After losing narrowly to Melbourne in last year's grand final, the Diggers edged out Geelong premiers Ocean Grove 43-42 in the 54-end final to be crowned Victoria' best pennant team.

In a tense battle, South Bendigo led by three shots with three ends to play.

"We picked up three shots, and then dropped three shots, and we were three in front coming to the last end,'' South Bendigo coach Brad Holland said.

"Ocean Grove picked up two shots on the final end and, thankfully, we won by one.

"To go one better this year is a really great achievement."

In the grand final, Luke Hoksin won his rink 13-9, Darryl Rowley lost 14-13 and Holland lost 19-17.

Holland said the pain of the previous year's defeat was a key motivating factor in Sunday's win.

"We remembered sitting there last year disappointed in the loss we had, so it was always in the back of our minds,'' he said.

"It certainly spurred us on to want to win."

To qualify for the grand final, South Bendigo won all five of its sectional play matches, including two games on Sunday.

"On Sunday morning we played Yarrawonga and won by one shot and the second game was close halfway through before we edged clear at the end,'' Holland said.

"If we had dropped either one of those games we wouldn't have made the final, so it was a big day.

"Fatigue does play a part on a day like that."

Holland said Sunday's success capped a remarkable season for the Diggers, particularly considering a sluggish start meant they were no certainty to make the top four of Bendigo pennant bowls.

"It's so hard to win one of these,'' he said.

"We started training for this season back in August and you have to make your way through a really tough local competition and a regional competition before you can even think about this one.

"We've had to keep training all the way through and it makes it an eight or nine month season.

"It's taxing on people which makes the achievement even greater."

South Bendigo is not satisfied with a state pennant premiership and three-straight Bendigo pennant flags.

The Diggers have already bolstered their squad for next season with two key recruits.

Liam Crapper has agreed to return to the club, while the highly-rated Matt Robinson from Tallygaroopna has also signed with the Diggers.

"No-one from this year's squad has indicated they're going to leave,'' Holland said.

"We're hoping we'll be even better, with two players coming into a premiership team."

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