The Swans head to Maher Oval to take on a resurgent Turvey Park, with fifth spot on the line, and their influential midfielder on the sidelines.

“It doesn’t help but we’ll still go over confident we can get the win,” Griffith coach Adrian Pavese said.

“We’ve been playing some pretty good footy but we just can’t get the win.

“Guy missing hurts but it opens up an opportunity for someone else.”

But that doesn’t take away from the disappointment of Orton’s suspension.

The Riverina League representative coach will miss away games against the Bulldogs and Leeton-Whitton after he was outed for a fortnight for headbutting Wagga Tigers’ Nick Ryan. 

Cited by Tigers after their round six win over Griffith at Exies Oval, Orton was found guilty by the AFL Riverina independent tribunal on Thursday night.

His good record saw the penalty reduced from three games to two.

A disappointed Pavese said he was surprised at the outcome.

“I am,” Pavese said.

“Some of the evidence I thought was a bit confusing. 

“But in the end it’s an independent tribunal, they made a decision and we move on.”

It comes as Griffith chase their fourth win of the season, after going down to Collingullie-Glenfield Park, Tigers and Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes last week. 

That was their fourth loss of the year, meaning the Swans need to win this week to break even at the halfway mark of the season.

“They’ve always been a proud club, Turvey, even at their lowest ebb they’ve been strong at home,” Pavese said.

“The club’s pumping, it was a great result for them last week (drawing with Tigers) and we’re under no illusions it’ll be tough.”

The Swans welcome back captain James Toscan, who has missed their last two games after becoming a dad then copping an injury at training.

“It’s been tough, every time we look like getting our best team on the paddock, something happens during the week,” Pavese said.

“We don’t make any excuses, we’re still playing well pretty well. It’s just the confidence to get the job done.”

Meantime, the path is clear for Steve Jolliffe to make his return to Collingullie-Glenfield Park colours on Saturday.

Jolliffe’s clearance from Wodonga Raiders has gone through in time for him to run out against Wagga Tigers at the Crossroads Oval, as the Demons seek to complete a clean sweep of wins in the first half of the season.