Long known as cup specialists - and derided for it by rival fans - Grilled Birds might finally have cast off that reputation this season, with a second S-League title.

The Birds had, for once, been cast in the position of favourites, seeing as they had finished in the top two places of the top division, and reached the Singapore Cup final, for the preceding two seasons. Personnel-wise, stability remained Eren Serpin's watchword, as Latvian goalkeeper Jānis Salmiņš was their only significant signing towards the new campaign - if at a club record S$19 million.

Not only that, but veterans Neeraj Muthyala and Cyril Künzler had also departed, leaving real questions as to whether the Grilled Birds squad had actually taken a step back from before. This question would be answered in part by a 3-0 away thumping of defending league champions Sarcastic Fringeheads in the opening game, and a confident Birds side would go on to suffer only two competitive defeats throughout: an away league loss to eventual runners-up Haha, and a fifth round Cup knockout at the hands of Villains F.C.

That aside, only -= Manchester United =- and Fringeheads managed to contain Grilled, as they cut a swathe through their foes with what was at times an astonishing efficiency. There were a few close shaves, but the Birds had obtained what their previous almost-great teams lacked - a champion's mentality. It would largely come down to their hosting of Haha in the twelfth round, and after they held an early lead from Vikram Mudaliar and Chu Xin Lee, Fringeheads' own stumble against Haha would yield the title to the Birds.

Mudaliar's Golden Boot only added to the sense of accomplishment at The Cooking Pot, and it would be nearly impossible for any youth trainee to steal a share of the limelight, in this situation. While not exactly wanting for talent, however, Grilled's near-term ambitions will likely mean that homegrown hopefuls will have to look elsewhere to begin their careers.

There could be no hiding the stench of decline at the Farmer Bunnies, sadly, and although the Buns have taken responsible steps towards revitalizing their squad - with a number of big signings over the past years - it was still painful to watch former national heroes age and regress on the pitch. Five league matches without a win in the first half of the season exposed just how far they had fallen, and the remainder of the campaign wasn't much better. Only The EV hoovering up the points in their perfect run, allowed the Buns to squeak to safety in fourth place.

It was little better in the cups either, as a fourth round loss to former winners Random Curiosity FC was followed by another elimination by Benfleet Branch 2. Dalibor Kostadinović cannot be seeing much light at the end of this tunnel, though if there's any consolation, it will be that his new generation of defenders is starting to come of age.

Grilled International hit a plateau in Division Four too, as long-serving gaffer Roar Olaisen confronts flagging team morale and a sustained drop in his personal charisma amongst the fans. International struggled to find any sort of consistency through the season, and even their former glorious long cup runs have become a thing of the past, as they endured a nasty 1-6 loss to Steyr Isotopes in the H.I. Consolation Cup.

With many of International's stars now undeniably well into their prime, the supporters' patience with Olaisen's increasingly-fuzzy planning has all but run out, and the main question is now whether the club will try to go as far as they can in their current tired configuration - or seek a reboot.