League Football.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 237, 7 October 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

League Football.

CHALLENGE MATCH.

Surprise Victory. — Richmond Down Marists.—Twenty-Three Point Margin. — Brisbane a Casualty. — Bright Opening, with Maroons Dominating

Second Half,

The largo crowd which attended Carlaw Park to-day anticipating a thrilling duel in the challenge match between Marist Old Boys and Richmond Rovers, who had each vanquished the St. George team of Sydney, received something of a shock to be entertained with a struggle that opened with every promise, but in the end petered out to a convincing win by Richmond by 31 ponus to 8. It was another instance of the "best-laid plans of mice and men" going astray. Marists, playing with the verve and attractive abandon that characterised their display against St. George last week, early took the lead, but before the end of the first half lost their sheet anchor and leader, Brisbane, who suffered a deep cut over the eve. Mitchell, the Richmond winger, also left the field with a wrenched knee. Without their general Marists, leading l,y B—o at the interval, were unable to stand up to the thrust and pace of Richmond, but the game had its highlights and incidents.

The result might very well encourage the authorities to consider giving Newton Rangers the honour of playing.the midweek contest against the St. George

team. All conditions were favourable and when the sides came out Richmond were without Lawless, and Marists missed their hooker, Campbell. The teams were:

Marist Old Boys: Campbell, R. White, Brisbane, List, L. Schultz, Dunn, Hassan, Carter, Flannagan, Herring, Laird, C. White, Iveson.

Richmond Rovers: Lee, Mitchell Young, McNeil, Cooke, Prentice, Abbott. Telford, Milieicli, Ilawkes, Powell Satherlcy, Metcalfe.

Richmond kicked off to the sun, and Marists' backs immediately swung into action, Brisbane featuring. From a scrum close up Brisbane again slipped through tlio opposing ranks, and when tackled eloso up let away a pass to Herring in- tlio ruck. 'Ihis player ran a few yards and threw himself across under the posts. Campbell goaled. Marists 5, Richmond 0.

The maroons went immediately to tho attack, but lost ground through injudicious placements by Lee. Richmond invaded again when Milieicli kicked through in the loose. Play was very keen and exciting and it looked as though McNeil was over at the terrace corner when an opening was made by Powell. The ball was returned inwards and went astray. Campbell cleared tho danger for the green and golds after Mitchell liad made some powerful efforts along the right flank. Tho maroons then scored a captivating try. Marists' backs started passing across-held. Young smartly foiled Brisbane and sent a pass to Prentice, who bounded down tlio terrace side with 11. White out of position. lie timed a fine pass to 'McNeil, who crammed 011 the pace, and, with Prentice awaiting a return transfer, swept across at the corner. Tho kick was too far out for Cooke. Marists 5, Richmond 3.

Marists continued to have rather the worst of matters for a time, but a poorly-placed kick by Lee let Richmond down. Mitchell and List raced to contest near the touchline. Mitchell overran the ball and the bouncing in was collected by List, who threw a pass in to Brisbane. The latter, after easily beating Abbott, fended and swerved bis way from the quarter line to score convincingly. Campbell missed from a fair position. Marists S, Richmond 5.

The game was going along merrilyi and the crowd was brought, to its feet when Cooko made a brilliant cut-in, was tackled, but recovered to send Young and Powell away on the right. Powell in-paesed. Young failed to notice Cooke inside with a clear passage, and the ball went astray. There was a murmur of regret when Brisbane was required to go off, B. Seliultz taking the field. Mitchell was carried off with a leg injury. Lennie joined the Richmond pack. Abbott going out on the wing and Powell dropping back to half.

The rearrangement seemed to presaae better things for Richmond, who scored soon afterwards when the flying McXeil gathered a high ball which had beaten Campbell at the twenty-five flag and streaked through diagonally to score near the posts. Milicicli's kick went wide. Marists S, Richmond (i.

Marists went within an acc of points when Lee waited for the bounce of an exploiting kick goalwards bv 15. Seliultz. who was lustily downed. Then C. White swung a long pass out to his brother, who was smother-tackled. The maroons by open play lifted danger, and a fine burst of inter-passing between Young. Cooke, and Prentice kept the preens busy. A stop for a knock to Ilassan preceded another nippy bout by Richmond towards Abbott. A scrum infringement lost the position, and Marats were on the. offensive when the interval arrived, with the scores: Marists 8 Richmond 0 A rousing piece of concerted play by Telford, McNeil and Lennie on the stand side gave Richmond early ascendancy on resumption. The greens resisted strongly, and, out near the twenty-live line, Hassan was caught off-side at a scrum. Satherley landed a beautiful goal to equalise the scores—B all. The Marist forwards, with Carter, White and Iveson, went through to Richmond's quarter, where Cooke sent Young on a great race down the far side. Young's pass to Abbott was too high, and a great opportunity was thrown away. Marists, without Brisbane, were not so impressive, but in any case the maroon pack was showing greater skill in the open. Satherley made a dash, and quickly passing to Lennie and Telford play was carried to the far corner. Here Milicich received and scored. L. Schultz, again chiming in, was tackled, kick, goaled. Richmond, 13; Marists, 8. Marists had a severe testing for some minutes until L. Sehultz's kick through was mulled by Lee. LaiiVl received, but L. Sehutz, again chiming in, was tackled. After loose and erratic play, with Richmond displaying any amount of confidence, Powell darted round a scrum to score in the corner. It was too far out for Satherley. Richmond, 1G; Marists, 8. ' "

B. Schultz, who was not proving reliable, went to full-back, and Campbell was now at centre. Satherley added another goal when Hassan again was penalised for off-side. Richmond, 18; Marists, 8. After a good run by R. White down the terrace side, and passing across, the field, a. chance for Marists w;is wasted when Iveson mishandled with three associates outside him. Abbott burst

| through to give a thrill, and Lennic, with nothing to stop liim, fumbled. The maroons were off again when Cooke took the ball from C. White and kicked to the corner. Satherley picked up in the loose and gave the ball inwards to Prentice, who scored easily. Satherley converted. Richmond, 23; Marists, 8.

It was lively but uninspiring play now, and Marists pressed to the corner in the face of stern tackling. In the centre, from the ruck, C. White swung a one-hand pass out to Dunn, who nearly barged across. The green backs were working better, but the handling was faulty. List made a brave dash once. The in-pass to Herring was forward. Powell and McNeil cleared from the scnun. Richmond forwards pressed onwards, and Satherley again scored from the loose, and also goaled. A moment later McNeil received a, pass from Satlicrlv on his own quarter-line, outpaced Carter anil brushed aside B. Schultz to go on straight to the corner to score a brilliant try. Cooke missed with the kick, and the bell went with the board reading —- Richmond Rovers 31 Marist Old Boys 8 Mr. L. Bull was referee.