Round 10 - Saturday June 22, 2013
Riverina Football Netball League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Bob Neighbour and Sam Wemyss (RUA)
Griffith ............. 1.5 .. 4.9 .. 6.13 .. 11.16 (82)
Turvey Park .... 3.5 .. 4.7 .. 5.11 .. 11.12 (78)
GRIFFITH: Tom West, Dean Catanzariti, Chris Niven; Jonathon Gastin, James Taylor, Che Jenkins; Tim Matheson, Glen Snaidero, Riley Holland; James Fallon, James Toscan, Mathew Peruzzi*; Andrew Cappello, Trevor Richards, Dean Crack; Joel Gordon, Guy Orton (c-c), Michael Duncan; Cameron Harrison, David Dunbar*, Ben McRae, Joshua Tyndall
TURVEY PARK: Vaughn Winnell, Jeff Fletcher, Lachie Macrae; Hayden Dore, Will Carroll, Zach Masterson; Matthew Ness, Daniel Toose, Travis Rowley; Brendan Bryce, Tom Marlow, Jesse Cunningham; Andrew Emery, Josh Donaldson, Josh Ashcroft; Evan Smith, Chris Cerato (c-c), Tom Kenny; James Leahy, Ayden Hill, Mitchell Francis, Taylor Hampton
GOALS
Griffith: J Toscan 3, D Crack 2, T Richards, J Taylor, C Harrison, G Snaidero, J Gastin, B McRae
Turvey Park: J Ashcroft 2, M Ness 2, A Hill, J Leahy, T Marlow, A Emery, M Francis, J Donaldson, J Cunningham
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: J Taylor, M Duncan, D Crack, C Jenkins, G Orton, J Toscan
Turvey Park: J Fletcher, D Toose, E Smith, V Winnel, J Ashcroft, M Ness
SENIOR DEBUT: David Dunbar, Mathew Peruzzi

A summary of match report, with thanks
Eight points down and with four minutes left on the clock, the Griffith Swans were not going to let this opportunity against Turvey Park slip away. The RFL strugglers held their heads high, gathered every ounce of strength they could find and took control of Saturday’s match at Exies Oval. A stunned Turvey Park were left scrounging to hold onto their lead as the Swans’ Dean Crack sent a goal sailing over the heads, cutting the margin to two points. Barely 30 seconds remained. Time seemed to stand still as the bounce went Griffith’s way and suddenly James Toscan was reaching up to take a miracle mark 45 metres out. A boot and ball connected; the siren sounded.

The nervous crowd, complete with 20 players from the 2003 Swans’ premiership side, held its collective breath as the ball soared through the middle of the goalposts.  Toscan’s extraordinary goal sealed his side’s first win in six matches. Partly because it had been so long, partly because the legends were there for the premiership anniversary, but mostly because too had been so close – the celebration was one of pure exhilaration. 
Swans coach Guy Orton said it had been a long time since he had heard the team song echo so loudly around the rooms. “We have lost for so many weeks and to have a good close win really brought us together,” Orton said. “It wouldn’t have been the same if we had won by 40 points. “Everyone dug deep in the last four minutes – they made the decision they weren’t going to lose this one and they went out there and never gave up.” It was the Swans‘first win since the Anzac Day round. 
But ever since the losses started to pile up, Orton said he had changed the team’s focus from finals aspirations to week-by-week mentality. “I’m not saying we’re not going to make it but we’re just not going to look that far ahead,” he said. “We had a plan to win one of our next two games, which we’ve already done, so now we’ll look at the next two and focus on winning one of them.” 
Griffith defender James Taylor won best on ground in a standout performance – his best since switching codes from Yoogali SC last year. Youngster Matthew Peruzzi, who only last year was playing under 15s, impressed in his first hit-out for the senior side, as did Tom West. The only injury was a suspected concussion to Riley Holland following a knock to the head.

(By Melody Montague – The Area News, Monday June 24, 2013).

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Narrandera 10.8 (68) def by Leeton-Whitton 13.12 (90), Wagga 3.6 (24) def by Coolamon 7.10 (52); Ganmain-GGM 15.11 (101) def Collingullie-AK 11.10 (76); Mangoplah-CUE, bye.

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Reserves: Griffith 10.10 (70) def Turvey Park 7.7 (49)
Goals: J Wade 5, R Simpkin, T Shannon, N Witherspoon, K Ruyg, D Moysey
Best players: J Wade, K Hume, M Hogan, B Evans, T Shannon, K Ruyg
Under 17: Griffith def North Wagga on forfeit.