Round 12 - Saturday July 2, 2005
Riverina Football League
Venue: Mangoplah Sportsground 2.10pm
Umpires: Scott Crowley and David Waterson (RUA)
Mangoplah-CUE .... 5.2 .. 7.5 .. 8.5 .. 9.6 (60)
Griffith ..................... 0.4 .. 5.6 .. 10.8 .. 14.11 (95)
MANGOPLAH-COOKARDINIA UNITED-EASTLAKES: Chris Higgins, Dale Cameron, Xavier Higgins; Mitch Balding, Jai Warden, Luke Kendall; Brett Howard, Neil Lawson, Tim Air; Wayne Smith, Rodney Simms (c-c), Ryan Walsh; Peter Treloar, Dean Howard, Craig Websdale; Sam Balding, Grant Bruce, Mitch Reberger; Stace Creasy, Trent Cohalan, Matt Warden
GRIFFITH: Myles Bunn, Simon Spiers, Matthew Kenny; Josh Ward, Adam Brander, Rodney Duncan; Ben Ford, Matthew McDonald, Graham Foley; Craig Conlan, Jeff Mickan, Rodney Simpkin; Adrian Burns (c-c), Tim Birks, David Curran; Blair Alban, Matt Bunn, Michael Duncan; Ashley Gardner, Mathew Crack, Tim Matheson
GOALS
Mangoplah-CUE: R Simms 4, D Howard, C Higgins, J Warden, 2 short
Griffith: A Gardner 3, M Crack 3, M McDonald 2, R Duncan, B Ford, A Burns, J Mickan, Craig Conlan, D Curran
BEST PLAYERS
Mangoplah-CUE: S Balding, R Simms, C Higgins, R Walsh, S Creasy, M Reberger
Griffith: Matt Bunn, M Duncan, M McDonald, J Mickan, A Brander, D Curran
A summary of match report, with thanks
The Griffith Swans broke their travelling hoodoo on Saturday with a morale-boosting 35-point win over MCUE at Mangoplah Sportsground.

Aiming for their first away win of the season the Swans, despite a slow start, proved too classy for the struggling Goannas to come away with the four points. Swans' on-baller Mick Duncan continued his stellar season for the Swans while the return of Dave Curran to the ruck was the turning point for the Swans reversal. The Swans found themselves at quarter-time 28-points down and it looked like it would be a similar away story for them, but the Swans' midfield of Curran, Duncan and Matt McDonald again did the job for the Swans.

Swans captain-coach Adrian Burns said he was pleased with the Swans performance post quarter-time.

"It wasn't too bad, it's been a while since we've had an away win," Burns said. "We started terrible, but I think that was due to our preparation which wasn't too good. "But it was a good effort to come back and win." The Swans second and third quarters were the difference running in 10 goals to three in the two particular quarters. Quick goals by the Swans in the last squandered any chance the Goannas had as Griffith ran home with a five-goal win. "Just after three-quarter-time we pretty much had their measure,"  Burns said. "Dave Curran going into the ruck for the first time since he back was the difference. "He (Curran) and Mick Duncan, who was easily best on ground, were very good."

While the Swans midfield took the points, MCUE were led by their youth brigade with Sam Balding, Stace Creasy, Ryan Walsh and Mitch Reberger all having good games.

Best for the Swans were Duncan, McDonald and Adam Brander who held the ever-dangerous MCUE coach Rodney Simms to four goals.

With the all-important clash against Ganmain-GGM awaiting the Swans this week, Burns says they will put up a better effort than their humiliating loss last round. "A few of the players were down on form on Saturday," Burns said. "We'll be a lot more competitive than last time. It should be a good close game." (By Matt Malone - The Area News Monday July 4, 2005).

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Eastern Hawks 8.13 (61) def by Narrandera 12.10 (82), Ganmain-GGM 20.14 (134) def Leeton-Whitton 5.3 (33); SUN: Coolamon 18.22 (130) def Turvey Park 6.4 (40)

Reserves: Mangoplah-CUE 8.9 (57) def Griffith 5.13 (43)
Goals: G Argus 2, N Hetherington, M Burke, G Dreyer
Best players: M Burke, N Hetherington, D Graham, T Wilson, D Catanzariti, G Dreyer
Under 18: Mangoplah-CUE 8.3 (51) def Griffith 7.6 (48)
Goals: R Newman 2, K Hicken 2, C Munro, D McGreal, T Matheson
Best players: K Hicken, W Jaffrey, T Matheson, B Webster, A Potroz, C Munro