GRIFFITH NOTES: "Riverina Football Record" June 21, 1987 - No. 11 

What a black day it was for the Swans last Sunday when we travelled to Robertson Oval to meet the Tigers. We know we would be hard hit as far as unavailability was concerned because of the Saturday game but no-one believed that we could go down without such a whimper.

The Under 19's started the game with only 15 players and just before quarter time were still scoreless whilst the opposition had in excess of 12 goals on the board. Nothing seem to work, and it is to the credit of the youngsters that they kept trying. The loss, however, still sees them in 3rd position as all the top teams last week were on 16 points each and therefore the boys are still a chance.

As if the 100-point defeat wasn't enough for some Under 19's, at least a dozen of them, possible more, turned around and ran back on for the 2nds and were again subjected to another humiliating defeat when the 2nds went down by in excess of 100 points. It would appear at the time of writing that no-one in the 2nds was awarded the pewter although Ian Shephard could possibly have got the award for his effort at fullback.

Again, we saw another great resurrection when Mouse (Harrison) handed over his goal umpiring duties to Graham Leask and took to the field. Sheeds (Ian Wade) managed to hide until the start of the game and then disappeared into the warmth of the timekeeper's box whilst Bob Berton did a dressing / undressing act with speed that could only be matched by Superman. He finally took the field for the Firsts.

'Beam Me Up Scotty'. Was this what Mr. Marty O'Donnell captain-coach, football mentor and very frustrated man heard to mutter at the half-time interval in the far-off distant city of Wagga as he was forced to watch the abysmal style of football his side produced in the first half. The thought of hypnotising his side back to mother earth to tune in on the game must have crossed his (master) mind. But few would argue that our first Saturday for the 1987 will long be remembered more for the unsuccessful attempt to obtain entry into the well-known Wagga nite spot or the food & wine at an exotic restaurant than the afternoon's football in which Gerard Pieper played his 200th game for Wagga - congratulations. Dave Johnston won our best player award with solid performances from Darrell Collins, Neil Bruce and Andrew 'Spa Pool' Smith.

Notes No. 13 >>>