LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 155, 3 July 1928, Page 16

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

I NEWTON'S ACHIEVEMENT.

'' defeat of the leadeks. &BP. PROGRAMME APPROACHING. i I ~ In an endeavour to get the League feame going at Hikurangi, in the Whangarei district, where a fairly large number of players hare come over from *ke sister code, it is proposed next Saturday to send one of the Auckland warns on tour" j,o play there. Probably Richmond, who have a bye, will make the trip. The Canterbury representative team |*vill visit Auckland on July 21 and play Auckland at Carlaw Park. Interest attaches to the game by reason of the ifAct that the Northern Union Cup "will be competed for. The form of the Auckland players will be watched with unterest in view of the big matches following when the English team will be here. It is reported that great preparations are being made, in the South for the English Rugby League team now in Australia. It will be remembered that it was really the last visit of that combination to New Zealand which gave trise to the birth of the League code in Dunedin, where every difficulty was offered by the sister game to prevent a special match being staged. Public indignation was very strong, but the contest eventuated at Tahuna Park, and drew a crowd estimated at over 18,000 people, who were delighted with the play. Auckland's Dufty established him«elf as a favourite on the occasion. The tourists have evidently revived memories of their last visit, and the Otago League, inspired by its worthy henchman, Mr. Harry Divers, intends to make the visiting Britishers very welcome, and to show them that their previous showing has won emulation in the progress of League in the Scotch province.

The Dunedin executive has . also arranged for the tourists to play a special exhibition game against the New Zealand team in Invercargill on the Wednesday following the Saturday's fixture in Dunedin. The Invercargill Borough Council, the Southland Progress League, and other prominent institutions -in Southland are therefore looking with keen anticipation to the visitors, who are assured of a notable welcome to, the town which helped to pioneer League in New Zealand, and contemplates an early revival of the code there.

MARISTS' MISFORTUNE. To say that Richmond were lucky to struggle home by a margin of one point in their match with Marists on Saturday would not be stretching the point. It was a case of three unconverted tries to two converted tries, and a . brilliant save by the redoubtable Taylor as the difference between victory and defeat for the suburban team. In the last minute of the game, when a |iry either way would have definitely sealed the issue, Moisley broke clean away from the ruck and headed for Richmond's last line with •n open field ahead." It looked as though the win that Tykes undoubtedly deserved was assured, but Taylor shot from the llank like a meteor, and saved the situation with as delightful a low-flying tackle as has ever been witnessed on Carlaw Park. Neither team was at full strength, "Gregory and Brisbane being notable defections from the greens' ranks, and Prentice being unable to fulfil his engagement with Richmond. As things transpired, the fact that their captain was compelled to stand on the bank cost Tykes the game, for Cronin, who was entrusted with all the kicks, missed two goals at easy Tange. The game did not reveal many of the finer points of the code, and but .for an occasional flash offered little in the way of concerted effort.

Penetrative effort was , lacking except by individualists, although the defensive play on both sides was fairly sound, with few exceptions. Hanson was ithe best of Richmond'* chain, and enhanced his reputation as a dazzling live-eighths with a . tricky swerve, when be cut through the defence to score what proved to be the winning try of the '"'Astch. He, combined harmoniously with . Jenkinson, who filled Prentice's vacancy in the five-eighth line, and the pair over-shad-owed Brady and Hassan, who played opposite them. Davis was solid on .defence behind a pack that was outplayed, While , Taylor showed up occasionally for a brilliant piece of play. Of the forwards Colebrook, G. Stewart, and McCarthy were the most conspicuous grafters.

Tykes sorely missed the services of Brisbane, and they lacked the thrust that he gives iheir scoring machinc. Though Cronin whipped the ball away smartly enough, the ins ides were too •well, marked to permit them giving the wingers, Batchelor- - and Sweeney, an opportunity of exercising their pace. Richardson, a newcomer, .who filled the bill at centre, did not , impress, but the jlank men each scored tries, the result of fine solo runs. Nasey, at full-back, gave a poor display. He was slow at fielding, his positional play was at fault, and his clearances weak. Marists should have no regrets when "Pope" Gregorysound, safe, and reliable—is again in harness as theft"* list line- of defence. Moisley was the most outstanding player on the ground, and was- a perpetual source of inspiration to his* hard working pack, who generally - got -possession from the set scrums. His best lieutenants were Graham, Johnson, and Keenan.

W/ ' SHOCK FOR SHORE. The charm of League football is its \ uncertainty. In the game between New|':v ton and Devonport there came an occasion when the former were penned on i'/'j' their line, and a scrum was. set Jn the fc'/ goalmouth. It was one.-pf those situapf% tions with the advantage decidedly in ' the attacking team's fayour, and that the defenders should score hardly seemed feasible. Yet for once the unexpected ' happened. Shore lost the.;. advantage through an infringement in Vtlie/ scrum. KFv Their backs dropped back casnally for S defending position, and it mi Dufty adroitly dropped. thf. resultant >',> ■ free out towards the purposely V abort, and into • gap. IMb a flash . Hardgrave was away, flls got past ( the Shore flank before the defenders wilmml to the situation. Pres-

ton made a great attempt to head the Newton flyer off, but the speedy wing inswerved, and was clean away. As fast as a tin hare he travelled the rest of the way. to score, pursuit being hopeless. It was an extraordinary try of the runaway kind, and the spectators were wildly enthusiastic.

For a wing three-quarter, great pace is a wonderful asset, and when sallied to safe hands, rare

courage, anticipation and skill, the result is a player much above the ordinary. At the moment Hardgrave stands alone as Auckland's most brilliant wing three - quarter, a speed merchant who would probably cause a sensation on the Syd-

ney cricket ground, where they have

memories of Nigel Barker, Harold Horder, and'other men of great pace in the past.

Newton owed their victory to the fact that they played with much of the devil which lifted them to the highest plane last Season and made them the champions. The elan, mobility and dash of the pack was amazing, Henry, Clark and Purdy going great guns all the while, while Somers played the role of rake to perfection, and saw that his side got plenty of ball from the set scrums, where Cammick got it away alertly to Wilson, a clever mixer of play, always ready to exploit the stab kick without overdoing it, or ready to swing the ball cleanly to his supports. Murray played a really good game in the outer position, a reliable link who always sent the hall cleanly to Dufty in the centre when Newton were on the attack. Dufty was invaluable, kicking the wonderful length that earns the deepest thanks of his own forwards, and worries the opposition. Usually he did not send the : ball on with his hands, electing mostly to use the short cross-kick, aslant ancl ahead, which was one of the stock-in-trade devices of Gorman, the great Queensland centre. He gave a .Tisry,. heady display. And at full-back Herewini was just Herewini. He defies most of the recognised canons of full-back play, but he invariably gets away with it. and if unothodoxy brings success, why cavil ?

Devonport gave the impress!,op of playing just as well as Newton let them. A less share of the ball from the scrums meant fewer attacking chances for the backs, and keen spotting—both Wilson and Murray were swift and'deadly sure at getting on to their men—practically reduced the five-eighths ine to even Seagar finding it impossible to blaze the trail for the three-quarter line in the characteristic way that he has*

The Shore . three-quarter line was sound, Beattie adding an occasional _ touch of real bril-

liancy, with L. Soott as,; a perfect demonstrator' of positional fit ay, r always top with his inside confreres when a chance was going, and successful to the extent of getting ft trio of tries, a feat which equalled Hardgrave's scoring record on the day. Webb was not altogether a success at full-back, although he made no serious fault, and many Sbore supporters would have preferred to have seen Simons there.

The Shore forwards were solid and even, one of the best sextets in the grade, but on the day with a lustre that was a bit dimmed by a six group which held them in tight and harried them in the loose.

The game opened up in a rather ragged style, but it improved as it went along, when it was interspersed with clever collaborative effort, which forced the spectators to the conclusion that it Was at least one of the most interesting games of the season.