Round 7 - Sunday May 23, 2010
Riverina Football Netball League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Rob Wilson and John Hilton (RUA)
Griffith ................... 1.0 .. 4.0 .. 4.0 .. 6.1 (37)
Ganmain-GGM .... 5.6 .. 9.11 .. 11.14 .. 17.16 (118)
GRIFFITH: Luke Piccolo, Craig Lugton, Dean Catanzariti; Matthew Kenny, Matthew Noonan, Tim Matheson; Theo Valeri, Brett Owen, Roland Finch; James Fallon, Josh Whelan, Dean Crack; Kris Duncan, Matthew Hogan, Luke Humphries; Jeff Mickan, Michael Duncan, Mathew Crack; Jonathon Gastin, Ben Ford, Andrew Cappello 
GOALS
Griffith: L Humphries, M Hogan, J Fallon, M Duncan, A Cappello, R Finch 
Ganmain-GGM: D Rankin 3, A Clayden 3, G Higgins 3, M Steele 2, D Walsh 2, N McPherson, B Walsh, K Hamblin, L Kohlhagen 
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: B Owen, M Crack, L Piccolo, J Fallon, M Noonan, J Gastin
Ganmain-GGM: D Rankin, W Kiley, C McPherson, A Roberts, N McPherson
A summary of match report, with thanks
The Griffith Swans’ backs are to the wall after a disappointing 81-point loss to Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong Lions which put them out of the Riverina Football League top six by just half a game. Coach Matt Noonan said the next four weeks were crucial to the struggling Swans after failing to put some decent points on the board in a tough match against the undefeated Lions.

“We’re lucky to still be where we are,” Noonan said, “We’ve had a couple of blow-outs against the top three teams in the comp, but the next three of four weeks are very crucial to the season ahead. 
A slow start to the game saw the Swans record just one goal against the firing Lions side who took the lead 5.6 (36) to 1.0 (6) going into the first break. The Swans picked up momentum out of the break putting together three through the big sticks but couldn’t hold back a strong Lion attack who picked up an extra four goals to retain a dominant position at half-time.

“We just couldn’t use plays to our advantage in the second quarter,” Noonan said. “We couldn’t get it passed their key backs; they can read the plays really well. We’re finding it hard to get the goals because we don’t have a gun forward and that’s where we’re really letting ourselves down.
A hard fought third term saw the Swans on the defensive and working hard to keep the raging Lions side out of their forward 50.

“We made them work for their goals,” Noonan said. “It wasn’t smooth run for them, we didn’t let them flow their plays end to end.”

But the effort cost the Swans in the end with Matt Crack carried off the field after a massive clash with a Ganmain player.

The last quarter saw the Swans kick another two goals but their defence couldn’t keep up the momentum as the Lions put another five through the big sticks to take the away team to a dominating win.

Noonan said his team played well against a strong side, pushing hard all the way to the end. “We didn’t play the best, but the effort and the endeavour was there,” Noonan said. “It was a good game to see where we’re up to against the benchmark in the comp.”

(By Emily Tinker – The Area News, Monday May 24, 2010).

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Leeton-Whitton 14.10 (94) def by Mangoplah-CUE 13.20 (98), Narrandera 3.3 (21) def by Turvey Park 14.14 (98); SUN: Coolamon 13.18 (96) def Wagga 8.16 (64). 

Reserves: Ganmain-GGM 15.11 (101) def Griffith 3.5 (23)
Goals: T Blissett 2, D Best 
Best players: J Tyrell, C Burge, B McRae, P Crawford, B Woolner, C Niven 
Under 17: Griffith 18.25 (133) def Ganmain-GGM 1.1 (7)
Goals: C Moore 8, P Whittard 2, K Hillier 2, H Delves 2, J Winkler, J Tyndall, M Oates, T Blissett 
Best players: J Evans, P Rose, T Blissett, H Pascoe, C Moore, K Hillier