LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 88, 15 April 1925, Page 10

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

m AN EARLY START. OPENING MATCHES ON SATURDAY. The football season in Auckland will be opened on Saturday by the Auckland Rugby League, when a start will be made with the various competitions. Last year the j League had a record success in every way,J and with a profit of over £1200 on th(# season's working, and increasing attendances at the matches it was only to be expected that 1925 would see more teams entered for the competitions. Anticipating this the management committee of the A.R.L. got busy early and received nominations. When these cloßed it was found that no less than 11 teams had entered ,for the senior grade, and the committee decided to divide the grade into two divisions, A and B. The additions to the entries compared with last season arc the Kingsland and Northcote clubs. As usual the League is faced with the difficulty of providing sufficient grounds, and it has been found necessary to play four matches each Saturday at Carlaw Park, one of tbp games in the B division providing a .curtainraiser to the A grade match in each ground. The draw for tsarurday is as follows: — A Division. —City v. Ponsonby, Athletic v. Newton, Richmond v. Devonport. B Division. —Ellerslie v. Mangere, Kingsland v. Northcote, Otahuhu a bye. With the prospect of a trip to England early next season, it would be surprising indeed to find any of the stars of the I League players missing when tho ball is j kicked off on Saturday. From inquiries made it is Eafe to say that all the teams will be at full strength for the opening games, and if the play is up to the standard of last season followers of the thirteen aside code are in for some fine contests. The more prominent of the cllib teams last year have undergone very little change. Marist Brothers, who won the competition, drew the bye for Saturday, and took the opportunity to visit Christchurch, whether on Saturday next they will play tbe opening gnmc on the League's new property at Monica Park against the Christchurch Marist Old Boys' team. The City thirteen will contain all the club stars of last year, with possibly the exception of G. Davidson, who may not don the jersey. However, the speedy three-quarter may be prevailed upon to help his club. It is also likely one of the juniors will be brought up to play halfback. Ponsonby expects to have a useful team. A. McClymont is inclined to retire from the game, but efforts are being made by his clubmates to induce him to step out again. There is some talk of Gardiner, who played for Marist Brothers last year, being With the' "Ponies" next Saturday. He should be.a decided acquisition to the team as he is useful -whether in the pack or amongst the backs. Devonport United, the team which put up such ,a great fight for the honours last season, will again be "skippered" by A. Laing. Dickinson, who played Rugby for Newton last season, may be in the team, and also a League player from Hastings. Harrision is expected to be in the position jof full-back, but the forwards will, in the main, be those of 1924.. Athletic is also expected to put a strong team in the field. C. Dufty, B. Avery, and all the shining lights'of'the club will be! there and in addition J. Lang, who played behind the pack for Marist Brothers, will this season put the ball in the scrums for Athletic. Newton, Richmond, Ellerslie and Mangere, hope to be strong propositions, while rumour has it that the newcomers, Northcote and Kingsland, will have useful thir teens.