LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 172, 22 July 1924, Page 9

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

MARISTS IN THE LEAD. Their victory nvr City nn Saturday, ponsnob.v gives Maris. Broth ~ ...r lad f B the Cbampion-hip e,,,, r , , „,, ,nd he carers of the green and ~■»..« will take some Shifting from .!,- pp-ii10... lie ~nu between them and City ..n snnmiaj was girded as the nm..-h o. the ~,„,,, and it prove... and fr.-n, ...,! r.. .-„., there e ?roccSo"n "" ™?or< ™r i their feet cheering ex3iMSr There can be d.. qil.-»ll"ii but that otin» all allowances the better learn won Sclwould pr-.lmblv .1.. - iiailii. In most SsPS it is the dry forwards who are Wten by more vim.™- nark* Imii on Satnlav the backs, :■■••. »er- 1.,-;.. en by the Marist rearguard, and tor the greater part Sing in --are, I, — indeed bad luck J,,f P ree made a mistake. However, he r^reA«| r .he l 'n^;ake. , " : MaVi. l " ; were "'han< fortunate in rattling up I" points E, the first half. beca.K" the play ill the SHfi"^.^- r =.-"'--^ if we except Brown* try which he did not get credit for. It was certainly a gre.nl amp. with the ■ twins individually und enlleitively gpil'ring the full terni. Impey was hardly a success at fullback for City. mid he was overshadowed by hi* opponent. Gregory, who slaved right up to his best form. Brisbane mC the best of the Marl-I backs, with Lung «n easy second. His form must have given the selectors some consideration when the Auekliiwl representatives were being chosen. Crewther was the star on the fitv s:ile, and he has never played better football. Why lie has not been selected as even ii reserve for Saturday S, b Sr J m to on U I y der ne an ma i .v %?*£ "doling plover, but he is good, and good all the time He has n" off days. The other City backs were hardly up to expectations on attack, but they can only play just so well as their opponents v,U\ allow. The greatest grafter on the field was stormout, and his play Wils brilliant, consistently hrflJiant and not v Hash now and again. O'Brien was also much in the limelight for the winner?, as was also Neal. The latter has been playing good footUall of late. On the City side McDonald was conspicuous in fast following up, and he can consider himself unlucky in not finding a place against the Englishmen. In the opinion of more than one follower of the game he should have been the rirst forward selected, and they are not far wrong. Townseud played his usual solid game and earned his place in Saturday's team. The Maori reception to the visiting English team next Monday should be a pleasing experience for the visitors. They will be treated to an exhibition of hakas and poi dances, and will be regaled on poultry and pork cooked in Maori fashion. A dance will also be held, and the Englishmen will get a sample of hearty Maori hospitality. DEVONPORT'S SECOND LOSS. After the poor display given against Jla'rists the previous week it came as no surprise to find Devonport going under to Ponsonby, but the seasiders were nor defeated easily, and the issue was; in doubt right np to the call of time. 7t was a strenuous contest, with the play, fairly both'Eides." This defeat practically settles any chance Devonport hud of winning the championship, and the chances are that in turn llarist Brothers, City and Athletics will beat them in the second round. LOU BROWN'S CASE. writes--—Now that Brown has been granted bis transfer to the City Clnb there are some who may think that the Xewton Club and the Auckland League have both shown weakness in granting such transfer, ; while others may be. of the opinion that acqniesence should have been made in ton's action in fto face of recent develop-ments-has been tfcit of a true sporting body with the best interests of the code at heart. With tbc entire sympathy of the parent body, Xewton. having fallen on hard times in .the matter of first-class players, rightly objected to the loss of one who might help to bring the clnb into the front rank again. Whether the clnb's objection was right or wrong is now of little importance, but in the true interests of sport it is to be regretted that a member should show so little club spirit as to desert his former associates at a time when they were in dire need of. his services. The legality of an absolute clearance in writing should not hold weight in sport; iUs not a matter of legal construction of a document, but more a question of that deep trust in club members which has set the standard of the Newton Club on a par with, dubs playing the Lengiio game in Auckland. But apart frotn any question of legality of transfer the first consideration of all League players should he the interest of the code in general aud not merely a personal n>? lntcrest in the season's championship. Those of us who have been associated with the game since its early days remember full well the strenuous times of management and organisation, and the bitter antagonism from our rival code with which we had to contend. Perhaps the younger players are apt to forget these matters or else secure in their knowledge that the League lias now a home of its own aud is firmly established, they have not troubled to delve into the records of the old days, when every player of every club worked in concert to promote the interests, not merely of any one particular clnb, but of the game as a whole. And of the clubs which did so much to brine our game into its own, there is none who can say that the spirit of Newton has not aone its fair share of the hard work. That spirit still survives, and the action of the club in the present instance is but another sample of that esprit de corps which, if it «. fl P L rc ii ly a!ive ' wIU fl ° ml,ch to with " stand the blows aimed at the game by rival m,t ' -ii l . 11 " fen ' woeks ' "mc the whole disS«m- WI L a - TC heon fol "S ott ™ b - v the general public, but it would be well for players and supporters of the League game to remember Tjeight of right or wrong which induced the nS^ g * of k Brown ' s tra » sf c'- fo the City Club but the love of the game aud the whole-hearted interest in its welfare which ™V? d It** 1 * in N ""» n "s unselfish 'action, and to that club is due all honour and respect lor checking the carrying out of an the code Ch m ' SIU Lavii serious) . v affected

THE REFEREES.

Without in any way wishing to belittle mra with a know™dse ,r ,tf''lli'e S ni l les"on'iy, but W«^;;^; hil ;^,-r^in 0^ Porting ?o Ul°e g . l T'tt-; I U-? g n nd h Offe '? (lers dr'pK^t" l 0, !, l^ c ,l^<l "Vuat ln ieads at to' S the referiSf - shed - Unc-, players realised tbat renaLl" a tt bct '? r *» Mt - Another matter requiring attention is the •■squcalin-;- , ocrthev P show rß i D ?" lge ln ' !,nd th " ba§ taste refer P » S at tlmps if a decision of the In th» S lOt1 Ot miel with tbelr approval SatSrdaf "?h bCt r WC " n MariSts and on opponuni'tv I o re , f<, . r ""- Mr - "•■». "ad a rare ™ben a Pr rn - " Wfl s "" &1 oSffiqS he try «. bec °. ru ,'»"»K with Brown, seeing of men lo\ffi ( °i,, t.-Tn Vht iames^vil'i'f CDt

ATHLETIC V. RICHMOND.

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equal to those of the other side, but the si roue Athletic defence was found hard to penetrate. Of the winning side Cos gave another good display as fullback. Unity played his usual game, but at times was inclined to be selfish. G. Yardlev. Hartley, Mason and Nicholson were the best of tin: others. The combination of Richmond was lamentably weak, and they seemed to lack the desired finish. Hyland (halfback), Kedwood. Avery. McMillan and Iling were conspicuous throughout the game.