2004 SEASON RESULTS
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First Semi Final - Saturday September 4, 2004
Riverina Football League. Gate: $5174
Venue: Narrandera Sportsground
Umpires: Brett Webb, Paul Guthrie and Rob Dalgleish (RUA).
Griffith ...................... 5.3 .. 15.11 .. 17.12 .. 23.16 (154)
Mangoplah-CUE .... 5.2 .. 5.2 .. 8.6 .. 10.7 (67)
GRIFFITH: Myles Bunn, Simon Spiers, Damien Scott; Matt Bunn, Ben Wade, Simon McClure; Ben Ford, Matthew McDonald, Michael Duncan; Rodney Duncan, Jeff Mickan, Rodney Simpkin; Adrian Burns (c-c), Ashley Gardner, Jamie Bennett; David Curran, Shane Pound, Brett Owen; Phillip Rowston, Chris Conlan, Trent Bradley, Jason Hampel
MANGOPLAH-COOKARDINIA UNITED-EASTLAKES: Luke Kendall, Jeff Millar, Stace Creasy; Chris Higgins, Mitch Heydon, Kane Nievelstein; Trent Baldwin, Neil Lawson, Grant Bruce; Andrew Mahoney, Rodney Simms (c-c), Geoff Spriggs; Casey Godde, Dean Howard, David Pike; Jai Warden, Xavier Higgins, Mitch Reberger; Mitch Balding, Shaun Neiberding, Sam Balding, Graham Pike
GOALS
Griffith: A Gardner 8, S Pound 6, M McDonald 2, M Duncan 2, B Owen 2, J Mickan, J Bennett, T Bradley
Mangoplah-CUE: R Simms 3, D Howard 2, A Mahoney, D Pike, G Bruce, T Balding, S Balding
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: A Gardner, J Mickan, D Curran, M Duncan, T Bradley, S Pound
Mangoplah-CUE: S Balding, M Balding, R Simms, C Higgins, K Neivelstein
A summary of match report, with thanks
Griffith kept their shot at back-to-back RFL titles alive on Saturday with a stunning demolition of Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes.
The Swans, leading by a point at quarter time, launched a second term whitewash of the Goannas before going on to win 23.16 (154) to 10.7 (67). Griffith captain-coach Adrian Burns was impressed by the Swans turnaround from the 25-point loss to the Hoppers lat week, where they failed to kick a goal in the first term. "We were much better better today," Burns said.
"That's close to our best football and we need to be playing that well at this stage. "We have had to do it the hard way but we're in the preliminary final now and we've still got a shot at it." Bouncing back from last week's shattering loss to Coolamon, Griffith made all the early running before MCUE fought back before the first break. Nobody could have expected what happened next.
After threatening to break away with three points early in the term, the Swans then piled on 10.8 without response from the Goannas. Leading the way was star 18-year-old full-forward Ashley Gardner, who booted eight majors for the game.
After half-time the Swans looked like they would continue the procession of goals. Gardner slotted his seventh and eighth goals early in the term, as Mangoplah squandered three chances at the other end.
After more than 30 minutes, the Goannas finally kicked their sixth goal through David Pike, but defeat was inevitable. In the final term, Griffith continued its domination and sealed the win with three goals, including two from Michael Duncan, in the final minutes.
MCUE captain-coach Rod Simms conceded the Goannas were comprehensively beaten. "They outclassed us today," Simms said. "They have got a good, experienced unit and it showed out there." (The Area News - Monday September 6, 2004).
Reserves: Leeton-Whitton 12.4 (76) def Ganmain-GGM 10.12 (72)
Under 18: Turvey Park 12.11 (83) def Coolamon 11.8 (74)
Netball - B grade: Griffith 35 d Mangoplah-CUE 9; C grade: Griffith 32 d Mangoplah-CUE 22