DEFEAT IN FIRST GAME.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 243, 14 October 1929, Page 14

DEFEAT IN FIRST GAME.

TRIUMPH FOR MARISTS. VISITORS BEATEN ON MERITS. GREGORY SCORES ALL HOME POINTS. , With the idea of discovering what precisely is the difference between the ■best Rugby League club plane in Sydney and Auckland, a crowd of about 10,000 'found their way to Carl aw Park on Saturday afternoon, and were not a little gratified to see Marists, the local premiers, battle their way to victory over the crack South Sydney side by <10 points to 0. The game, without reaching spectacular heights, had at least the merit of being fast and interesting. It was marked by occasional flashes of brilliant ,play, but defence and frenzied tackling were the outstanding features. Marists cheat the trans-Tasman visitors with tenacity and dash among the forwards,

•but in possession the Sydney backs were snappy, and supplied an occasional thrill. The match was desperately hard fought. When Tykes forged to the front just before the interval, there was an extraordinary scene of enthusiasm, which was repeated when the end came, and the victors were "chaired" from the 'field.

The encounter would have possibly reached dazzling heights but for the extravagant use of the whistle by {Referee A. Harlock, of Huntly. During the first half there was singularly little connected play as a result, and after the change-over matters were little improved. Mr. Harlock' could not be regarded as a satisfactory "master of ceremonies," and some of his rulings were not only perplexing to the players, but difficult to understand by the spectators. He penalised meii'- on occasions for offside play when they had actually followed through in approved style, let a Sydney man in for a try when a club-mate should have been penalised for not playing the ball, and disallowed a try that was scored by Batchelor as the outcome of enterprise and fast .following through. There was 110 questioning his fairness, however, as he penalised both sides alike. Confidence of Visitors. On the day the better side won. There is no gainsaying that fact. The Australians, much bigger proportioned than their opponents, took the field confident ,of their ability to carry the day, but soon realised that they were up against a tough proposition. They met men who mixed brawn.with .brains, men trained to the finger tips for the his-tory-making clash, and men who countered their lightning-like attacks with resolute tackling and concerted back and forward play. Marists, the best club combination of the code for many years, played right on top of the visitors, met them at tlieir own game, and won through to success in glorious fashion. \No quarter was allowed, and the green insides, Gregory and Brisbane, were too experienced to give Blair, Why and Quinlivau chances to engineer openings. Indeed, the Australians rather overdid the cut-in, crippling movements anlong the backs time and again by these futile tactics, when sending the ball along the chain to the winger would have served them better. The tactics of the two sides were not so dissimilar as anticipated, except that South Sydney packed only five men into the scrum and played three halves and four three-quarters. This necessitated Marists taking Clarke out of the pack to play first five-eighths. The consequence was that the green's combination was interfered with to a large extent, as Clarke was slow at releasing the ball with overhead passes * and erratic with bis handling. Still, he is not a back, and allowances have to be made for that. In other departments, Clarke j proved himself one of the best men on j the ground. He was quick on to his

men aiul conspicuous for defensive work and fast following through. It is questionable whether Marists should not have adhered to their regular formation and played six forwards, as their scrummagers, effective at quelling passing bouts in their infancy as it was, would have then been a more-vital spoiling force. Hassan played a remarkably fine game behind the scrum, being quick to shoot out the ball and at breaking away.

The Hero of .the Match. The hero of the match was Gregory. Not only did he score all the winning points —two tries and a penalty goal and conversion—but he did not let a thing past him on defence all day. His most grievous mistake was kicking to Wearing on one occasion, but the winger frittered away a good chance to try his speed, by cutting in-field instead of sailing along touch. It was one of Gregory's best games and that is saying a lot. The one regret is that it is possible he will not be available for next Saturday's return game. Late, in the second spell a visitor came down on his.bad knee and the injury may prevent him from playing again this season. Brisbane and Brady were right on their games, both on defence and attack. "It was tins pair who made the opening for the winning try in the dying stages of the clash. Brady's best effort was made when he just missed a try in the corner in the second spell, after a 30yds dash. Latclielor fulfilled his part well in marking such a difficult man as Wearing, but was twice caught out of position by the Sydney flyer. Little was seen of McDonald on the opposite wing. In view of his fine performance in the champion of champions game, ho should have been sent to five-eighths instead of Clarke. N. Campbell, at full-back, lived up to his .-reputation','; for reliability. He ' "foozled" a rolling ball that nearly ' proved ' fatal,' but,' generally speaking, <was faultless- with his handling and kicking. He prevented two tries by , getting Wearing ;>witil flying tackles when he had got clean «way.

For the visitors, Williams, at scrumhalf, played a rattling good game, while Captain Blair was mercurial in possession and reminiscent of Reeves, of English international fame. Why was quick j >.o dart into gpenings, but detracts 1 from [a ;>ood exhibition by cutting-in too frequently. Quinlivan "-as impressive, alert and resourceful at pivotal centre. lie defended stoutly and went for the intercept with a good deal of success. Wearing was the pick of the three-quarters, though more was expected of him when he got away with only Campbell to pass. He combined effectively with Williams and surprised the opposition on occasions by darting from the wing to take a pass from the five-eighths position. It was a move that nearly came oil'. Spillane got through much valuable work at full-back, though caught out of position on occasions. His power of recovery prevented tries by both Brady and Moisley, whom he hurtled into touch at the corner flag.

Forwards' Triumph. The Auckland forwards triumphed as never before. Though beaten for possession more often than not, they pushed 'the opposition off the ball, tackled like demons and followed through to reduce the scoring machine of the Sydney men to a thing of impotence. The match was a veritable triumph for them. O'Brien was the tactician and master of the Igame, who held the pack together by setting a fine example for his. supports with rugged play. ]\loisley and Graham were always doing their bit in the tight stuff, while Johnson and G. Campbell were fleet in the loose. The visitors' forwards made a great game of it, excelling in the loose and giving their backs plenty of the ball. F. O'Connor was the best forward on the ground, coming through the struggling packs with the ball at toe and breaking away ,in towering bursts. His brother, A. W., [and D. Watson also played rattling good football. South Sydney were the first to register points, a penalty goal by Blair and a remarkable free by Quinlivan from a .yard outside half-way giving them four points early in the piece. Territorially the visitors had the better of exchanges at the outset, but a try and goal by Gregory made Marists advantage in— five points to four—at the interval. Half-way through the second spell Gregory increased the home side's tally with a penalty goal, and then Why forced his way across, for Blair to goal—nine points to seven in South Sydney's favour. Not long before the end the Marists forwards dominated the play, to carry the attack to enemy country. Here Brisbane and Brady combined sweetly, to let Gregory in prettiest and winning try.

THE RETURN GAME

MATCH AT HUNTLY. ' The South Sydney team will meet Marists in a return match next Saturday. The visitors were taken on a harbour excursion yesterday and after a visit to Rotorua early in the week will play Huntly, the champion South Auckland club' team at Huntly on Wednesday next. '

GRADE KNOCK-OUTS.

WIXS FOR RICHMOND AXD NEWMARKET. , ! Several lower grade knock-out competitions were decided on Carlaw Park 011 Saturday afternoon as preliminaries to the main attraction. In the Oa division the Richmond team, winners of the club championship, met Otahuliu, and after a fast and willing contest victory rested with the latter. Richmond scored first, but the southern boys, with good concerted work, bustled the opposition sin the second half, and made the score 9—G in their favour. Play fiuctuacted in exciting fashion for the remainder of the game, and in the end Otahuhu made the score 11 to 6 to win. The schoolboys also finished up their sudden-death games. Newmarket, by defeating Mangere to the tune of 25 pionts to o, carried off premier honours. In the same grade Onchunga beat Richmond by 22 points to Jiil. Newmarket school has thus won the double —the championship and the knock-out. At the Domain, Devonport beat Newton.

JUNIOR RESULTS. FOURTH GRADE. , Richmond 7, beat Kingsland G. Devonport* 6, beat Akarana 0. HOUSE MATCHES. MORRISON SHIELD. Reliance Printers 23, beat Clark and Matheson 5.