THE LEAGUE CODE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 98, 27 April 1926, Page 14

THE LEAGUE CODE.

THE OPENING DAY A GOOD START. With heavy rain falling throughout Friday last, the prospects of the Auckland Rugby League opening the season under the most favourable conditions were not bright by any means. However, on Saturday, tiie weather cleared, and long before 3 o'lock in the afternoon people began to stream in through the turnstiles at Carlaw Park, and it was always certain a good gate would be entered up. As. a matter of fact, it turned out to be something like £50 better than the opening day last year. This is a pretty big increase, and suggests that the code is £foing to have a' great season.

Not There. Rumour has been playing us tricks again. For weeks past there have been whispers of one or other of several teams having enrolled prominent Rugby Union players, and we were all on our toes on Saturday when the club competitions opened. Marist Brothers, in the draw, secured a half holiday, but all senior teams were matched, and their appearance on the field was awaited with interest, and when the teams did file out it was found that the personnel was very little different to twelve months ago. A recruit from the Rugby Union ranks was noted here and there, but they were not "stars," although there is no telling how far they may go in the League code.

" PONSONBY DISAPPOINTING. At first glance the score, 31 to 21, in favour of Ponsonby against Devonport, reads like an easy win.for the Ponies, but those who patronised Carlaw Park on Saturday are aware the score is not a true indication of the play. As a team Ponsonby are ten points superior to the' men from across the uarbour, and this will be clearly demonstrated during the season, but on Saturday the blue and blacks were rather lucky to win, as the seasiders had a substantial lead with twenty minutes to go. It was then that bad luck stepped in, and injuries to J. [Laing and C. Webb saw them retire, leaving Devonport with but eleven men on the field. This was too severe a handicap, and completely disorganised, they were then no match for the Ponsonby men ; wiio eventually ran out Avinners with a margin of ten points in their favour. Both sides fielded teams below their best strength of last year, the most noticeable absentee from Devonport being A. (Bookham) Laing, while Gardiner and Littlewood were missed from Ponsonbji For an opening game the standard' of ; play "was v merely moderate, Ponsonby being rather disappointing. However, the "Ponies" have a habit of improving considerably as a season progresses, and' when the cup finals and Roope Rooster competition arrive the blue "and 1 blacks will be a hard proposition for the best to tackle.

Delgrosso was easily the pick of the Ponsonby backs, while Ward and Fagan were continually working hard- in the pack. On the Devonport side the backs were a fairly even lot, K. Scott doing a lot of good work at times. In the forwards, A. Scott stood out- by himself, and he has only to keep in form to be in the first flight this season.

We all know that football is quite a different game to ludo, and the-xnan who dons a jersey on Saturday afternoons is always liable to receive a knock or two. Very often in the hardest of games when teams arc exerting every ounce of strength, and fighting desperately to win, not a player will be injured, while again it frequently 'happens that in the cleanest of games a player will meet with severe injury. So it was on. Saturday in the/ Ponsonby-Devonport match. All through the two spells the play was hard but clean, and only once during the game was a' player noticed overstepping the mark of a good sport. And yet, in the first half, five players retired injured, and in the second half two. more-had to be assisted from the field, making seven in all: This reads a big tally for one game, but it must be made clear that all the injuries were pure accidents, and were received in a game which could not even be described as "hard."

MANGERE V. NORTHCOTE. If the display given by the Mangere team in their match against Northeote at Victoria Park can be taken as an indication of the combination of the team, then it would not be wrong to say that the green and blacks will be well in the running at the end of the season. But it must be said in fairness that the Xorthcote team comprised a number of juniors, third, and even fifth grade players, so that, although soundly beaten, they were not altogether disgraced. Quite often during the afternoon., the Mangere backs gave a sparkling exhibition of passing and reverse passing, and these movements generally added three points.

InM. Paul, Mangere have a fast, clever' and lieady three-quarter, who should be heard of later. He runs hard and straight, and has a good fend. J. Hapi is another of the rearguard who is hard to stop when going at top, and his try was the best of the match. It was a brilliant solo effort that left the opposition wondering just what had happened. Time and time again, Hapi made clever ■ openings that gave Paul an opportunity for one of his spectacular dashes up the side-line. The Mangere pack is a hardworking one, and can show a fair turn of speed when speed is wanted. Niell, at half for Northcote, played a solid "ame right through, and made openings that usually broke down before the ball had travelled very far along the line of backs Pennycook was always the leader of any yellow and black forward sortie, but these rushes were few and far between

KINGSLAND V. OTAHUHU. It proved a red letter day for Kin«sland on Saturday, when they met Ot£ huhu at Otalmhu.- The game was very even throughout, and at times there was some real scientific football The Kmgsland backs at times shaped like mid-season players. The rearguard for Otalmhu, however, showed no sense of anticipation, but since' they have both weight and speed, they should %?ith more practice develop their scoring powers Forward play in both teams was good," Otahuhu here .showing up the bitter and playing with" more vim, than their opponents. Eustace, for Otalmhu, played well, and his score from the loose was a brilhant one. MacMaiius, for Kin-rs-land, is a good one, his style in beatm°five men shortly before second score showing l that he had the qualities of a typical inside back.. Kirkland is a dashing player, and when he got knocked and received a slight concussioii Otahuliu lost their best man.

Newton has teen fii« ra ■. ■• ■ ' ' of the League, late has not smiled £|jj! Part but just as- it i 3 true ttaM? P -° tt the, V lane that has no tZi£ U •♦" a that this season the re S n > fere hotter than h as been tW tes m experience. In spite of the way of losing , tunea a other clubs, Ne W fon ta bravely, and they had th led al( *g the sp^ctators^X 6 SPffi 8 their opening game of the sealn V 1 better team won, as the SS" -^ rtKhrLr team^S: between them, but S overshadowed the Newton i , wt * ■ speed and combined $ at times being spectacular to a and indicative that the red Jn will give some of what is £•£ best ia the J* son is out. ue 8c &- Basa was very prominent i n the Pi* van, while Cargfll was always ™ M the ball. Lewis ffi ade a proS m City intermediate line, and "J™ well with Wethcrill, while WaaSS son and Brown made a Ter y S' three-quarter line. Brown waiaffi mixture of brilliancy and medioS fumbling of the ball detracting fS otherwise good display. ' " Poison was the outstanding nl aver in the Kewtou backs good alike in defenS and attack, but the support was weai The Newton five-eighths were hesikn? in attack, and played in too shallow a ■formation, the result being that tW ■were smothered every time the ball came to them. Their play naturally reflected upon the men behind them W with very limited opportunities 'both Mansill and Little did well, while'Saj lon's, display at full-back was souni The Newton pack was well, balance! Purdy, Browne and Somers being al)out the pick of the bunch.

ELLERSLIE V. PARNEIL. i For the first game of the season thi senior B grade match Ellerslie v. P- arnell was a very creditable exhibition of the code. Ellerslie won the day by 3 points to 2 after a willing' battle. Poth teams were rather soft, tout that was to be expected, and the number of minor casualties was in keeping with th« period. Outstanding were Perry, fullback for Parnell, and E. Johnson, fullback for Ellerslie. These two men played sure football, and were never caught napping. Perry had most of the work to do and on more than one occasion was responsible for lifting his team out of a hole. It was he who dropped a 'bearitiful pot from the quarter. Shand, first five-eighths, Cooke, front row, Crogan, left wing, and Slater, back tow, were the pick of the Ellerslie men. Smith, lraefc row, Lawrence and Herbert on the wingi, Wilson and Nelson, front row, did great work for the Parnell team. Early in the second spell Herbert, after a brilliant dash was knocked out and had "to retire and Bfne replaced Mm. The latter was an infinitely better player than Simpson, and should be given preference to the other player who seemed out of place, and certainly lost his side a lot of chances. ' The play was confined to forward rushes, but the backs were toII in the limelight and showed good com* b'ination. The first spell was all in favour of Ellerslie, and, although unable to score,- kept play in Parnell's territory The second half saw the order of things change somewhat and Parnell kept Ellerslie busy defending. With plenty of practice Parnell will prove a formidable proposition as the season advances, t

IMPROVED RICHMOND. By the manner in which they defeated Graftou by 23 points to 3, previously known to League followers as. Athletics, Richmond demonstrated that they -will have to he reckoned "with in the senior A grade this season. In all departments of the game they outclassed Grafton, but still the winning thirteen on Saturday will need to improve their methods of passing. Quite a dozen tries were thrown away by forward passing. Grafton lacked the dash expected of them. Avery, Te Whata, Lang, Lee and Herring worked like trojans for their side, while Jones, a new man at fullback, undetstudied Dufty really well. His coolness on Saturday was a feature of tie game. In Parkes, Richmond have a player of outstanding quality. Parkes, who n<w resides in Auckland, played last year for Hornby, one of the crack League dabs in the cathedral city, Christchurch. Last year he was a tower of strength to the Canterbury reps., while he also made the tour of Australia with the New Zealand League team. On Saturday he vr« always in the picture and scored a couple of tries. Richmond, in Prentice, Stevenson and Campbell, -three of last year's junior players, have a trio of good young fellows who will further improve on. their play. Carroll, au old Marist 0..8. player, also donned the maroon and blue jersey on Saturday, and played really well. He converted all the tries but one, and Richmond won bf 23 to 3. . :

Athletic had included in their ranks a couple of "converts," Courtney and Davison, who both played under the Kugty code last year. Athletic have the mep, and should do better and improve oil their poor display on opening day.