This years pennant final was a dream for the Darwin Bowls Club with both Darwin Gold and Darwin Blue playing off in the Grand Final.

Darwin Gold out played their Nightcliff Gold opponents in the 1st semi to earn their shot at the flag. Darwin Blue accounted for a tough Katherine team who fought hard in the other semi to move into the preliminary final against Nightcliff Gold.

The preliminary final was a see sawing event with the lead changing several times in the first half of the match before Darwin Blue’s consistancy shone through and allowed the Buffaloes to take out two rinks and a draw on the third rink to win the match.

This set up an epic final for the Darwin club with both teams eager to show who was best. The pressure was on the Darwin Gold team as the defending champions.

Ralph Fairs rink (Ralph Fair, Colleen Orr and Jason Craige) led the John Menneguzzi Trio ( John Mennegizzi, John Foley, and Mark Diamond) all day but had to fight to maintain the lead eventually winning by three shots. The lead in the rink next to them switched several times, before Ian Smith’s team (Ian Smith, Mitchell Dunne and Brett Irvine) were able to inch ahead of Jan Pallazzi’s team (Jan Pallazzi, Barry Orr, and Kathy MacGowan) to win by three shots, leaving the title to be decided by the third rink led by Graeme Kitto (Darwin Blue) and Pete DeGreenlaw (Darwin Gold).

DeGreenlaw ( Pete DeGreenlaw, Warren Corowa, and Paul Rodin) had the ascendancy over Kitto (Graeme Kitto, Demetri Hnaris, and Louise Kitto) early on but had to play some tough shots to keep the lead as Kitto fought back. DeGreenlaw eventually took the match and the title for Darwin Gold by four shots in a great display.

Both teams celebrated afterwards after what was seen as a win win situation for the Darwin Bowls Club.