Round 7 - Sunday May 27, 2007
Riverina Football League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Greg Walsh and Simon Ross (RUA)
Griffith ............. 1.3 .. 4.6 .. 9.8 .. 12.10 (82)
Narrandera .... 8.7 .. 11.11 .. 17.13 .. 25.15 (165)'
GRIFFITH: David Pasin, Simon Spiers, Jason Hampel; Jason Malone, Matthew Kenny, Mathew Crack; Ben Ford, Michael Duncan, Joel Brown; Craig Conlan, Jeff Mickan, Myles Bunn; Luke McLean, James Toscan, Daniel Meade; Peter Hunt, Matthew McDonald, Zach Lewis; Dean Crack, Ryan Bull, Jace Iemma
NARRANDERA IMPERIAL: Peter Bloomfield, Hayden Hutchins, Stephen Irons; Stuart Hutchins, Ashley Thomson, Chris Smith; Tim Sullivan, Nic Hetherington, Drew Kenna; Dale Hugo, Damon Burden, Chris Walsh; Tim Mathieson, Dean Hopwood, Liam Richmond; Peter Heath, Danny Campbell, Jamie Grintell (c-c); John Vearing, Chris Downes, Sam Martin
GOALS
Griffith: L McLean 6, M McDonald 3, D Meade, M Bunn, M Duncan 
Narrandera: D Hopwood 9, P Heath 5, T Sullivan 4, J Vearing 3, D Campbell, D Burden, L Richmond, D Kenna 
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: M Bunn, Z Lewis, J Mickan, M McDonald, J Hampel, L McLean
Narrandera: P Heath, N Hetherington, D Hopwood, S Irons, T Sullivan, J Vearing

A summary of match report, with thanks
The Griffith Swans woes continued when they were thumped by 83 points at Exies Oval. The Swans were outgunned from the opening bounce and have slipped to their fifth defeat of the season. Narrandera's Dean Hopwood was a pillar of strength for the Eagles' forward line on his way to nine goals for the game, while teammate Peter Heath booted five.

The loss was also compounded for the Swans when star recruit Zach Lewis was carried from the field with a rolled ankle towards the end of the final quarter. Griffith captain-coach Luke McLean said his side's inability to complete the simple tasks was hurting them.

"I think we're just missing some skills; we're falling off tackles and missing our targets when we have the footy," McLean said.

"It's hard as well because we have quite a few young guys in the team that don't quite have the size to match it with the bigger guys."

The undefeated Eagles started with a flourish in the first term, kicking eight goals to one to open up a commanding 55-0 lead.

Myles Bunn and Simon Spiers showed glimpses of form in the backline for the Swans in the second quarter as the game tightened up.

But just as the Swans began to build some pressure, they let it slip. Two quick goals to Tim Sullivan straight after half-time put the Eagles' lead out to 52 points and then Hopwood again got into the act with his fifth goal for the game.

Down by 53 points at the final break, the Swans made a brief charge for an unlikely victory when Matt McDonald and reinstated Mick Duncan booted two quickfire goals. But the Eagles took the wind out of the Swans' sails when John Vearing and Sullivan stole the momentum back with majors of their own. "I thought Myles Bunn, Zach Lewis and Joel Brown were all pretty good for us today," McLean said.

The Swans now have two weeks off to try and reinvigorate their flagging season.  (By Will Gilroy - The Area News, Monday May 28, 2007). 

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Eastern Hawks 11.6 (72) def by Wagga Tigers 18.14 (122); SUN: Ganmain-GGM 21.15 (141) def Turvey Park 15.16 (106), Leeton-Whitton 11.10 (76 def by Mangoplah-CUE 21.14 (140); Coolamon, bye.

Reserves: Griffith 19.12 (126) def Narrandera 10.10 (70)
Goals: B Harrison 6, J Gastin 4, J Harris 2, M Harris 2, C Forwood 2, C Pugh, C Lugton, W Tyndall 
Best players: A Cappello, D McGreal, D Dunn, J Harris, P Rowston, B Harrison
Under 18: Griffith 11.12 (78) def Narrandera 10.14 (74)
Goals: J Tyrell 3, D Keenan 2, M Patterson 2, J Fallon, M Plieski, S Curran, L Piccolo
Best players: D Bruce, C McGann, J Fallon, S Curran, L Piccolo