JIM Grills' luckless start to the AFL Riverina Championship season continued on Saturday when he was taken to hospital with an eye injury.
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The Wagga Tigers forward received a poke to the eye in the opening term and sat out the rest of the match as his team defeated Leeton-Whitton by 29 points at Robertson Oval.
Grills, who was on the receiving end of a big tackle against Osborne in round one, was cleared of any serious damage.
Albury recruit Shaun Flanigan also finished the game on the bench with a groin injury.
Wagga Tigers coach Troy Maiden was pleased to come away with the victory after being challenged early.
"It's good we're finishing the quarters strong. With the big break everyone had from training it's a good sign," he said.
"Something we spoke about was we need to crack in at the stoppages, and I thought it was pretty evenly matched there.
"I thought Shaun (Campbell) was outstanding with his work around the stoppages and around the contest.
"And our back six did a great job. The footy was still coming down there plenty, and they kept repelling it."
Leeton-Whitton lost Jayden Lehman (shoulder) and Sam Hopper (knee) in the final term and went into the clash without a host of players including former Lavington defender Jono Spina.
"We were pretty competitive for most of it, but in the last quarter we got away from our structures and their class on-ballers really took over the game," coach Daniel Muir said.
"We had repeat inside 50s and couldn't capitalise.
"They kicked a couple just before halftime and again in the third quarter, which was a big swing in the game."
