LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 25

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

The "Daily Telegraph" of Sydney, commenting on the New Zealand League team, saye:—

From a playing point of view the visitors have exceeded expectations, and the expenses of the tour already have been covered. Most of the players composing the team are on the threshold of their football careers, and the tour should see a wonderful improvement in their play. Dufty has not lived up to his reputation as a full-back. He played a fine game in the opening match, and although his line kicking and handling the ball have been good, his defence has been lamentably weak. In the three-quarter line, where he has been played _in a couple of matches, he showed himself much more valuable to the side. The captain (Laing) has been a failure. In the first two matches in which he played the side was beaten, and without him it twice defeated New South Wales. He played against the Far North Coast, and New Zealand just managed to win by one point. It will be suicidal for the New Zealanders to play Laing against Queensland. He is much too slow, and his experience as coach in the matches for the remainder of the tour should be utilised to the fullest extent. Laing was an excellent player when he toured England with the Kangaroos, but age is telling against him. Mouatt is one of the finest forwards produced by either code of Rugby in New Zealand, and has been a wonderful success. Another great forward is Henery, and the "hooker" of the team (Lowry) has excelled himself. He is still as successful as when he won the ball in the scrums from the famous Sandy Pearce in 1920. One of the reasons of the New Zealander's success has been the unorthodox way in which they screw the scrums. They do not worry so much about protecting the half-back as in making a clear passage for the centre man.. So successful have they been with this method that an old international forward expresses the opinion that Duncan Thompson will have few chances to show his ability for Queensland behind the scrum. In the matches in which he has played, Wilson-Hall has shown himself a great half-back, and Brisbane a brilliant centre, whilst Saunders is safe and sure at five-eighth. Brown and Delgrosso, the wine men, have shown themselves fine players. The former is only 20 years of age, and hac proved equal to B. Weari„,°the S New South Wales wing threequarter. The Queraslanders **oMU thoroughly extended if New Zealand fields lie same team ac, inthe.last two matches against New South Wale*. ,