Grand Finalists in 2002 and 2004 –  three grand finals in three years!!

Griffith Australian Football Club

PO Box 652
GRIFFITH.    NSW    2680

GRIFFITH AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL CLUB INC.

PREMIERS – 2003!!!

CONTACT US

Phone: (02)  6963.007     Fax: (02)  6963.0050

The Griffith Australian Football Club Inc is affiliated with the Southern NSW AFL Association and is a member of the Riverina Football League (RFL). This is an  (9) team competition, still with a Final Five and we play two rounds.

Teams in the RFL now include Wagga Tigers (who returned this year after several unsuccessful years in the ACT/AFL), Turvey Park, Eastern Hawks and Mangoplah Cookadinia United-Eastlakes which are all Wagga based sides, Coolamon, Ganmain Grong-Grong Matong, Narrandera, Leeton and Griffith. It is a competition with a combination of Saturday and Sunday games and the season usually commences in early April and finishes on the Sunday prior to the AFL Grand Final. There are usually a couple of byes during the first half of the season for representative games. In 2001 the R.F.L. won the NSW State Championships and fielded one of the strongest rep sides for many years - coached by former Adelaide Crows player, Wayne Wiedeman.

The Griffith Australian Football Club has a senior, reserve and under 18 team which all compete at the one ground on the same day (or night) during the season regular. We also have four (4) netball teams that play on the same day.

The Griffith Australian Football Club was formed in 20’s and played in a couple of smaller leagues before joining the South West District Football League  in 1947.  They participated in the S.W.D.F.L. until the formation of the RFL in 1982, of which Griffith has been a competitive member. The RFL is considered to be the major Australian Rules league in NSW.

The RFL has recently attracted many high profile players to its ranks in both coaching and playing roles. The Griffith Australian Football Club, with its strong supporter base, wants to continue this trend.

Griffith also has a junior club, which is affiliated with the senior club. The juniors have under 12, 14 and 16 teams which have been successful and won premierships in each grade in recent years. The senior club also calls on some of the U16 players to step up and play Under 18's when shortages in that grade occur.

The club broke a 35 year drought in 2003 under the guidance of Cian Ebert and finally won a Premiership in the R.F.L after going down in the Grand Final in 2002.   Cian led us for two years and chose to move to greener pastures in 2004 to the strong Ovens & Murray League.   In 2004 we obtained the services of a former AFL player, Adrian Burns, who again led us to a Grand Final in 2004 and to the Elimination Final in 2005.  In 2006 we appointed Luke McLean   who came to us from the strong Geelong District League. After a slow start and a bad run of injuries, we managed,  against the odds and to the surprise of the pundits, to make the Preliminary Final where we were defeated by near neighbours the Leeton/Whitton Crows.  Luke then agreed to coach for a further two years but the seniors failed to make the finals in 2007 following the departure of several key players.  In a shock move, Luke advised the committee just prior to the Presentation Night that he would be moving to Tasmania so that his fiancée could be closer to family following the birth of their son.  He has already signed to coach Launceston.   In what is considered by many as a great move, the Club has appointed former player Gerry Toscan as senior coach for 2008.   He will also oversee the Under 18’s as noted below.

 Reserve Grade in 2007 was coached by Roger Heenan (a senior player who came to town for his employment) and has been a great find for the Club.  The Reserves finished the season as minor premiers but were unable to carry the form into the Grand Final and were defeated in the main game of the season.  Roger has since told the Club that he has been transferred in his employment and will not be coaching in 2008.    Two of “Griffith’s Finest” have taken on the dual role of coaching the Reserves because of their work commitments.  Hopefully when one is working the other is off.  We thank Greg Sibbick and Brent Harrison for taking on this job.

The Under 18’s were taken on by a group of fathers, who were themselves excellent players of the Club back in the 80’s.   Gerry Toscan was coach and was assisted by Ian Geddes, Mark Tyndall and Neil Bruce—all of whom had sons playing.  They had a good season, made the finals but unfortunately bowed out to Wagga Tigers in the 1st Semi.  Prior to being appointed senior coach, Gerry indicated that he will coach again in 2008 and he will oversee the U18’s with the other fathers taking a bigger role.   Gerry was award the Bill Simmons Memorial Award as Club Person of the Year at our recent Presentation Night.