Round 10 - Sunday June 21, 2009
Riverina Football Netball League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Scott Crowley, Brian Robinson and Ryan Dedini (RUA)
Griffith ................ 5.5 .. 13.5 .. 21.7 .. 26.11 (167) 
North Wagga .... 0.2 .. 5.3 .. 9.5 .. 11.5 (71)
GRIFFITH: Royce Johns, James Smith, Simon Spiers; James Fallon, Matthew Noonan, Ben Ford; Jonathon Gastin, Michael Johns, Jason Bertacco; Cameron Harrison, Jeff Mickan, Dean Crack; Michael Tyndall, Aaron Cocks, Michael Duncan; Michael Harris, Shaun Curran, Brett Owen; Matthew Kenny, Andrew Cappello, Chris Toohey* 
GOALS
Griffith: A Cocks 11, M Duncan 7, J Gastin 4, B Owen 2, M Harris, C Harrison 
North Wagga: J Lucas 2, J Argus 2, S Colville 2, C Flack, G Meulendykes, G Noye, M Ward, M Foster 
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: M Duncan, A Cocks, M Noonan, B Owen, M Johns, C Harrison 
North Wagga: M Fury, S Barnes, J Lucas, G Meulendykes, S Colville, C Ward 
SENIOR DEBUT: Chris Toohey

A summary of match report, with thanks
Like going from a drought to a flood, the Griffith Swans have come out of its losing streak with a vengeance, after downing the North Wagga Saints by a massive 166 points to 71. The Swans had struggled for weeks with loss after loss, but you wouldn't know it from yesterday's game at the Exies Oval; the Saints unable to complete withe Swans near flawless form.

Griffith led from the very start of the game, dominating possession, taking marks and kicking with accuracy, with an especially impressive performance from Aaron Cocks, whose 11-goal effort proved devastating for the Saints hopes.

By the end of the first quarter the game was seeming like a rout, with the Swans leading by a massive 35-2 margin.

From there, the margin widened to 47-2 before the Saints began to get a foothold in the game. But while managing goals proving feisty in the ruck, the Saints simply couldn't compete with Griffith, who left the field at half-time with a 50-point buffer, 83-33.

The Swans briefly enjoyed a 100-point lead over the Saints, 165-65, but North Wagga fought back for dignity's sake to close out the game 166-71. A delighted Swans coach Gerard Toscan said the big win had been a long time coming for the team.

"They did play good footy, there's no doubt about that," he said. "There were fewer mistakes today, and this is North Wagga's biggest loss of the year." After weeks of losses, Toscan said it was great to see the Swans play together so well as a team.

 "I know North Wagga are on the bottom of the ladder, but I think we took away a lot with this win," he said. "The close losses over Turvey Park and Narrandera were heart-breakers, but to break that streak, which was our longest losing streak in a long, long time, is just so good.

Toscan mentioned Cocks, Mick Duncan, Shaun Curran, Cameron Harrison and Michael Harris as standout players in an all-round team success.  But while a win over the bottom-ranked North Wagga side is good enough, a bigger challenge next week is an away game against Ganmain-GGM. (By Nick Pearson - The Area News, Monday June 22, 2009).

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Mangoplah-CUE 9.7 (61) def by Ganmain-GGM 14.13 (97), Narrandera 8.8 (56) def by Coolamon 21.18 (144), Wagga 17.8 (110) def Eastern Hawks 5.6 (36); SUN: Turvey Park 14.9 (93) def Leeton-Whitton 10.14 (74).

 
Reserves: North Wagga 14.10 (94) def Griffith 6.5 (41)
Goals: D Ashcroft 2, C Lugton, P Crawford, S Huxtable, J Tyrell
Best players: J Wade, G Taylor, B Woolner, D Best, D Owen, J Tyrell 
Under 17: North Wagga 16.17 (113) def Griffith 11.7 (73)
Goals: L Vico 7, C Niven, D Bartter, J Parr, P Rose
Best players: B McRae, D Bartter, C Moore, C Burge, F Bruton, L Vico