The Darwin Buffettes have won the 2021/22 NTFL Women's Premier League grand final, defeating Nightcliff Tigers 4.10 (34) to 2.4 (16).

In a bruising contest on Saturday afternoon, Nightcliff could equal the toughness of the Buffettes, but were no match for their class and flair at TIO Stadium in Darwin.

After the match Nightcliff coach Shannon Millar said she was "extremely proud" of her players and commended the Buffettes.

"[It was] a great performance today," she said. "You've set a standard for the competition."

Buffettes coach Melinda Taylor, addressing her players, said: "We are one, all the time … girls, you did it, you make me so proud."

A dashing goal from Buffette Tayla Hart-Aluni on the stroke of quarter time symbolised the difference between the two sides, with the Buffettes able to conjure moments of brilliance in a game played mostly in the clinches.

However, the premiership for the Buffettes could come at a cost – one the club will happily bear — with Dom Carbone and Molly Althouse putting in grand final performances that demand serious attention from AFLW clubs.

Carbone and Gwynne Medal winner Althouse formed a special one-two punch on the day. They were formidable in the air, in-and-under and in front of goal to key the victory for the Buffettes.

Carbone kicked two of the Buffettes' four goals. The second, when she used one hand to tap the ball back to herself off the turf, before fending off a Nightcliff defender, wheeling around onto her right foot and slotting the kick over the goal umpire's hat, was one of the goals of the season.

Carbone was the fitting winner of the Williams Medal for best on ground.

Nightcliff's Eliza Morrison, who kept her side in the contest all day, was the other stand-out player in the match.

With the ball she was reliable and while defending she was ferocious, as best captured by a desperate second-quarter smother to save a certain goal.

Nightcliff kicked the first goal of the match, but the Buffettes led at every change.

A beautifully struck set shot goal from Nightcliff's Katrina Simmons in the second quarter looked like it could spark her side, but the Buffettes, with critical performances from Machaelia Roberts, Freda Wosomo, Kirstin Remfrey and Janna Ransome, looked stronger as the game grew older.

And at the end of the game they were singing their club's famous refrain: "Old Buffaloes never die, they simply fade away."

FINAL SCORE

Darwin Buffettes: 2.3 3.6 4.8 4.10 (34)

Nightcliff Tigers: 1.0 2.1 2.2 2.4 (16)