RIVERINA Lions player and president Amy Coote has defended the women's side's move to forfeit their AFLW curtain raiser clash with Charles Sturt University, adamant they had no choice.
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The Lions were due to play the defending premiers at Robertson Oval on Saturday as one of two AFL Southern NSW games before the Greater Western Sydney Giants and Richmond clash in the city's first AFLW fixture.
Coote said injuries and players being away forced them to make the "disappointing" decision.
"Unfortunately we had to forfeit our first ever game as the Lions, and on a day like today it's disappointing," Coote said.
"But with injuries and player availability we were down to just 16 players before today, and a couple more pulled out this morning so we had no choice.
"It is a shame, and it's a missed opportunity to play in a curtain-raiser (to an AFLW) game. But we've still got a whole season to play yet and we have to look after players' safety."
CSU's side still got to soak up the occasion after East Wagga Kooringal and North Wagga backed up from their game to field a mixed side against them.
The Saints remain unbeaten in their first season after keeping the Hawks scoreless in a 4.14 (38) to 0.0 (0) win, while Griffith won their home clash over Brookdale 5.4 (34) to 3.3 (21) on Friday.
Griffith 2.0 3.1 3.3 5.4 (34) def Brookdale 2.1 2.2 3.3 3.3 (21)
North Wagga 0.0 0.0 2.6 4.14 (38) def East Wagga Kooringal Hawks 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (0).
GOALS: North Wagga - Georgina Bennett 2, Jordan Barrett 2
BEST: North Wagga: Georgina Bennett, Nat Creed, Jordan Barrett, Sarah Harmer, Ruby Porter, Olivia Lee Hounsell; East Wagga: Ella Finemore, Ashlee Fennell, Ruby Alchin, Keely Bloomfield, Jessica Wild, Merrae Argus.
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