Old Ivanhoe made better use of the breeze to win the Thirds Div 3 North Grand Final at Whitefriars by 13 points.

Though it was a disappointing end, it must be said that the 232s had a cracking season. On this day, they were beaten by a team with plenty of expereince and credentials, but only narrowly.

The Red 'n' Blacks jumped to an early lead with the wind, with Francis O'Callaghan, Tomas Russell and Fraser Kenny all drawing twin calicos. Kenny added another in the second to take the lead to 15 points, buthen the Brownies hit back with three goals to take a small lead to the changing sheds.

The wind fell away for much of the third term - The Hoes kicked a goal into it, and the X-Men could add just two themselves, through Xavier McIntyre and Ned Lyons, but  at the lemons the task of hanging on into a strengthening wind appeared huge. The Hoes booted four in seven minutes mid-term to look runaway winners, before Jack Shirley kicked one for the Xavs, though too late to light the torch of revival.

Charlie Cranderson was best for the Red 'n' Blacks, and he found strong allies across the park in, among others, Tom Curtain, and Ed Logan.

It was a season that exceeded expectations, though at the same time, did not fulfil all hopes. Football can be like that.

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