The 11.17 (83) to 12.10 (82) win at Wycheproof was the Redbacks’ fourth premiership in a row - a feat never before achieved in the NCFL.

The game was forced into extra time after scores had been locked together at 80 apiece at the final siren.

And the match that will go down in NCFL grand final folklore looked like it could be headed to a second period of extra time when both sides had added two behinds each entering the dying stages.

However, a controversial deliberate out of bounds free-kick was paid against Charlton.

The free-kick was awarded to the Redbacks’ Andrew Chalkley, who played on and from 40m with 52 seconds left kicked what proved to be the match-winning behind.

“It was an unbelievable game and I’m still stuck for words,” Wedderburn coach Luke Rosa said.

“To Charlton’s credit, they were fantastic today and didn’t give us any space.

“We butchered the footy and just couldn’t get our game going, but we kept surging the ball forward in that extra time and were able to fall over the line.”

The Redbacks went into the game $1.10 favourites, but they were unable to shrug the Navy Blues in what was the second grand final meeting in a row between the clubs.

Less than a goal separated the sides at every break.

Wedderburn led by a point at quarter-time, Charlton edged two points in front at half-time and the Redbacks went into the final term five points up, setting the scene for the thrilling climax.

Saturday’s victory continued the trend of hard-fought grand final wins for the Redbacks.

Their four grand final wins in a row have been by a combined 23 points, with Saturday the second of those decided by a point after they had also beaten St Arnaud by the barest of margins in 2012.

“The guys do it the hard way.. they never play their best footy on grand final day,” Rosa said.

“But we always knew it was going  to be a tough day against Charlton - they are a very strong and proud club and we had to dig deep.

“Fortunately it fell our way. The boys were absolutely spent at the end and it was just a dogfight.”

Wedderburn centre half-forward Brady Herdman was awarded the Des Darcy Medal for best on ground.

Herdman - who has played in the four flags in a row - kicked four goals.

“Brady worked hard up and back all day to create space,” Rosa said.

Also among the standout players for the Redbacks was Feeny medallist Mark Lloyd.

That’s now six flags in a row for Lloyd after he had previously won five on the trot with Golden Square in the Bendigo league before joining the Redbacks this year.

“Lloydy was really good. He played through the midfield, but we also needed him to steady us at times across half-back,” Rosa said.

Returning to the side from a calf injury, former coach Daniel Gash was a workhorse all game.

“Gashy would have laid 20 tackles today,” Rosa said.

Brett Strange, who alternated between ruck and forward, onballer Nathan Bell, who again thrived on grand final day like he had done four times previously with Golden Square, and Jaran McKay, who started back before moving onto the wing, were also in Wedderburn’s best players.

Full-forward Sam Barnes kicked two goals, with his second bringing up 100 for the season.

Saturday’s win caps a 16-2 season for the Redbacks, who over their four premiership years have now built a 61-11 record.

The Redbacks also won the reserves and under-16 flags, with the reserves a three-point thriller.

Saturday’s heartbreaking one-point defeat for the Navy Blues came 12 months after they lost last year’s grand final to the Redbacks by 12 points.

“It’s obviously a shattering result, but the boys gave it their all today,” Charlton coach Aaron Walklate said.

“We had our chances through the game. We missed a few easy shots, but overall, you couldn’t question the effort.”

Charlton ruck-rover Luke Kyriakides was awarded the AFL Victoria Country Medal.

Ruckman Angus McKenzie, who had a testing job against the Redbacks’ pair of Strange and Jordan Hargreaves, was also named one of the best for the Navy Blues, along with defenders Reece Collins, Rhys Thompson and Kieran Sait and forward James Baird.

Thompson had the job on Herdman, and while the Wedderburn forward won the Des Darcy Medal, Walklate was full of praise for the work of Thompson.

“I thought Rhys was super all day today,” Walklate said.

Both James Baird and Travis Baird, who took his place in the side after being under an injury cloud with a hamstring, kicked four goals for the Navy Blues.

MATCH DETAILS:

Wedderburn 4.4, 5.7, 8.10, 11.17 (83)

Charlton 4.3, 6.3, 8.5, 12.10 (82)

Goals - Wedderburn: B. Herdman 4, S. Barnes 2, P. Prime 2, M. Lloyd, J. McKay, N. Holt. Charlton: J. Baird 4, T. Baird 4, K. Clifford, M. Laffin, J. McGrath, A. Judd.

Best - Wedderburn: M. Lloyd, D. Gash, B. Herdman, B. Strange, N. Bell, J. McKay. Charlton: A. McKenzie, L. Kyriakides, R. Collins, R. Thompson, J. Baird, K. Sait.

WEDDERBURN'S FOUR FLAGS ON THE TROT:

2011 - 18.16 (124) d Wycheproof 17.13 (115).

2012 - 16.12 (108) d St Arnaud 15.17 (107).

2013 - 12.13 (85) d Charlton 10.13 (73).

2014 - 11.17 (83) d Charlton 12.10 (82).