LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 217, 14 September 1931, Page 12

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

ROOPE ROOSTER GAMES. SHORE SHOCK MARIST. PONIES ECLIPSE RICHMOND. The Rugby League's knock-out competition for the Roope Rooster produced interesting developments on Saturday afternoon, -when two games which paved the way for the final next week were decided. The pursuit of the Sliver Wyandotte was productive of football of a high order, which kept a surprisingly large off-day crowd interested throughout. The main attraction was the meeting of the grade champions and winners of the poultry honours last season, Marist, and Devonport, who have been the most consistent gide in club football, next to Marist. The wearers of the green were favourites, in view of the fact that they had previously accounted for the seasiders on two occasions, but they played well below their form, and were beaten by a better side, after a gruelling tussle, by the slender margin of 11 points to 8. Across on No. 2 ground, Ponsonby eclipsed Richmond, after extra time had been played, by 28 points to 20. The former started badly, but in the second spell they rallied wonderfully to make a draw of it, 20 points all, at full time. Under Roope Rooster conditions, the teams were required to play an extra ten minutes, and, in this time, western suburbs rattled on an extra eight points, which gave them the match. They meet Shore in the final next Saturday. Several spirited reserve grade matches were staged as curtain-raisers. DEVONPORT SHINE. Minus the services of several of their most penetrative and enterprising backs, Marist lacked a good deal of their usual pejj when they met Devonport in the semifinals of the Roop'e Rooster games. They rallied valiantly in the second spell, however, and, at one stage, victory for them looked in sight. The seasiders, who had territorially the better of the exchanges,", scored in a final bid for supremacy, and snatched a*win by 11 points to 8. Notable absentees from the Marist backs were Gregory and Meehan, both of whom were nursing Injuries, and.i without them the greens could not get going properly until late in the second spell. Shore. oh the other hand, were minus the- services of their "great general and v. captain, Air. Scott, who is on the sick list. The game was tense and gripping from bell to bell, and was productive of crisp handling, towering forward play, and tackling that was both willing . and incisive. It was good to -watch, and. with Marist gradually working up their old combination as the crowd was held to - the death. Although they were tiring towards the end. the seasiders held on gamely to gain a wellmerited and popular win. Their, success was largely attributable to the, unremitting Mergy of their forwards. They got through a wealth of spoiling work, and chased the ball good and hard all day, although, be it said, their backs did s * good job of work too in the direction ninDing in the bud movement by the oppos?ng backs before they could become, dangerous. Prominent for rush stopping, were $SSnneli and Smith, in the line, who made a ''bird' of getting Brisbane every time he got the bah. and- Seagal, who, until, late in the second .spell effectually silenced List, his vis-a-vis at centre AH three men played splendidly in defensive roles. They were also enterprising on attack. At scrum. Half- for Shore, Rhodes was as solid as la/ratK, while out on the wings Harding and Lcn Scott got through a wealth of good work The former lapsed, once more into, ajault which he corrected for a time—that of dodging about instead o£ running straight -4rat gave nothing away and was conspicuous for several smart ■ dashes. .. Den Scott gave glimpses of his former self, antl one of "many toe galtops by hua culminated in his notching theßedding trv Simons made few mistakes at fullback, but W. Campbell, the Marist custodian, on the day was his master me latter fielded the ball cleanly,-ami returned it with judgment. So well did he sense the Trend of the play that, on one occasion he got up to make an extra back and, scori Although badly jolted by Seagar, early in the piece, List gradually settled down, and paved the way for both his side's tries He more than compensated for early mistakes. McDonald and Schultz; a pair of reserve graders, who filled the vacancies in the backs, were, like the urate's egg. good in patches. The former Xi a: trifle hesitant, the result, no doubt, of playing his first game with the seniors. Brisbane has played many better games and some of the passes he handed out were atrocious. His defence, however, left little to be desired, and he pulled .Ma side out of many a tight corner.. Hassan was sound at half, but he, too, played below form, and his passing lacked a good deal .of its nsual erispness and accuracy. The, Maribt forwards won the majority of the scrums, but were overshadowed in the loose. Their hardest grafters were Johnston _(one of the best forwards on the ground), G.-Camp-bell and Clarke, who was conspicuous in the loose. There was not a slacker in the seasiders' pack, although Ruby was probably the most shining light among them. He was here, there and everywhere,. and his fast following .up frequently, pinned an opponent down to playing the ball in the danger zone. • Baw.kes was-guiclrto break up. and did seme splendid spoiling work, while others who were always going great guns were Casey and Masefield. »., Scott was always In the picture, and in the second spell did all that was expected of him ia the five-eighths line when O'Donnell was forced, to retire. -_- ~ - At the interval Devonport, who had played all over their formidable opponent*. led by 5 points to 'nil—a dropped goal bv Smith and an unconverted try by Harding. The second spell had barely commenced when they increased their load, Masefleld, who was routing among, the backs. Catherine and darting across near the posts. Smith missed a sitter. Then Marist gave glimpses of their old form, opening up in electrical fashion. The resutt was that the defence caved in for firstly Campbell to score and Clarke to convert, a«d then for McDonald to dive over wido out The kick missed and the teams fought on even terms—B points all. Before the end Sengar and Len Scott combined in a passing bout for the latter to score the final and deciding noints of the match. Marist made valiant efforts to pull the game out of the fire, but. try as they might, they could not force a .passage through the defence. '.„■ ...

PONSONBY FINALISTS. The second of the two surprise results on Saturday was the defeat of Richmond by Ponsonby. How good the match was may be shown in several ways. First, the maroons exhibited football, sound and exhilarating in the first half, and the Interval signified their comfortable lead, 18—5 But when they resumed Richmond forgot the hack play that gavo them early reward and nlso that Ponsonby always em stern; finishers, especially when there Is ti fair prospect of vjctoy. The next facte' was that, the game ended in a draw, twenty points nil. This, under the Roope Rooster rules, roduircfl live minutes play each way—a condition that has not been necessarily operative in a semi-final for a number of years. , , That extra ten minutes, however, seemed to tell on Richmond, and Ponsonby s heavier vanguard crashed through the defence time and again, and two telling trW one being converted, indicated that Ponsonby are going to make a supreme bid for the, 'knock-nut trophy next Saturday. The generalship of Delgrosso told its tale. He played magnificently at centre throughout, and some of his running and positional tactics in the second haK, when he realised that there was a chance of success after all, revealed that Delgrosso is yet ouite a strategist, given tho right support, Onkinsr up well with Riley, who is also somewhat near good form, D«*»>st became a troublesome thorn for Richmond. Tbls confidence seemed also to inspire the forwards, and it was a pleasure to see the Indomitable nack work and the ruthless hunthn in the tl*M o»d l? 0l \ e ° f fUBS fsvho waa on band for two tries), Goodwin, Gardiner and McLeay. Whilst this artillery wan most effective, pkipper Prentice, 'of Richmond," who had " shown to great advantage In scrum play and its outcome,

was doing duty at five-eighths, leaving live already overwrought men attempting to resist the bombardment. Of course they failed, and Prentice's most desperate efforts were equally futile and belated. It was had policy for him to leave the pack, and his intervention as an inside back, except in- one instance, seemed to spell the end of"the rearguard movements from Agnew and Davis outwards, which had yielded points and suggested surprise possibilities. Thus, _ Richmond subsided from victors to vanquished in eighty fleeting and interesting minutes of diverse football. Wacrea, the full back, and Drew." the new winger, were the only doubtful players of the Ponsonby backs. Waerea will have to sharpen himself up a bit. His kicking was fairly well directed, and,' taken on the whole, he was not ba'd." it was strange to see Drew hesitating in possession. Delgrosso kicked five goals, several being from long range and at "angles, but h'e missed a "sitter." Prentice, Lenriie, Ritchie and Lawless we're a fine quartet .of. forwards for Richmond, who well held their own in the first half, the *:lean and smart .raking of the ball being a delight to see. "The half back knew what to do. Dunn was moving in his electric style, and Lee was also in the picture. The latter was, as might be expected, too much given to kicking. Mincham gave a fair display, and was not quite impressive, though he scored and kicked four goals. Pell, on the other f\ank, was patchy, and Marshall had a lot to do as rear liner. He is elusive and willing. Richmond take comfort in that their reserve graders are left in the final with Newton. The conquerors of Marist will have to step out this weekend to stop the Ponies in their strengthened hope to capture the "Rooster" in the exciting flutter. ■....,, GRADE GAMES. SENIOR RESERVE. Richmond 15, beat Ponsonby 5. Newton 18, beat Marist 15. SECOND GRADE. Final of Knock-out Competition.—Papakura 26, beat Mount Albert 0. THIRD GRADE OPEN. KNOCK-OUT. Ponsonby 8, beat Glenora 3. THIRD GRADE INTERMEDIATE. KNOCK-OUT PINAL. Richmond C, bent Akarana 3. .. . FOURTH GRADE. Papakura defaulted to' City. FIFTH GRADE.. City 3, beat Northcote 0 - Newton 12, beat .Richmond 3. SIXTH GRADE. ' ■ City 18, beat Marist 0. SEVENTH GRADE. KNOCK-OUT FINAL. Richmond 3, beat Ellerslie 2. (JAMES IN THE PROVINCE. HUNTLY. Junior.—Huntly 7, beat Kia Ora 3. WHANGAREI. Senior Knock-out—Semi-final: Hikurangi 24, beat Waro 6. ENGLISH CLUB GAMES. .- ; . i t. LQNDON, September 12. Following are the.results of the matches played to-day under the Northern Union rules.—Bailey 17, v. Dewsbury 6; Bradford ,7, v. St. Helens Recreation 16; Bramiey 12, V. York 27; Broughton 2, v. Salford 14; Castleford 5, v. Hull Kingston Rovers 15; Halifax 47, v. Rochdale 5; Hull 15, v. Featherstone.,B.; Hunslet 30, v. Huddersiieid 5; Keighley 4, v. Leeds 40; Leigh 0, v. Widnes 11; St. Helens 14. v. Wigan-High-field 10; Wakefield 33, v. Burrow 0; Warrington 21, v. Oldham 12;. AVijjr.n 7, *. Swinton 7. J ,\,:'