Round 3 - Saturday April 24, 2010
Riverina Football Netball League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Mark Rowe, Rob Wilson and Noel Butland (RUA)
Griffith ............... 3.2 .. 3.3 .. 6.5 .. 9.6 (60)
Narrandera ...... 1.4 .. 1.6 .. 2.6 .. 5.8 (38)
GRIFFITH: Jonathon Gastin, Matthew Noonan, Roland Finch; Michael Duncan, Matthew Kenny, Tim Matheson; Ben Ford, Jeff Mickan, Alex Overs; Greg Pickett*, Josh Whelan, Brett Owen; Luke Humphries, Shaun Curran, Kris Duncan; Michael Harris, Mathew Crack, James Fallon; Cameron Arnold, Dean Crack, Toby Blissett*
GOALS
Griffith: A Overs 2, B Pickett 2, S Curran, B Owen, M Duncan, J Whelan, K Duncan 
Narrandera: D Dai 2, J Grintell, Z Litchfield, T Mathieson 
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: S Curran, A Overs, J Mickan, M Crack, M Duncan, B Owen 
Narrandera: Z Beaumont, J Doyle, S Hutchins, D Burden, L Hunter, Z Litchfield
SENIOR DEBUT: Toby Blissett, Greg Pickett
A summary of match report, with thanks
Griffith Swans are off the mark in the Riverina Football League after recording a gutsy 22-point win over the Narrandera Eagles at a soggy Exies Oval on Saturday night. A torrential downpour earlier in the day robbed the game of any spectacle, but the Swans showed they wanted the game more as they recorded their first for the 2010 season.

Griffith captain-coach Matt Noonan knew his side would be in for an arm-wrestle against the Eagles even before they were presented with a heavy track but praised his players for the “intensity” shown from start to finish. “Probably our best attribute for the day was the level of fight we showed with our tackling, our attack and intensity around the ball. “Noonan said.

 “And secondly our direction was great, we just played simple footy, we kicked it long and direct, and it got down there enough and we ended up with the scores.  “The conditions were as they were being wet weather footy, and we just had to play to it, and for a lot of the game we did.” An indication of a low-scoring nature of the game came in the first quarter with the sides only kicking four goals between them, with the Swans leading by less than two kicks.

The game became even tighter just before the long break, with only three behinds added to both teams scores as the tense battle remained up for grabs, a fact that was not lost on Noonan as he addressed his troops at half-time. “It was still in the balance all the way through, we just needed to maintain our form and not allow them (Narrandera) to get any run-ons, like the (Wagga) Tigers did the week before,”

Noonan said. The Swans found their range in front of goals in the third term as they put a handy buffer on the Eagles, who despite kicking three majors of their own, were unable to run down the Swans as inaccuracy in front of goal cost the visitors.

“It was a full team effort really, a few blokes needed to stand up did so and played their little part which is really pleasing to see,” Noonan said. “It wasn’t a day when a lot of pressure was loaded on two or three guys, it was spread across the whole team, and they stood up and made a statement that we’re going to win this as a team.”  (By Scott Hazlewood – The Area News, Monday April 26, 2010).

​

OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Coolamon 13.12 (90) def Leeton-Whitton 3.8 (26), Mangoplah-CUE 8.6 (54) def by Ganmain-GGM 11.14 (80); SUN: Turvey Park 14.8 (92) def Wagga 5.7 (37).

Reserves: Narrandera 6.6 (42) def Griffith 4.7 (31)
Goals: J Cox 2, K Russell 2
Best players: J Cox, M Tyndall, K Russell, D Catanzariti, C Lugton, R Johns
Under 17: Griffith 15.14 (104) def Narrandera 6.6 (42)
Goals: L Vico 4, C Moore 3, K Hillier 2, P Rose 2, J Tyndall 2, A Tarr, J Crowe
Best players: T Valeri, J Tyndall, P Whittard, K Hillier, J Crowe, C Moore