Round 18 - Saturday August 27, 2011
Riverina Football Netball League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Rob Johnston, Paul Smith and Cameron Warner (RUA)
Griffith .............. 1.2 .. 6.6 .. 8.7 .. 10.11 (71)
Narrandera ..... 5.6 .. 7.7 .. 12.10 .. 18.13 (121) 
GRIFFITH: Dean Catanzariti, James Smith, Brendan Giason; Che Jenkins Matthew Noonan, Jonathon Gastin; Toby Blissett, Michael Duncan, John Evans; Mathew Crack, Tom Buckley, Michael Johns; Jeff Mickan, James Toscan, Beau Runnalls; Henry Delves, Glen Snaidero, Guy Orton; Dean Crack, Kris Duncan, Tom Webb
GOALS
Griffith: B Runnalls 4, M Johns, G Snaidero, M Duncan, M Crack, D Crack, T Blissett
Narrandera: P Aumann 4, Z Litchfield 2, N Hetherington 2, P Horsburgh 2, J Grintell 2, T Mathieson 2, J Rice, C Walsh,

M Flack, L Hunter 
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: M Duncan, M Noonan, M Crack, M Johns, G Snaidero, J Evans
Narrandera: P Horsburgh, J Rice, L Hunter, D Kenna, J Sullivan, S Hutchins
A summary of match report, with thanks
Griffith coach Damien Scott is proud of the inroads his team has made this season despite falling desperately short of a final berth at Exies Oval on Saturday. The Swans needed to make up 0.85 percent of Wagga Tigers on Saturday, but a 50-point defeat against Narrandera ended all hopes. In the end, Griffith missed fifth spot by three percentage.

Given the Swans came from last spot last year and rose into second position at stages during the year, Scott was happy with the season. “It’s certainly not doom and gloom but on the other hand we’re not happy about the loss,” Scott said.

“You look into their eyes after the game and they know, you can tell, their pretty passionate about it and they’re up for the challenge.

“They’re committed to ‘let’s take the next step’ and that makes it easier for me when they’re prepared to work hard and take the next step. “At the end of the day, at the moment, we were not ready. It’s definitely been a big leap forward.

On the ladder we’re halfway there, now we’ve got to get to the top.” 
Griffith was still in the contest at half-time due to a strong second quarter with the breeze that put the Swans within seven points. Narrandera kicked five goals to two in the third, but the Swans were still within reach, 27 points down with the breeze at their back.

The Eagles stepped it up, however, and six final term goals buried Griffith as it ended in a 50-point ball game.

Scott conceded his team was beaten by a better one on the day. ‘They played a pretty honest brand of football,’ Scott said.

“They back one another in. A few of our better players just didn’t have the same effect on the game.” Jim Rice was superb for Narrandera, along with fellow midfielders Zane Litchfield, Pat Horsburgh and James Sullivan. Lachlan Hunter played a dominate role in the ruck, too.

Beau Runnalls kicked four goals to finish one short of Marc Geppert in the Riverina Fooball League goalkicking title.

(By Matt Malone – Wagga Daily Advertiser, Monday August 29, 2011).

  

OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Coolamon 22.19 (151) def Leeton-Whitton 9.10 (64), Wagga 12.6 (78) def by Collingullie-AK 13.12 (90); SUN: Turvey Park 14.8 (92) def Mangoplah-CUE 13.7 (85); Ganmain-GGM, bye.

Reserves: Griffith 15.7 (97) def Narrandera 7.11 (53)
Goals: Matt Taberner 7, M Hogan 3, C Boye 2, L Piccolo 2, N King 2, C McGann, A Cappello, C Niven
Best players: C Harrison, C Lugton, M Hogan, C Niven, J Cudmore, L Piccolo
Under 17: Griffith 10.10 (70) def Coolamon 4.4 (28)
Goals: D Cassidy 2, T Shannon 2, T West, P Whittard, J Evans, L Peruzzi, B Tarr, B Fitzgerald
Best players: J Evans, F Josling, Tom Valeri, P Rose, D Evans, J Tyndall