Round 5 - Saturday May 11, 2013
Riverina Football Netball League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Rob Johnston and Paul Smith (RUA)
Griffith ................. 2.4 .. 3.4 .. 9.7 .. 11.14 (80)
Wagga Tigers .... 2.1 .. 7.9 .. 10.13 .. 12.16 (88)
GRIFFITH: Royce Johns, Richard Malone, James Taylor; Jonathon Gastin, Glen Snaidero, Che Jenkins; Daniel Peruzzi, Michael Duncan, Tom West; Tim Matheson, Matthew Hogan, James Kennedy; Andrew Cappello, James Toscan, Dean Crack; Lance Poka, Guy Orton (c-c), James Fallon; Jack Tyrell, Steven McCanna, Daniel Moyley, Dean Catanzariti
WAGGA TIGERS: Pat Noonan, Matthew Noonan, Liam McGregor; Michael Pryde, John Anstee, John Simpson, Jeremiah Maslin, Matt Rava, Marc O'Neill; Tom Power, Ted Lindon, Nick Ryan; John Buchanan, Max King, Jim Carroll; Brad Graham, Shaun Flanigan, Jackson Kew; Damien Papworth, George Scott, Lachlan Gregurke, Sam Armstrong 
GOALS
Griffith: D Crack 3, J Toscan 2, J Kennedy 2, J Fallon, D Moyley, D Catanzariti, D Peruzzi
Wagga: J Maslin 3, E Lindon 2, J Buchanan 2, S Armstrong, B Graham, D Papworth, M King, J Carroll
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: J Toscan, R Malone, M Duncan, T Matheson, G Orton, L Poka
Wagga: J Anstee, M Pryde, B Graham, M Rava, J Carroll, M Noonan

A summary of match report, with thanks
The Griffith Swans staged their second massive comeback of the season on Saturday but again it wasn’t enough to push them over the line. The local side went down to Wagga Tigers by eight points, suffering their second defeat of the season despite surging in the second half. Playing at home, they won the first term but let the game slip in the second, scoring only one goal to Wagga’s five. A critical pep-talk at the half-time break gave the Swans the drive needed to redeem themselves and they stormed back on the field to kick six goals in the third.

The Swans’ hard work played off when they drew level in the final term, then pulled ahead by three points. But Wagga had a little something left up their sleeves and were able to kick two answering goals to grasp victory. 
“I’m disappointed that we had a lapse in the second quarter and couldn’t take a win from that one,” Griffith coach Guy Orton said. “That second quarter really hurt us; we didn’t take our opportunities when we had them, and we just weren’t playing to our game plan.

“Our third and fourth quarters were really good, but you just can’t have lapses against a good side like that.

“We allowed then to dictate terms far too much.” Despite the loss, Orton said the Swans would take a lot of positives from the game.

James Fallon kicked a goal in his return for the Swans and along with teammates Jono Gastin and Brandon Matthews, gave the side a boost of experience. Daniel Peruzzi, Tim Matheson and James Toscan were standout performers and former rugby league player Lance Poka chipped in manfully with his competitive spirit and instinct. “Lance is just loving getting out on the field with us and he has slotted in nicely,” Orton said. “To have someone like him in the side gets the blokes talking a lot more on the field and gives us a bit of an edge in terms of a competitive attitude.” Dean Crack was the top goal scorer with a solid hat-trick.

Orton was pleased with the team's progress at this early stage of the competition. “We will go back and tweak a few things now so if this situation comes back later in the season, we will be able to hold on right to the end and win the closer games.”

(By Melody Montague – The Area News, Monday May 13, 2013).  

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Collingullie-AK 18.11 (119) def Leeton-Whitton 14.7 (91), Narrandera 8.3 (51) def by Coolamon 17.23 (125), Turvey Park 10.13 (73) def by Mangoplah-CUE 13.13 (91); Ganmain-GGM, bye.

Reserves: Griffith 8.5 (53) def by Wagga Tigers 14.16 (100)
Goals: T Richards 3, T Howard 2, C Harrison, D Spratt, C Boye
Best players: B McRae, J Keenan, C Niven, T Richards, S Simpson, J Hampel
Under 17: Griffith 7.5 (47) def by Wagga Tigers 19.12 (126)
Goals: K Ruyg 3, C Matheson 3, J Burley
Best players: J Thornton, C Cunial, L Peruzzi, P McMahon, J Reitano, A McRae