Dominant last quarter allows Tigers to hold off plucky Crows

Looking to avenge last year's AFL Riverina Championships grand final defeat, the Crows dominated around the coalface to kick the only four goals of the first quarter, before the Tigers responded with four unanswered majors of their own in the second term to take a six-point halftime lead.

The hosts rallied to take a four-point three quarter time advantage, but the Tigers' big pre-season paid dividends by kicking 6.5 (41) in the last term and keeping the Crows scoreless.

For new coach Murray Stephenson, who kicked four goals on his Tigers debut, it was the ideal scenario for the team before their big ANZAC Day eve twilight test against Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes next week.

"The silver lining to it all is we got a massive test in round one. We were four goals down at quarter time so we were challenged straight away, and the guys responded and gutsed our way back into the game," he said.

"The first quarter was a hot footy. Leeton came out and around the contest they really won the ball on the inside.

"We struggled to get that first use out of stoppages and centre bounces, but as the game progressed we got a handle on things a little bit more.

"That last quarter probably our legs took over, and we ended up getting it done."

The Tigers had six club juniors on debut in Will Scott, Fraser Yates, Jeremy Lucas, Xavier Heeney, Isaac Bennett and Paddy Ryan, while senior recruits Lewis Waters and Jock Cornell were among the best on ground.

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"Our back six were pretty solid, our forwards looked lively and particularly our small forwards," Stephenson said.

"Lewis Waters was good down back, Xavier Heeney in his first game was quite good, and the debutants added something to the side.

"We've got a lot of confidence in those young guys as well. They're not role players in the side they're contributors, they're expected to contribute each week and they're all capable of doing that."

Stephenson said Leeton-Whitton's new player-coach Sam Darley, formerly on GWS and the Western Bulldogs' lists, was strong.

"He was a quality user of the footy and gets a bit of it as well. He was impressive."

Wagga Tigers 0.3 4.8 6.10 12.15 (87) def Leeton-Whitton 4.1 4.2 8.2 8.2 (50)

GOALS: Wagga Tigers - Murray Stephenson 4, Thomas McCoullough 3, Brendan Myers 2, Reid Gordon, Nick Ryan, Jeremy Lucas; Leeton-Whitton Crows: Taj Doyle 2, Sam Darley, Tyron Rainbird, Mark Salafia, Matthew Rainbird, Jye Doyle, Thomas Meline.

BEST: Wagga Tigers - Brendan Myers, Lewis Waters, Shaun Flanigan, Charlie Bance, Lahn Shepherd, Isaac Bennett; Leeton-Whitton - Hayden Cooper, Ryan Grey, Thomas Meline, Angus Crelley, Sam Darley, Bryce O'Garey

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