By Matt Malone

NEWLY appointed Griffith captain-coach Matt Noonan believes finals football is a realistic goal for the Swans as they attempt to avoid relegation.

Noonan was unveiled as Griffith's new coach at the weekend after impressing in the role towards the end of last season while standing in for Gerard Toscan.

In announcing Noonan as coach, the Swans also unveiled a marquee recruit from Western Australia.

Griffith has landed the signing of full-forward Sam Hart, a player with experience in both the Victorian and West Australian Football Leagues.

With promotion relegation set to commence in the 2010 season under the new AFL-Riverina format, Noonan is looking forward to leading Griffith into an exciting new era.

"Like everyone else, I knew the club was after a big name player to coach to try to generate some excitement here but as you know it's pretty hard to entice them," Noonan said yesterday.

"So I said to them that I really wanted to do it and it went from there."

Noonan moved to Griffith nearly 12 months ago in his employment, after playing all his junior and senior football at Wagga Tigers.

Noonan has big plans in place for Griffith to return to Riverina Football League's finals scene.

"The main goal for me personally is to work with the group and to help them grow as players and as a group," Noonan said.

"I want to create a culture where there is a real desire to succeed, a real hunger for it.

"Because if you've got that, you're going to do well.

"We want to play finals footy and by doing that, we get out of that relegation area."

The signing of Hart as assistant coach is also a big boost to the Swans' finals chances, with the club luring the 26-year-old over from Western Australia.

Hart has kicked 100 goals in a season on several occasions and is, from all reports, an 'excitement machine'.

"The feeling I get is that he is a very confident player and he's going to be good for the league," Noonan said.

"He's going to be the type of player you want to go and watch, he's going to create that bit of excitement.

"He's going to be good for the footy club and the league."

The Swans are also hopeful of retaining gun midfielder Mick Duncan, who was in talks with clubs on the Gold Coast and Ovens and Murray League club North Albury.