly, with veteran Bo Alexander – in his last game – combining with coach 
Lachie Sharp to get the Mean Machine on the scoreboard, but Marong took advantage of the wind to lead by 21 points at the first change, courtesy of two goals in two minutes at the end of the term.
Panther pressure saw Bridgewater start to fumble and Sharp put himself on the ball as the margin blew out to 35 points.
The Mean Machine was not having much luck, with a Sharp bomb from outside 50m allowed to bounce by Luke Ellings, who watched helplessly as it deviated 90-degrees for a behind.
But then Bridgey goaled twice, one of them a fine snap from Sharp, before Lachie Lee and Noah McCaig linked up brilliantly to get one back for Marong.
Bridgewater needed a quick start to the “premiership quarter”, and goals to the McKinley brothers, Oscar and Harry, got them on the way. Alex Powell was dominating the ruck, and he fed Ellings, who inexplicably went backwards when he had teammates streaming towards goal and missed a gilt-edged opportunity.
Still, Sharp then milked a 50m penalty and goaled, and the margin was just nine points, with the Mean Machine controlling the game for the first time.
Shannon Geary snaffled the ball from a ruck contest to stem the bleeding, but when Oscar McKinley dribbled a brilliant goal from the left forward pocket Bridgey trailed by just eight points.
They needed the next, but Noah McCaig marked and goaled for Marong before Roberts again trimmed the margin.
But habits are habits, and the Panthers grabbed a goal for themselves deep in red time.
The scoreboard clock didn’t function for the first six minutes of the last quarter, and Bridgewater seemed to go on strike in sympathy as Robins goaled twice, effectively ending the contest as the first raindrops fell.
Bridgey’s string of successive wins ended on an unlucky 13, and Marong’s fourth flag on the trot was confirmed.