AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALLERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 205, 27 August 1912, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALLERS.

TRAINING IN AUCKLAND. A CLEVER COMBINATION. .An .advance party of the Australian footballers, who are to play an Auckland representative team under Xorihern Union rules at Victoria Pairk on Saturday, .ami a New Zealand representative team at th» Domain the following .Saturday, arrived from Wellington by the Main Trunk express this morning, and during the forenoon commenced l their final preparation nt Victoria Park. Ten of the men who came this morning are among the pick of the 24 -who are travelling with the party, and they are practically certain of inclusion in the team for Saturday next. The lema.indor are playing Taranaki at ■New Plymouth on Thursday, and they ■will come to Auckland on Saturday morning. Mr R. H. Miller, joint manager of the tram, and treasurer of the New South Wales League, came north with the first; division, and is concentrating his ener-1 gie= in the direction of seeing that his men appear to their best advantage in; their matches here. "We recognise that) out hardest battles will be in Auckland," Mr Miller remarked to a "Star" repre-se-ntative this morning, ".and if we can win here, our success in the other centres: should bo assured." He added that the team hud come with a full appreciation j of the material to be found in Auckland, as the men who had crossed over to l Australia from here a few months ago had played tip splendidly in the Commonwealth. "That team was recognised to be 50 per cent, better than the one which came over from New Zealand the preceding year, and this fact, of course, has been taken as an indication that the ■Jforthern Union game is gaining ground over here. We have come over to assist the New Zealand League in demon* strating the great possibilities of the game, and, although we don't expect the tour to pay, it will give us full satisfaction if we are aible to let the pepple see it played at its 'best." Northern Union football, Mr Miller remarked-, had become the established game in Australia, and they had brought to NewZealand some exponents who had secured great reputations in England, r.roomha-m and Pranvley (the crack wing 1 three-quarters), Courtney (the forward who shone most in England) and Deane (just returned after .a three years' engagement in England, where he was regarded as one of the world's best threequarters) ore already in Auckland and in training. The players also include Sullivan, a former New Zealand representative. A number of local enthusiasts visited Victoria Park while the Australians were having their preliminary run this morning. Their style is decidedly- attractive.