Round 6 - Sunday May 19, 2002
Riverina Football League
Venue: Leeton Showground 2.10pm
Umpires: Scott Crowley and Paul Guthrie (RUA)
Leeton-Whitton .... 2.1 .. 3.3 .. 5.3 .. 6.4 (40)
Griffith .................... 6.3 .. 16.6 .. 24.9 .. 30.15 (195)
LEETON-WHITTON: Evan Hillman, Steven McCarten, Matthew Flagg; Trent Lang, Michael Cunningham (c-c), Kane Bullock; David Harrison, Matthew Sharman, Simon Piltz; Brent O'Mara, Greg Looby, Dean Fraser; Adrian Brown, Kurt Bullock, David Elwin; Grant McLarty, Lee Whelan, Shane Whelan; Nigel Durkin, Brenton Hillier, Matthew Meladonis
GRIFFITH: Matt Bunn, Jonathan O'Dwyer, Damien Scott; Michael Johns, Chris Blanchard, Craig Conlan; Kaine Malone, Phillip Rowston, Michael Duncan; Jeff Mickan, David Curran, Luke Condon; Jamie Bennett, Danny Beriman, Matthew Olney; Brendan Giason, Cian Ebert (c-c), Trevor Clarke; Shawn Conlan, Matthew Kenny, David Kidman
GOALS
Leeton-Whitton: B O'Mara 2, A Brown 2, L Whelan, M Cunningham
Griffith: D Beriman 6, D Curran 5, M Duncan 4, J Bennett 4, T Clarke 2, M Olney 2, Craig Conlan, B Giason, L Condon, D Kidman, S Conlan,

K Malone, Matt Bunn 
BEST PLAYERS
Leeton-Whitton: B O'Mara, D Elwin, G McLarty, L Whelan, M Sharman
Griffith: M Duncan, P Rowston, M Olney, J Bennett, J O'Dwyer
A summary of match report, with thanks
The Griffith Swans returned to stunning form against Leeton-Whitton on Saturday, kicking 30.15 (195) to 6.4 (40) win over the Crows at Woodstock Oval, Leeton. In a dominant display, the Swans kicked six goals three behinds for the first quarter, while Leeton-Whitton finished with six goals four behinds for the entire match. After a close match against East Wagga-Kooringal last week, Griffith captain-coach Cian Ebert was very pleased with the way the side lifted against the Crows. "It was probably our best and most consistent game in terms of doing everything right for more times than we didn't," Ebert said.

During the week the Swans identified a number of areas which needed improvement, with skill errors and turnovers keeping EWK in the game the previous week. We really went over there (to Leeton) determined that we were going to change that and to the boys' credit we performed well," Ebert said. "I think last week was really good for us, it made us realise that if you don't go out there every week ready to play your game, everyone a chance to beat you. "We were really determined this week to get back to basics and work at the things that have worked for us so far."  The return to basics worked well for the Swans as the side skipped away to a 26-point lead by the first break.

Although the Crows kicked the first major of the match, Griffith settled in quickly after that. "From then on our work rate was really high, our commitment to each other was high and we just didn't give them a chance to get into the game," Ebert said.

"It's not that they played bad, we just didn't give them any opportunities." A massive effort in the second quarter saw the Swans boot 11 goals three behinds, while the Crows could only manage just one major and two behinds. Trailing by 87 points at the long break, Leeton-Whitton had no hope of coming back for a win in the second half, but the side continued to press.

The Swans could not repeat their 11-goal effort but still kicked seven majors for the third term, with the Crows adding two goals. Griffith slowed down a little in the final term and the side's accuracy suffered, adding six goals six behinds to finish 155-point victors.

Danny Beriman led the scorers with six goals while Dave Curran booted five in his first game back from an ankle injury. Jamie Bennett, also returning from injury, kicked four goals as did Michael Duncan, with Trevor Clark and Matt Olney adding two each.

Among the best for Griffith were Duncan, Phillip Rowston, Olney, Bennett and Jon O'Dwyer, although Ebert said it was difficult to pick out the better players." However, although sitting comfortably at the top of the ladder, Ebert said the players need to keep making the effort.

"It's important that the boys make sure they get to training, and we keep working hard," he said.

 Ebert said there were a couple of under 18s players who were badly injured and everyone at the club is thinking of them.

He also thanked all the support staff for the work they did for the club at Leeton yesterday.

(By Rebecca Kroek - The Area News, Monday May 20, 2002).

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Mangoplah-CUE 94 def Narrandera 55; SUN: Coolamon 99 def by East WaggaK 103, Turvey Park 121 def Ganmain-GGM 51
Reserves: Griffith 24.18 (162) def Leeton-Whitton 3.3 (21).

Goals: S Ruyg 8, J Way 6, Myles 2, Chis Conlan 2, S Driscoll 2, T Bradley, G Foley, B Ford, P Thornton
Best players: Chris Conlan, S Spiers, S Ruyg, Gavin Hill, J Way
Under 18: Leeton-Whitton 9.20 (74) def Griffith 6.0 (36)
Goals: K Duncan 3, B Wade, D Condon, B Owen
Best players: K Duncan, B Owen, B Wade, L Catanzariti, N Malone