LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 191, 14 August 1931, Page 11

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

INTER-ISLAND MATCH. AT CARLAW PARK TO-MORROW. FINE GAME EXPECTED. The South Island Rugby League team which will play the North Island side at Carlaw Park to-morrow afternoon, arrived in Auckland this morning, and is quartered at the Commercial Hotel. m In the restricted history of the annual mter-Island fixtures, the North Island has had the lion's share of honours, but the steady growth and rise of the code in the South Island have been asserted in the last two years, when the southerners, by winning one contest decisively, and the last by forcing the issue to a draw, demonstrated that the Leagues "down under" have outlived their apprenticeship. This year they come again, and with a characteristic quiet southern determination to hold the laurels for another term. The North Island team (really a reversion to Auckland monopoly) is known. It is undoubtedly a fast and clever thirteen, built around the nucleus of the Auckland champion club exponents, Marists, who are represented by eight members. As usual, confident northerners will be saying that, provided the North forwards get the ball from the scrums the rest will be easy. That assumption was of little avail last year against the resolute attacking of the visiting force. It is only necessary to add that Saturday's combination from the other side of Cook Strait, if anything, is a better balanced, speedier and more aggressive side than that which appeared at Carlaw Park last season. Nevertheless, with players like Brisbane in the backs and Lou Hutt in the pack, the North team has the advantage of a great stiffening in point of conjoint generalship and experience. The opposition is strong, particularly in the pack, where that great trio, Calder, Griffiths and 0 Bnen will hold sway. M. Smith (published as Schmidt) is considered the best forward in Canterbury. He plays for Sydenham. Obviously, hooker Townsend will have valuable assistance. Norman Campbell has earned his place as .North full-back. He kicks strongly and with judgment, when necessary, runs his backs into position, and is strong defensively. Simons, ofDevonport, and Watene, of City, are both players with ability and experience, but their form of late has been erratic. At Wellington recently the Marist custodian clearly outshone Petherick. The surprise of the three-quarters was the selection of the Ngaruawahia and New Zealand half, Abbott, whose inclusion apparently was brought about as the result of recent brilliant. performances on the wing in South Auckland. He has pace and initiative, but does not appear to be the type when players like Ron. Hamilton (Northland), Mincham and Dunn (Richmond), and Batchelor (Marist) are more familiar with the scoring line. The Richmond man, however, secured a place through the defection of Davidson. The brilliant Marist colt, P. Meehan, thoroughly deserves his North Island cap, though, like several others, fortunate to have the opportunity before being seen in provincial representative colours. The Marist half, Hassan, will be at home with the versatile Brisbane, whose penetrative powers should not be wasted in such a Hashing rearguard. The forward division also commands respect, and much will depend on the ability of the Marist hooker, Campbell, to got the ball from the veteran Otago and Aucklander player, Townsend. Stephenson, the Huntly player and hooker of the "Kiwis" last year, and Lou Hutt, the Ponsonby international, who gained a reputation in England as a front row artist, will buttress the rake. Simpson, of Devon port, will be with Tjmms (Huntly), who tripped across the Tasman last year. S. Clark and M. Watene, of City, Lawless, of Richmond, O'Callaghan, of Northland, and Ruby, of Shore, seem to have had good claims for places. The Marist lock, Clarke, completes the pack. It seems possible that the selector may prefer to play Timms in the front row, Clarke with Simpson, and thus have Hutt as last man down. The average age of the backs is just under 24% years, and of the forwards over 25. The average weight of the backs is list 21b, and of the forwards 13st 31b. The selection of the team, before any re-iresentativc matches have been staged, has imposed an exceptionally difficult task on the selector, who has been compelled to watch club play and trial games. Whether the Lipscombe Shield will be won back to the North Island, together with the Courtney Silver Football trophy, which is involved for the first time, is an intriguing question to be answered when the bell rings down the curtain on play at the week-end. The curtain-raiser will be a match between the reserve senior finalists,' Ponsonby and Devonport. The teams in the inter-Island match are:— North Island.—Full-back, N. Campbell f Marist); three-quarters, P. Meehan (Marist), C. List (Marist). Dunn (Richmond), and F. Abbott (Ngaruawahia); hack-backs, H. Brisbane, captain (Marist), Hassan (Marist); forwards, R. Stephenson (Huntly), S. Campbell (Marist), L. Hutt (Ponsonby), Simpson (Devonport), Timms (Huntly), Clarke (Marist). South Island.—Backs. W. Palamountain, G. Falgar, J. Amos, R. Jorgensen (Canterbury), J. Dodds (West Coast), G. McEwen (Otago), J. Masters (West Coast). Forwards, A. Eckhoff (Otago), N. Griffiths, M. O'Brien (West Coast), M. Smith (Canterbury), A. Townsend (Otago), J. Calder (Wesrt Coast). Reserves: T. Pollock (Otago). MEETING OF COUNCIL. The disqualification of J. C. Hamilton by the Northland League until the end of next season was endorsed last evening by the council of the New Zealand Rugby League. Mr. Cyril Snedden presided. Mr. V. Simpson was appointed referee of the Northern Union Cup match on Saturday week. The line umpires will be Messrs. P. Rogers and E. McCall. A letter from the English League stated that the English team for the Australian and New Zealand tour would leave Tilbury on April 15 next year, and would arrive in Sydney six weeks later. It was decided to congratulate the Northland League on its creditable work for extension of the game in its district. A member stated that regular play in the code would commence next season at Dargaville. A demonstration match between the rep. team and "The Rest" is to be staged there to-morrow. The Australian board of control submitted copies of its correspondence with the English Rugby League dealing with the player ban negotiations. These showed that the proposal to require from an English club acquiring a colonial player a sum of £200 as compensation to the League concerned, was in addition to the agreement fixing a period of twelve months to elapse before a player who toured could leave his country under an English engagement.—lt was decided to, support the action being taken by the Australian board. _____ DEVONPORT. Reserve Grade.—Lalng, Harding, Saxon (2), Smith (3), Radonich, Morgan, Tate, Hurley, Langton, Adams, Leatherbarrow, Seagar, Hunt, Hawkes, Gyde, York, Meehan.