Round 12 - Saturday July 5, 2008
Riverina Football League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Greg Walsh, Mark O'Brien and Brian Robinson (RUA) 
Griffith ................. 1.2 .. 1.5 .. 3.7 .. 7.9 (51) 
Wagga Tigers .... 2.0 .. 4.4 .. 8.8 .. 10.11 (71)
GRIFFITH: Glen Snaidero, James Smith, Simon Spiers; Jason Bertacco, Brendan Giason, Myles Bunn; Matthew Kenny, Michael Johns, Luke Piccolo; Brett Davis, Jeff Mickan, Jonathon Gastin; James Toscan, Jeremy Way, Ben Ford; Shaun Curran, Michael Duncan, Brett Owen; Jack Geddes, Kris Duncan, Michael Tyndall
WAGGA TIGERS: Ryan Miller, Matthew Noonan, Jacob Osbeiston; Trent Garner, Daniel Davey, Pat Noonan; Alex van Ruiswyk, Tom Power, Mitch Colvin; Matthew Etchells, Chris Jackson, Josh Gaynor; Andrew Priest, Shannon Terlich, Tim Oleranshaw; Chris Drum, Steven Priest, Jacob Powell; Pat Delaney, Ray Willis, Simon Hillier
GOALS
Griffith: M Duncan 2, M Tyndall, L Piccolo, J Way, B Davis, J Geddes 
Wagga: C Jackson 4, A Priest, S Terlich, J Gaynor, T Garner, P Noonan, S Hillier 
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: B Owen, M Duncan, S Spiers, G Snaidero, M Kenny, M Bunn 
Wagga: J Osbieston, T Garner, P Noonan, S Priest, T Power, R Miller

A summary of match report, with thanks
The Griffith Swans' hopes for the Riverina Football League finals have been all but crushed, with a loss to the top-of-the-table Wagga Tigers at the Exies Oval on Sunday, practically taking them out of contention. Despite their noble efforts, the Swans were outclassed by last year's premiers, but a resurgence in the final quarter showed they weren't going down without a fight.

It was clear from the start of the game the Swans weren't going to give up the game easily, keeping the Tigers at a low 12 to the Swans eight. The Tigers were more accurate with their marks for most of the game. What kept the Swans from losing in a blowout was the simple fact they wanted the win more. With Swans player Jeff Mickan taken off the field with a knee injury and Jason Bertacco with a hamstring injury, the Tigers began to pull away from the home team, with a barrage of goals taking the score to 28 to 11 at half-time.

It soon become apparent the Tigers were dominating play, with a frantic five minutes in the third quarter where the ball never left the Swans back half. The damage done was nine points. Swans coach Gerald Toscan said he was very disappointed with the loss.

"It goes without saying, but we couldn't really get much happening in the first half," he said. "We had some chances in the first quarter, but we dropped marks we could have taken." As bad as the second quarter was for the Swans, the third quarter was worse, with the Tigers making goal after goal, taking the score to an imposing 56 to 25 at three-quarter time.

Five goals on the trot in the fourth quarter put the Swans back into contention, and for a brief few moments, it looked like it was possible they would overtake the Tigers. Another quarter like it and the Swans would have won. "We were going into this game without a couple of players, yet we performed better than last week against Coolamon," Toscan said.

"In the corresponding game last year, we were 100 points down at half-time." Toscan mentioned Shaun Curran, Mick Duncan and Simon Spiers as some of the standout players in the game. (By Nick Pearson - The Area News, Monday July 7, 2008). 

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Eastern Hawks 7.6 (48) def by Turvey Park 10.11 (71), Ganmain-GGM 12.8 (80) def Narrandera 6.14 (50), Mangoplah-CUE 19.16 (130) def North Wagga 3.10 (28); SUN: Leeton-Whitton 16.12 (108) def Coolamon 14.12 (96).

Reserves: Wagga Tigers 10.13 (73) def Griffith 3.1 (19)
Goals: D Keenan, C Lugton, J Bennett
Best players: L Darby, G Foley, R Best, C McGann, D Keenan, C Lugton 
Under 18: Wagga Tigers 12.6 (72) def Griffith 6.17 (53)
Goals: G Snaidero 2, J Wade, R McLean, S Gilbert, A Overs
Best players: J Taylor, D Bruce, A Overs, S Gilbert, J Tyrell, H Heath.