Round 17 - Saturday August 14, 2010
Riverina Football Netball League
Venue: Narrandera Sportsground 2.10pm
Umpires: Paul McCormack, Rob Johnston and Wayne Smith (RUA)
Narrandera ...... 3.4 .. 10.6 .. 12.9 .. 20.12 (132) 
Griffith .............. 5.2 .. 6.3 .. 8.9 .. 9.11 (65)
GRIFFITH: Rhys Best, Craig Lugton, Dean Catanzariti; Theo Valeri, Matthew Noonan, Brad Woolner; Matthew Kenny, Mathew Crack, Luke Piccolo; Dean Crack, Jeff Mickan, Cameron Harrison; Michael Duncan, Matthew Hogan, Luke Humphries; Shaun Curran, Tim Matheson, Alex Overs; Jesse Ryan, Pat Whittard*, Jonathon Gastin
GOALS
Narrandera: P Bloomfield 4, Z Litchfield 3, B Powell 3, L Hunter 3, T Orme 2, J Grintell 2, H Hutchins, H Dobson, T Mathieson
Griffith: L Humphries 2, D Crack 2, J Mickan 2, M Crack, M Duncan, T Valeri 
BEST PLAYERS
Narrandera: D Dai, T Mathieson, P Bloomfield, I Donaldson, B Powell, T Orme 
Griffith: M Noonan, M Crack, T Matheson, A Overs, D Crack, B Woolner
SENIOR DEBUT: Pat Whittard
A summary of match report, with thanks
Arguably the best start for the Griffith Swans all seasons quickly went pear-shaped as a lack of depth once again led the local team down, allowing the Narrandera Eagles run away to a 20.12 (132) to 9.11 (65) win on Saturday. In their second-last game of the season, the Swans looked aggressive as they jumped ahead to a 5.2 (32) to 3,4 (22) lead in the first quarter.

“It started off really good,” Swans coach Matt Noonan said. “We put ourselves in a position to go on with the game but as the day wore on, we had a few injuries, and it just didn’t go as well as we planned.” But the Swans couldn’t maintain the momentum in the second term and the Eagles took advantage of the lack of depth in the local side to kick seven goals and gain a 27-point lead over the wounded Swans.

“They (Narrandera) had a good break in the second quarter to get back in front and we were only able to get that one goal,” Noonan said.

“If we had kicked a few more goals in that term, we would have been in a better position for the remainder of the game, but we didn’t get that done.” But despite an injury to their ruckman Shaun Curran in the second half and some of the other Swan's limping around the field, the away side managed to contain Narrandera to only two goals in the third term and managed to kick two of their own.
But injuries and lack of fitness slowed the Swans down gain in the last quarter and Narrandera came out of the short break firing to kick eight goals and blow out the score to a final 67-pont lead. Noonan said having players like Alex Overs and Mathew and Dean Crack was a huge bonus but added three men can’t carry the game and the Swans need men to support them if they want to put points on the board.

With the local side set to play final contenders Turvey Park at home next week, Noonan said they were looking to end the season on a good note with their heads held high in front of the Griffith crowd. (By Emily Tinker – The Area News, Monday August 16, 2010).

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Mangoplah-CUE 8.6 (54) def by Ganmain-GGM 16.6 (102); SUN: Leeton-Whitton 4.3 (27) def by Coolamon 5.6 (36), Turvey Park 5.8 (38) def Wagga 4.7 (31).

Reserves: Narrandera 9.10 (64) def Griffith 6.3 (39)
Goals: J Fallon 2, D Scott 2, N Campbell 2 
Best players: J Fallon, P Crawford, C Niven, A Cappello, M Tucker, C Burge
Under 17: Narrandera 13.10 (88) def Griffith 11.12 (78)
Goals: P Whittard 2, C Moore 2, J Parr 2, K Hillier, C O'Reilly, S Raulini, L Thornton, T Valeri  
Best players: C Moore, J Evans, Tom Valeri, P Rose, J Parr, J Crowe