LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 104, 4 May 1936, Page 13

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

SEASON OPENED. CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP. SEVERAL CLOSE CONTESTS. The Auckland Rugby League officially opened its 1936 season on Saturday afternoon, -when four senior matches were staged at C'arlaw Park before a good wet day attendance. Mount Albert and Newton were given pride of place on the No. 1 ground and after a tense struggle tinder atrocious conditions honours rested with last year's championship runners-up by 6 points to 5. In the curtain-raiser Richmond held too many guns for Ponsonby and emerged triumphant to the tune of 21 points to 10. Across the way Marist had a last-minute win over City by 12 points to 11, and Devonport were not. extended to eclipse the new Manukau side by 27 points to 2.

Tlie season was officially opened by Mr. J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, and president of the Auckland Rugby League, who congratulated the league on its organisation for the season and the players on their fine appearance. Play was got under way in the main attraction after Mr. H. Walmsley, vice-president and an ardent supporter of the code, had kicked oft'.

IMPROVED NEWTON SIDE.

Newton Rangers revealed themselves as a much-improved side when tliey held Mount Albert all the way and just suffered defeat by a single point. It was obvious that the club's player-coach, Lou Hutt, ha? already made his impression on the combination, which promises to develop into one. which will win more matches than it will lose as the season progresses. As a spectacle the match was not inspiring, the conditions militating against clean handling. It was a day for individualism and hard forward play rather than team work, but there were occasional glimpses of polished concerted movements which gave the spectators an indication of what they might expect on a fine day from the two teams. Newton drew first blood with a penalty goal, but, at the interval. Mount Albert led, a try by Herring putting tliem in front. Newton forged to the front again when P. Young swept across for un unconverted try, following a passing bout, but a try some mifitites later by Halsey, the Mount Albert winger, proved the deciding factor, giving as it did an advantage to last year's runners-up, which they were able to hold till the end. Both sides missed scoring opportunities through over-eagerness or mishandling, but for the first official games of the season the players gave good accounts of themselves. The teams were fairly evenly matched in the forwards, and the deciding factor was the slight superl 'ity of the Mount Albert backs. L. Schuiiz was the shining light of the Mount Albert chain, defending soundly and making some nice openings for his three-quarters. Morrisey, who teamed with, liim in the five-eighths line, was also a tower of strength, and tlirustful in possession. Of the three-quarters, Hal&ey, as in the friendly matches a fortnight previously, was outstanding. Fleet in pursuit and possession he was a source of danger to Newton, and was more than a match for his vis-a-vis. The Mount Albert forwards have lost none of their dash during the offseason and. well led by Herring and Petersen, they kept the opposition busy. Others who made a good impression were Shadbolt, Gunning and Constable. Nathan was usually in the thick of the hard stuff for Newton, and raided with elan from bell to bell. Hutt, too, was in form, but while splendid in the loose, his weight was lacking in tlie scrummages. Other hard grafters were It. Johnston and Merrick. W. Brir.ible, the diminutive Newton half-back, was hero, there and everywhere when lie was wanted, and played a fine game. Pat Young was enterprising in the live-eighth line, and facing such a lively pair as L. Schultz and Morrisey had his hands full. Sissons was the best of the three-quarters, while I Dempsey at full-back, was just Dempsey, reliable on all occasions.

MANUKAU'S DEBUT.

Composed largely of a number of prominent Rugby Union players, including the Maori Internationals of last year, Jack Heml (Wairarapa) : and Kawe (King Country), tlie debut of Manukau team In the senior .grade had been awaited with interest. "''The draw brought ' thfem against a strong side, Devonport, for " their "first appearance, and, although the newcomers went down 2—27, their effort was distinctly praiseworthy. Two of their players, Mason (Wairarapa) and Phillips (South Auckland), had only arrived in the morning and two the previous day. Added to lack of teaming practice was the fact that the cold, wet conditions were a handicap to recruits under new conditions. However, this Manukau side showed resoucefulness and exceptional promise. To hold Devonport to a 2—3 margin up to half-time was no mean achievement. After that North Shore's combination, tactical knowledge and form told their tale. With attention to training and coaching, Manukau should blend into a formidable thirteen. Heini, both as full-back and when .he moved up to the five-eighth line, proved to be well- up to reputation. He handled capably, kicked with length and judgment, and tackled soundly. His team mate from the Gladstone Club at Masterton, Broughton, also is a brilliant customer, an ideal centre, fleet of foot and with a good pair of hands. Mason is a nuggety and l'ast winger and, like Davis, who appeared with the North Auckland Union team at Eden Park last year, performed initially with credit. Hollis, the Bay of Plenty repre- : scntative, at five-eighth, is heady, and Mo Kenzie at second five-eighth also is a find. He was also quite safe at full-back in the second' half. Behind the scrum Phillips got the ball away smartly, but the passing was too orthodox. Itutherford, the Manukau "Union Club hooker, formerly of City Hovers, made the most of opportunity and the scrumming can be improved. Kawe, Pickrang and Gault—the two lastmentioned King Country Union representatives—were splendid forwards. The tall Kawe is fast and handles well, and Pickrang (14.8) Is a most rugged sort. Jack Why, the Otahuhu senior B forward, was as vigorous as usual. Want of form in several instances and need of a realisation of the value of supporting play often told its tale, but in a side of such individual calibre this should easily be remedied. Devonport without exception demonstrated that they will be a power in the competition and this should be emphasised this week-end against Mount Albert. The new Manukau players on Saturday evening were given a welcome by their club.

RICHMOND SUPERIOR

Last season's champions, Richmond, will again he in the first flight this year though they will not have the services of the brilliant Cooke. They commenced the season well by triumphing over Ponsonby by 21 points to 10 after leading 10 points to nil at the interval. Ponsonby, as usual, gave their best display in the second spell, when they broke evens with the opposition, but they were not good enough tj> pull the game out of the lire. Ponies appeared to be deficient in the forwards, but their backs have the makings of a good combination. The genius of their coach, Cooke, however, was not reflected in the play on Saturday, but the International Is bound to develop the talent available as the season progresses. Richmond was a well-balanced lot, although they are going to find difficulty In filling the full-back berth relinquished by Cooke. George Tittleton was tried in the first spell, but could not be regarded as a great success. He was shifted to the wing following the change over and, in his natural position, revealed something of liis old form and scored a try. MinclTam was shifted from centre to the position of custodian late in the game, and while he did reasonably well he was wasted so farremoved from the centre of play. Early in the piece Jllncham was one of the best backs on the ground, and teamed well with W. Tittleton. O. Wilkie was perhaps the best back on the ground, showing speed and resource on the wing, and scoring three fine tries as a result of strong running and his ability to keep up with the play. Bickerton, another three-quarter, was also in fine fettle, and he collaborated sweetly on most occasions with Wilkie. Powell and Fletcher, the halves, were a hardworking pair, and Powell's bursts from the base of the scrum were a continual source of worry to the opposition. For Ponsouby Ilalloran played splendidly behind the pack, and opened up the play won for lils supports, of whom Stockley Riley and Kay, the insides In that order, were the most Impressive. Riley was always looking for the opening, and was responsible for several fine runs that had the opposition guessing and the crowd on their toes. Paton, the full-back, had plenty] of work to do, and. though a trifle oil the j slow side, gave promise of better things. The Richmond forwards were a lively .lot, with C. Satherley, Tetley and H Hadley being most conspicuous. The Ponspnoy sextet worked with a will but did not team as well with their, backs sis. .ijnißiit... - unexpected. Those who were in the van • ii-n there was work to be done were " ; d'"leton, Leatherbarrow, Morgan and J. L. jC'kley.

CITY NARROWLY BEATEN. [ Although on the run ot play Marist Old ' lioys deserved to win, City Hovers, to lose i » i T ' fiave a defensive display of the iugliest standard and may be counted distinctly unlucky to have the honours snatched from them literally in the last breath of a contest that was full of merit, despite the frightful conditions. The packs 1 divided possession fairly evenly in the nrst spell, at the end of which the Rovers led 11— G. The Marist forwards dominated in the second stanza and the deciding try was scored as the bell went. ;Tlie timekeeper, after a scrum penalty, had been waiting for the ball to go dead when I>oader barged across at the corner. Campbell played well as custodian for Marist when lie was compelled to retire with ankle injury. The inside backs, Aro (half) and Haslam (first five-eightli) went with understanding, but there seemed to be a weakness in the chain from Glover to Bakaliel), though both showed up individually. I* urlonger defended well,. However, most of-the piny turned to the left wing, where Jjoader always was alert and dangerous. a , a well-balanced set of scrummagers, Anderson, Carter and Breed were prominent and Keane revealed versatility when he relieved in the full-back position. Wiberg I pve a superior display in tlie last line lor City, who have two moat impressive recruits in Tawliai aud Rata (flve-eiglitlis) to assist their star, Lou Brown, who was outstanding. Tlie new winger, Allen, has possibilities, though slight of physique Thompson, on the right flank, was dashing I to the point of being rash at times. I'orteous did well behind'a solid pack in which Iveson, Herring and Clark were keen ruckers, while Dye was brilliant in tlie loose He was always up with the play and handled reliably. City should have considerably profited by this match for their fixture with Ponsonby, while Marist will be next tested by Newton.