SWANS "DADDY OF A WIN"
By Jack Luhrs

It may have been Mothers Day on Sunday but the Swans picked up a "Daddy of a win" on the Ex-Servicemen's Oval, when they crushed Ardlethan to win 21.10 (136) to 9.15 (69).
Impending victory caused elation in the Swans' dressing room at half-time when they led 86-16 and little wonder coach Peter Matuska was ecstatic. "We've waited all season to put it together and I am proud of each and everyone of the players out there on the field", Matuska said.
Matuska must have had a foreboding of what could happen when he added "it's no good feeling good in here, the next two quarters is when you have to go out and do better".
Pleading to his players Matuska added: "If I had my way, I would wipe out the scoreboard to zero so we would know we would have to start again". He had every reason to be cautious.
In the first half his Swans looked every bit a top South West side as they tore the youthful Ardlethan opposition to pieces.
To a man the equally youthful Swans ran, contested, employed delightful handball and kicked the ball with precision and verve with only one target in mind - the slim frame of Darrell Collins in front of goal.
And Collins responded with his best exhibition of the season.
His five goals up to halfway were gems of enthusiastic team play as he spiced his own efforts with exciting marks and straight kicking. The Swans had winners everywhere.
Phil McGarry started the mood with four of five big grabs in the first 10-minutes and although they ran into a face of a chilling autumn wind, the Swans race to an impressive  35 points lead on the first change.
Five goals against the wind and eight with it was heady stuff and the kind of ingredient that pushed the Swans lead to 70 points at half-time.
The Griffith power points were everywhere: Pat Dwyer dominated the centre, Dennis Schmetzer and Shane Best completed a winning line across the midfield and the rover change of Robbie Owen, Peter Dwyer and Peter Arnall complemented the winning ruck of Phil McGarry, Peter Matuska, Neville Brand and Drew Luhrs.
Ardlethan had little comfort in the first half despite huge efforts from Stewart Litchfield at full back, Shaun Quade in the ruck and the overworked defence of Bob Andrews and the swing of Kevin Williams from full forward in an attempt to counter the Swans around the ground.
Victory was complete for the Swans as Kelvin Turner, Stephen Best, Norm Alexander, Garry Smart and Peter Carey blocked Ardlethan each time they ventured near their own goal area.
The jolt to the Swans ego at the start of the third period almost eroded the magic momentum of the first two sessions.
Ardlethan found their legs and with two goals from Dennis Carroll, one each from coach Kevin Grose and Glenn Carroll, the visitors were full of business of turning a high standard game into an even contest.
Ardlethan had the Swans under pressure and the mistakes came thick and fast from the leaders.
It was left to the steadying influence of Peter Matuska and centre half forward Stephen Brand to re-direct the match control back to Griffith. Big marking scored two goals for Matuska and clever reading of the game enabled Stephen Brand to finish the quarter with three more.
Ardlethan had played well to boot their five majors for the period but the Swans threw off a slow start to finish with six.
Griffith held a 74 points lead on the final change and the only flaw in their game on the day was when they allowed the visitors 10-scoring shots in the final session to their own three.
However, 2/8 from Ardlethan was a miserable return when more goals could have seen them draw much closer.
Nonetheless it was an impressive Griffith performance and like the cat that had swallowed the canary, the Swans had every reason to be satisfied.
While Ardlethan can add to their playing strength, the Swans were also down in numbers with Ian Wade, Glen Harrison and Sid Robins on the injured list. 

The Area News - Tuesday May 15, 1979)