Round 3 - Saturday April 27, 2013
Riverina Football Netball League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Luke Olsen and Bob Neighbour (RUA)
Griffith ............... 5.2 .. 11.4 .. 16.8 .. 20.13 (133)
Narrandera ..... 2.2 .. 4.5 .. 6.8 .. 11.10 (76)
GRIFFITH: Royce Johns, Richard Malone, James Taylor; Tim Matheson, Glen Snaidero, Che Jenkins; Tom Webb, Michael Duncan, Tom West; James Kennedy, Matthew Hogan, Daniel Moyley; Kris Duncan, James Toscan, Dean Crack; Lance Poka*, Guy Orton (c-c), Mathew Crack; Daniel Peruzzi, Steven McCanna*, Andrew Cappello, Dean Catanzariti
NARRANDERA IMPERIAL: Glenn Currie, Jed Hillman, Ryan Burden; Shaun Quilter, Damon Burden, Shaun Light; Shaun Gehringer, Jim Rice (c-c), Cody Kickett; Jakob Vearing, Nic Hetherington, Jay Kickett; Alex Lee, Andrew Johnston, Toby Orme; Phil Aumann, Alex Lawder, Mark Flack; Neil Halden, Dylan Choy, Drew Hardy, Matthew Morrice
GOALS
Griffith: J Toscan 7, G Orton 4, D Crack 3, J Kennedy 2, D Peruzzi 2, M Crack, T Webb
Narrandera: A Johnston 6, J Kickett 2, N Hetherington, J Rice, M Flack
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: G Orton, J Toscan, R Malone, M Duncan, J Kennedy, D Peruzzi
Narrandera: J Rice, A Lawder, M Flack, A Johnston, J Kickett, N Hetherington
SENIOR DEBUT: Steven McCanna, Lance Poka

A summary of match report, with thanks

Last week he was playing second fiddle to an AFL great – but on Saturday, James Toscan relished his return to centre stage as Griffith belted Narrandera by 57 points at Exies Oval. In a note-perfect response to a shattering after-the-siren loss to Leeton-Whitton one week ago, the Swans returned to form with a brilliant four-quarter effort against the reigning RFL premiers.

With Brendan Fevola’s one-off game over and done with, Toscan stepped back into the goal-square and arguable bettered the output of the former Carlton and Brisbane forward against the Crows. 
Toscans booted seven goals on Saturday – the same amount as Fevola last week, only this time Griffith started with a bang and ended the match the exact same way, winning 20.13 (133) to 11.10 (76). “I heard a comment during the week that if Fev wasn’t here we would have definitely lost last week. I don’t believe that’s true,” captain-coach Guy Orton said. “Tosco’s our full-forward and he’s a bloody good one at that.

He was awesome – it was exactly how a forward should be playing.” The Swans’ backline was also singled out from praise by Orton, who labelled the performance “sensational” and said it was precisely what he wanted in the wake of the Crows heartbreaker. “The boys were pretty hungry. We haven’t really run over the top of sides in my time here, so it’s been good to come out and belt them that much,” he said.
The victory was set up with an 11-goal first half and then confirmed with a short burst of scoring in the third quarter that put the result beyond doubt. And the Swans did it with four key players – Jonathan Gastin, Jack Tyrell, James Fallon and Joel Gordon – all sidelined.

Rugby League convert Lance Poka and former basketballer Steve McCanna came into the side and rotated through the ruck admirably on debut. “That’s Poks third game of football and now he’s in the seniors. He’s an intimidator.

He’s made the transition really well and so have the others,” Orton said. 
In a thoroughly successful day for the Swans, the club’s three other grades also got up to complete a clean sweep of wins over Narrandera. The only sour point was an ankle injury to Kris Duncan, who could now be out for several weeks with ligament damage sustained in the first quarter. “Luckily we’ve got a lot of small forwards who can fill that role,” Orton said.

(By Vinve Rugari – The Area News, Monday April 29, 2013). 

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OTHER MATCHES - THU: 25/4 Wagga 12.20 (92 def Collingullie-AK 12.11 (83); SAT: 27/4 Ganmain-GGM 18.19 (187) def Turvey Park 7.3 (45), Mangoplah-CUE 4.12 (36) def by Coolamon 11.8 (74); Leeton-Whitton, bye.

Reserves: Griffith 17.11 (113) def Narrandera 2.2 (14)
Goals: T Howard 4, J Hampel 3, J Wade 3, T Richards 2, J Gastin 2, L Peruzzi 2, D Dunbar
Best players: J Gastin, J Tyrell, T Howard, T Richards, J Hampel, D Dunbar
Under 17: Griffith 18.12 (120) def Narrandera 2.3 (15)
Goals: B Lewis 3, B Moore 3, T Gilmore 2, T Polkinghorne 2, C Cunial 2, C Matheson 2, J Harrison, L Greenaway, R Holland, J Foley
Best players: L Greenaway, C Matheson, T Polkinghorne, B Lewis, R Holland, J Foley