Round 1 - Saturday April 14, 2012
Riverina Football Netball League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Rob Neighbour, N Butland and Cameron Warner (RUA) 
Griffith ...............1.5 ... 2.7 ... 4.7 ... 9.8 (62)
Narrandera .... 1.3 ... 4.4 ... 10.7 ... 18.8 (116) 
GRIFFITH: Royce Johns, Matthew Noonan, Tom West*; Che Jenkins, Andrew Hawkins*, Jonathon Gastin; Kris Duncan, Michael Duncan, Rick Daniher*; Toby Blissett, James Toscan, John Evans; Tim Matheson, Jethro Calma-Holt*, Dean Crack; Henry Delves, James Fallon, Guy Orton (c-c); Tom Webb, Mathew Crack, Jesse Ryan
NARRANDERA IMPERIAL: Damon Burden, Mark Rice, Glenn Currie; Zac Williams, Brett Powell, James Sullivan; Wes Kiley, Jim Rice (c/c), Tim Sullivan; Mark Flack, Chris Walsh, Tim Mathieson; Heath Russell, Andrew Johnston, Nic Hetherington; Phil Aumann, Jay Kickett, Adam Sangston; Adam Davis, Ben Grant, Shaun Quilter
GOALS
Griffith: J Calma-Holt 3, H Delves 2, D Crack, M Duncan, T Blissett, T Webb
Narrandera: A Johnston 8, T Mathieson 2, T Sullivan 2, C Walsh 2, J Kickett, P Aumann, M Flack, A Davis
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: H Delves, A Hawkins, G Orton, R Daniher, T Blissett, J Calma-Holt
Narrandera: Z Williams, A Johnston, P Aumann, D Burden, T Mathieson, A Sangston
SENIOR DEBUT: Jethro Calma-Holt, Rick Daniher, Andrew Hawkins, Tom West

A summary of match report, with thanks
Griffith Swans coach Guy Orton said he is looking at the big picture this Riverina Football League season, adding his team is a work in progress and that he is not reading too much into their first-round defeat. Orton’s comment came after Griffith suffered a heavy first round loss to the Narrandera Eagles who beat the home side by 54 points at Exies Oval on Saturday.

With many new faces finding their feet in the red and white, Orton said he was generally happy with his side’s level of play, except for a 10-minute period which saw Narrandera blow the game wide open.
After the Eagles earned back-to-back 50 metre free kicks for rough play by the Swans, Orton said his side’s skill level and decision making dropped away, allowing the visitors to kick six goals in the third quarter. “I was pretty happy with the game in a nutshell, they (Narrandera) had bigger bodies, but after the first and then the second 50 got given away, we dropped our heads for a bit and then it got a bit ugly on the scoreboard,” Orton said.
Ascendancy was up for grabs through the first two quarters, as the home side led by two points at the first change before trailing by three at the long break. “We were moving the ball really well and our disposals were pretty good at that stage,” Orton said of his side’s first half.

“But just later in the game where our skills were not up to scratch, but I wouldn’t say it had anything to do with our fitness because we kicked a few more goals.” But a 6.3 third term to the Eagles saw them jump clear on the scoreboard as they made the Swans pay for any mistakes they made. Despite the lop-sided scoreline, Orton said he saw positive signs for the club’s new and returning players, saying they will be a tougher side for the hit-out. “It was good to see Tim Matheson come back and have a good game for the club, and Andrew Hawkins was one of our best on the day,” Orton said. “Ricky Daniher was good on the wing, so it was good for them to play well, but we as a group didn’t step up all as one. “So, there was positive signs, I was pretty happy with the game despite it being a loss, but I am happy with what our boys did.

“We just have a few little things we need to address, and we’ll work on those at training.” Griffith got through the game largely unscathed, however James Fallon did pick up a minor groin strain and will be assessed during the week.

(Scott Hazlewood – The Area News, Monday April 16, 2012).

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Collingullie-AK 17.11 (113) def Wagga 15.5 (95); Ganmain-GGM 12.7 (79) def by Coolamon 17.17 (119), Leeton-Whitton 15.17 (107) def Mangoplah-CUE 11.11 (77); Turvey Park, bye.

Reserves: Narrandera 13.11 (101) def Griffith 4.6 (30)
Goals: P Whittard 2, M Hogan, C Boye
Best players: C Boye, P Whittard, C Moore, M Kennan, F Josking, Mark Duncan
Under 17: Griffith 23.23 (161) def Narrandera 0.0 (0)
Goals: D Peruzzi 4, N Witherspoon 3, P Rose 2, B Fitzgerald 2, L Peruzzi 2, T Shannon 2, J Harrison 2, D Cassidy, J Evans, J Burley
Best players: N Witherspoon, B Tarr, B Moore, D Peruzzi, C Matheson