LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 156, 5 July 1927, Page 12

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

MARIST TAKE THE LEAD. DEVENPORT'S UNAVAILING FIGHT. ANOTHER WIN FOR RICHMOND. The question of supremacy at the head of the League table was solved on Saturday when Marist had a decisive victory over Devonport, after one of the hardest games that has been Been in Auckland this season. Amid very sloppy surroundings City and Richmond fought out an even game, but the suburbanites had a bit in hand, and a margin at the close. Owing to the state of the Domain ground tho Pon-sonby-Xewton game was called off. THE TRIUMPH OF MARIST. No child in Auckland is more tenderly guarded than Carlaw Park, and the care lavished upon it has resulted in a turfed area gently reminiscent of a well-kept suburban bowling green. It looked inviting on Saturday, despite the fact that it had been a tearful week. As was expected, the soft surface soon cut through, and Marist and Devonport fought out most of their game on what was veritably a mudheap, with a ball that was about as resilient as the average "bach" plum pudding. It was a game of the grim unyielding kind, and with tackling that was swift and determined, it was but natural that combination should at times wilt in the face of fierce defence. It would be almost superfluous to Bay that the better side won, for once the score was accurate barometer, and again the truism was exemplified that there are occasions when victory goes to the side that seizes most of the chances that a fickle goddess of fato offers. Territorially, Devonport claimed equal honours. jii the ebb and How of the play there was similarity, but in the all important matter of finish Marist were paramount. Collectively they did not deserve a halo as measured by the Shore achievement, but it was their good fortune to have in their team the greatest individual player on the day. This was Graham, who played superbly in the loose, and his triple crossing of the Shore line was a rare achievement for a forward. The game was marked by at least four distinct phases of play. Brilliantlymade openings gave Shore two tries before Marist got moving. A. Scott in the midst of one passing bout cleverly kicked obliquely and ahead in the manner reminiscent of Gorman, the star Queensland centre, and the Aynsley of the moment was Beattie, who drove ahead with pace, cleverly fielded the ball on the bounce and flashed across at the flag. Perfectly carried out, the scoring movement looked delightfully simple, and it stamped Scott as a tactician rich in resource to engineer an opening, and Beattie as a gifted opportunist. Webb paved the way for the next try with a crescent run, and as all the inside Marist backs waited for tho pass that never came, it only meant sure handling by the trailing supports to finalise the effort. Marist set out on the task of recovery, and achieved it swiftly, thanks to Graham's solo brilliance, and, at the interval, they led by 13 points to 6. At that time there was consensus of opinion among the critics that it had been the best exhibition of the League code seen at Carlaw Park this season. With the second half came the third phase, when, in the heavy going, the forwards began to take up more of the running, and the backs used the exploiting kick for attacking purposes. The ball slid, shot and skidded, players tobogganed, and it was often a case of slip, splash and scramble. Perhaps it was that the excitement of a big partisan crowd was communicated to the players. Bβ that as it may, "incidents" began to creep into the play, the man was occasionally played instead of the ball, and several little episodes were not in accord with the best traditions of the code. It is gratifying that it did not develop into something worse, and to the credit of both sides, they got back to pure, unalloyed football. With all sincerity one might say that a referee has a thankless task and it is just as true that referees give their best, yet on Saturday there were some rulings that were puzzling to players and public alike. Destructive criticism would be very easy in dealing with the game, but it, was a day when the average player could not reach his usual standard. Even Gregory fumbled on occasions, yet his skill is beyond question, and he rendered his side great service. Brisbane struck one as being the best of the Marist backs, and bis quickness to eight an opening and cleverness at changing pace stamps him as one of tho best inside backs! at tho moment. King and Kirwan played very defensively, while Crewther's incisive and trenchant dash was noticeable closer in to the scrum. Graham's homeric exploiting in the & .„.. „„<, „„,.„ referred to, but the others likewise played well, Keenan and O'Brien, in particular, revelling in tho heavy going. Devonport's best back was Webb, who has improved out of recognition since his tour of England with the New Zealand team, and there ii no cleverer back in Auckland for making openings and giving scoring chances to his confreres. The other Shore backs played well under the circumstances. Some were inclined to find fault with Perry's play at full back, but he struck more work than the average fullback gets in a month, and his display, taking all the circumstances into consideration, was a very creditable one. The writer does not essay the problem' of sorting out tho best Shore forward, or even the best pair. Up to the time that the referee sent him off, O'Brien was playing a great game. His alleged misdeed was not in eight-seeing range of the Press bench, and the first indication of something untoward was the Shore forward treking for the sideline, holding uplifted hands as a token of injured innocence. Ruby, as usual, was volatile and versatile. . H's sustained dash was once more a feature. RICHMOND SUPERIOR. NEW TALENT IN CITY'S RANKS. City still hold sway on Carlaw Park No. >, but if their present form is any criterion it is a far cry from the day when they will again appear in the feature game. They are a spent force, mid as one representative of the club obsi/Ne<l jii>t prior to the reds" game

with Richmond, on Saturday, they can afford to experiment with new players. They have nothing to lose, and are well out. of the running for coveted championship honours. .Although they have fallen on the lean times that every club experiences from time to time, City still reveal some of the fire that used to make them .1 side to be contended with—a side of great recuperative powers, that would come away to win when least expected. They ran Richmond dangerously close in a game that possessed few thrills—save amusing mud slides —hut was raised fr< n the level of mediocrity by occasional bright passing movements. The trend of the general play was in favour of the maroons, who missed going over the tries owing to fumbling of tlie more than usually elusive ball. Saturday was a day of opportunities a n (1 individual effort was the rule ratiier than concerted play. For Richmond. Swift, on the left flank, played a game out of the Ikyx, and used the wet day tactics of kicking hard along the pr"ind, I and f o 1 1 o ■ ing I through fat*;, to good advantage. A score came his way as n result of him preferring to kick across and galloping after the ball, rather than attempting to gather in a pass, tossed at his feet. Davis was always on the qui vive behind the pack, ably led by ltass, Carroll and Telford, while Prentice and Jenkinson combined well with l'arkes nt centre. Taylor performed well in the threequarter line, while Hanlon played liis Usually sound game, although lie was frequently caught in possession as a result of trying to go too , far on his own. The new material that City have unearthed was not very impressive, but it must I* conceded that the conditions militated against a fair trial being given the men. Oodkin, who figured in the threequnrter line, rarely saw the ball when a score looked likely. but was capnble of mustering up a good defence when the occasion arose. Wade was a trier on the opposite wing, while Perry acquitted himself well as the connecting link between the fiveeighths and the flankmen. He demonstrated excellent understanding of the übiquitous Wetherill's play, and the pair were continual thorns in the side

of ilie oppposition. K. ]'>ro\Mi «as ju>i sit home at fullback, while Lew i> am! Fcrrnil, lirst live-eighths and hah" respectively, were responsible for a deal of rush stepping. spencer and Pascoe, two new players amongst the forwards, proved they were grafter?, Hadley and Ghent, however, were probably the mosl outstanding rueknirn for the red*. ELLERSLIE V. OTAIIUHJ. This match, on the Kllcr.-lie rc.-ervc. developed into a mud scramble. Jloih sides found tlio grea>y ball very hard to ban.lie. In the half Kllerslie did most <■( the attacking, and at half-time the score was I."!—O in their favour. Despite keen efforts by both sides, there was no score in the second spell. Tries for lillerslie were scored l>y Sliand (2) and (iropan, while iShand and Johnson kicked sroals from two of the tries. For Ellerslie, Shnnd and l.ittlowcoH were' outstandinp. while for Otahuhu Ellery was the best player. THE REFEREE INCIDENT. "A Lover of League" writes thnt. admitting tlio thankless nature of the referee's task, he thinks the referee in tho Marist-Dcvonport match on Saturday showed poor judgment by warning two ilarist jilayers for infrinpinp tho spirit of fair play and in ordering off a Devonport player without warning, for what appeared to be merely a .-olid tackle. "League football. ,, he adds, '"i« a panic which requires good referees, but when it is played right it is worth watching.' .