RUGBY LEAGUE REVIEW.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 151, 29 June 1927, Page 14

RUGBY LEAGUE REVIEW.

LIFTING OF THE BAN.

PROSPECTS OF THE FUTURE

The lifting of the residential ban by the English authorities continues to ' be the most discussed subject in League circles, and the concern expressed in New Zealand is equally shared in Australia, where several well-known players have boon approached. This week four New Zealand players?. Davidson and Brown, of Auckland, and Wilson-Han and Mason, of j Christchurch, are leaving for England, | and will be lost to the jrnnie in Mauri- I land. The loss ni four good players is ] not one that ran he lightly regarded by j the code in the Dominion, hut more dis- ' turbing is the outlook for the future, a.- ! there is now to prevent any | English clubs piratincr any players of promise. Xeifher tho Now Zealand i Rugby League nor the Australian Hoard of Control appear to ha\«' prune to ,\\i\ ■■ set decision in regord to the matter.] which is complicated by the fact that . an English te-am is due next season, and it would be a pity if the present iinpa.->i' ; led to the abandonment of the tmir. The revocation of the long-existing agreement Ix>tween England and Australia and New Zealand has fallen like a bomb into what was regarded as a placid camp, preparing for the reception of a team of Ensrlish League players next reason (says the Chriatrhurch ■'Star"!. What will happen now is diru'ii't to forecast. That the Australian Buard of Control will deeply resent the high-handed English action there is no doubt. Prior to the agreement being reached. Australians won , signed on at liberty by the English clubs, but the drain on our resource* became so steady that action had to be taken to "stop the rut."' Although there have Iveen attempts J to re\oke the agreement in the past.j they have not been seriously regarded. Evidently the English clubs, in an endeavour to infjse new blood into their ranks, have organised to wipe out the j agreement, for there is no doubt that i the clubs which have included '"colonials" were the most successful, financially. Disapproval Expressed. The feeling is held in Christchurch among those actively engaged in the control of League that if the best players are consistently taken by English clubs the game will not progress as it should, and at an executive meeting Mr. E. L. McKean stressed that point when moving a motion (carried unanimously) expressing disapproval of the action taken in England. If England adheres to the revocation of the agreement, nothing can be done to prevent Australian and New Zealand footballers leaving for England. Thev will be free agents. But the attitude of England may cause a serious break in the football relations between the countries. Australia and New Zealand were parties to the agreement, which has been broken so ruthlessly without even the courtesy of consultation on the subject. In tho days when there were no restrictions a great many Australians and Xew Zealanders signed on with English clubs. It started after the All Blacks of 190.5 had visited England, and was renewed when the Kangaroos of 1908 had baen there. The signing on of men continued until after the war, when the agreement was entered into. Thus it was that such great players as George Smith, George Anlezark, Billy Farnsworth, Viv. Farnsworth and Sid. Deane went to Oldham; Albert Rosenfeld and Wrigley and Tom Gleeson to Huddersfield; "Dinny" Campbell to Leeds; Jimmy Devereaux, Steve Darmody and Herb. Gilbert to Hull; Charlie "Seeling, Lance Todd, Albert Williams and Renwick to Wigan: Dan Frawley and Larry O'Malley to Warrington; and Mick Bolewski to Leigh. There were many others from Australia and Xew Zealand who played at different times in England, and it wa3 to stop this big exodus that an agreement was entered into, calling upon an Australian or Xew Zealand footballer, whether League or Union, to reside in England for at least two years I before he became eligible for an English club. Some time . ago the Union section was struck out by the English League, but it was never dreamt that it would also deal with the League players without first of all at least notifying ! the Australian and Xew Zealand Boards of Control of its intention. The last has certainly not been heard of the matter. At the moment of writing no reply has been received in Auckland to the invitation sent for a Xew South Wales or 1 Australian team "to tour Xew Zealand this season. It is anticipated that a tour will be arranged to include games in the principal centres, and at least three Test matches. The West Coast of the South Island is desirous of getting 1 at least two fixtures, and point out that the code has made remarkable headway there. i A Few Problems. ' j, There was a problem in connection with a match played at the close of the 1 English club season. A player took a • place kick at the goal from a free, the ' ball passed over the bar, the wind ! carried it back, and then the defending 1 team got on the move and scored a ' try. The referee ruled that a goal had ' been scored, and an appeal supported 1 his finding. The Auckland Rugby 1 League has had a few puzzles to deal with lately. The case was cited of a man injured just before the bell rang \ for half-time, and the resultant ques- [ tion was: Could he be replaced in the [ second half of the game? Various answers were given. The question was also asked: Could a man who was s injured and retired to the sideline rush on the field and tackle an opposing player? In this case the answer was that the injured player was within his rights, providing that he was on side. The fact that Xew Zealand is not > represented on the Australian Board • of Control, has been discussed in League . circles, and the nomination of Mr. H. • Rowe, who is now a resident of Sydney, • has been suggested. The nominee was • one of the members of the Xew Zealand • team that pioneered the League field in England during the 1907 season. Prior ' to that he was one of the leading Auck- ' land senior players, and a Rugby product of the Auckland Grammar School, an institution which has given many fine players to the game. According to the Dunedin "Star," League football in Dunedin is of a higher- standard this year than at any time while last Saturday's game between Pacific and Athletic proved one of the best exhibitions of I the code yet seen in the southern city. j The West Coast Rugby League report , that its gate receipts so far are nearly ; double that of last season, while since , the opening day no fewer than seven ■ new teams have entered its competiI tion. The total entries to date easily constitute a record for Weetland,

Here and There. Complaint has been made in the South about the late start of Saturday senior panics', and much the same thing might bo said in Auckland. Officially, senior matches are supposed to start at Carlav Park at 2.4.1 p.m., but in recent contests it has generally been about a quarter of an hour later before the players have lined out. In a recent senior the play went five minutes over the time, the reason being that the tunokoqior was waiting for the bull, to ho dead. Tin , boil should be runjr"as .-oon as the time is actually up, and ihe game is then in the hands of the referee m signal no side at the first opportunity. Torn by dissension the outlook for the code was not bright in Dunedin at the >tart of the season. Finally, wise coun-1 sols ruled, differences wore composed, attractive games have been played, and the attendnnoes have shown a big increase compared with last season.! Otago has arranged a rep. fixture with Canterbury, and the match will be [ilayisl towards tin- end of the season. Al'-iii'Ugh there is still some leeway t" i...-'.ki' up at Wellington the code is faring well, and stops are being taken :■' inaugurate a schoolboys' fiiiii| H >tit ion. i