LEAGUE RIVALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 116, 18 May 1936, Page 14

LEAGUE RIVALS.

MOUNT ALBERT WIN. DEFEAT OF RICHMOND. FINE KICKING BY HEMI. The largest crowd of the season followed the third series of matches played in the Ru"by League senior cnampionslnp at Carlaw Park on Saturday. Competition was keen in all the matches, and fortunes generally speaking fluctuated in such a way as to sustain interest from bell to boll. The featured game was between Devonport and Marist, in which the seasides continued their winning way, running out the victors by 20 points to 9, principally as the result of bustling the opposition into errors. _ On No. 2 ground Henu, the brilliant Maori full-back, almost carried Manukau through with superlative goal-kicking, but combination told in the end, and 1 onsonby won by 24 points to 18. In the early encounters Newton accounted lor Citv by 20 points to 16, and Mount Albert scraped home against Richmond, last season's champions, by 13 points to 12. Championship table:p. W. L. D. F. A Pts. Devonport ... 3 3 - - ->7 * 4 Ponsonb.v .. • • » - i o.> m a. Marist 3 2 1 - 32 31 4 Mount Albert .3 i 1 - rl Richmond . ... 3 1 - _ f 33 j Newton ...... 3 1 * _ H4 50 2 Manukau .... 3 1 2 _ 33 0

DEVONPORT STILL UNBEATEN. Tim fncf hustling Devonport te.am Is the onW oomblnation in the .<mlor div Won which has not had to how to defeat since the club championship was commenc , again on Saturday they shaped as thougl ?hey will he well in the. picture when, the premiership comes to be decide . . accounted for Marist by 20 poin s to 0 hut the size of their winning margin wasn indicative of the trend of the playActually the teams were fairly evenly matched with the seasiders scoring four converted* tries their opponents' three unconverted tries. Marist rarely managed to settle down, and much of the team work wl'ich j\as Mlflent in their earlier mutches was lacking. onnonents into errors from whieli were anlck to profit. The game was really a repetition of that of the previous week when the mr.n from across the water triumphed over Mount Albert by exploiting Similar tactics The test of streHgth rested With the backs, and on the day the Devonport chain functioned to more telling purpose than the Marist lines who lapsed into mistakes on several occasions when tries were presenting themselves. At the interval Devonport were nursing an advantage of 15 points to. 3, but in the. spell another runaway try bj Len Scott and a conversion gave them their onlj points. Meanwhile Marist. who reorganised their backs, improved slightly and rattled on two tries, neither of which was converted. Much of Mnrlsts trouble on the dav can be attributed to them being unable to' field their regular combination owing to the absence of N. Campbell, the fullback. Nevertheless, they started off well with Glover in that berth, the hve-eightli was acquitting himself with honours when forced to retire injured. I his necessitated a re-shuffle of the rearguard, which was rearranged yet again before the game was finished. Haslam was the particular shining light for the greens, and he was alwavs a source of danger in possession, being thrustful and appreciative of post-! ttonal play. He was perhaps, the best) back on the ground. Aro played Ills part well In whipping the hall away from tin base of the scrum, but Matson was slow at first five-eighth. Bnkr.llch, the centre,] was alwnvs well up with the play and supporting Haslam. and scored two of Ills side's tries. Furlonger was off torm and mishandling cost his side points on two occasions at least. He was derided!, uncomfortable and uncertain when shifted from the wing to full-back. Glover s retirement was unfortunate as he was impressing for his steadiness when injured in stemming a determined Devonport rush. Had he remained until the end. It might have been a different story. Once more Cowan behind the. Shore pack played a rattling good game, while Crooks and Milter, tlie inside backs, were like terriers the way they worried Matson and Haslam. lhey got the ball out swiftly to their threequarters and tacklwl with a will. Jordan, the centre, played soundly, while Hall and Len Scott were a pair of hard running wingers who availed themselves of most of the opportunities which enrne their way. Scott appears to have struck the form he displayed several years ago, when he was one of the best point-getters In the code. His try was scored after racing practically the whole length of. the field. Ho has lost none of his pace Uo he showed a clean pair of heels to the opposition, after beating two men. Kerr gave another sound display as custodian, fielding splendidly and kicking with good length and judgme.n;. The forwards fought out a good deal of the battle, and it was only in the loose that Devonport shaded the. opposing sextet. Hollows, Donald. E. Scott and Milicich were indefatigable for the winners, while those who caught the eye. for Marist were Keane, Anderson and Breed.

HEMI A STAR. Tlie advent of Mamikau In the league code has added n fresh interest ar Carlaw Park, and the play of Hemi and his men held the most Interest for .the spectators. Colourful In nil his play, Hemi gnve a wonderful exhibition of kicking, and landed six goals. On one occasion he dropkicked at the goal when ten yards on his own side of half-way, and the ball, after carrying very high, swerved past the top of one post. Had the shot gone over it would have made new history at Carlaw l'ark.

"Give it to Hr«ni" was the cry of the crowd whenever a shot came Manukau's way, and when Hemi set the ball straight up—

the method adopted by the great Dufty of other days—the crowd waited and watched with absorbed interest. Manukau are getting n better grip of a new game, although they have still a long way to go. The forwards are heavy and virile, but they do not as yet play to their backs, where, in Trevathan, Brougliton and Davis, there are players of talent. Yet it took one of Ponsonby's best games to pull' through on the right side. Their forwards held their own well, and in attack the backs showed brilliant combination, with Riley in mercurial mood, cutting through repeatedly to make great chances for the men behind him. On- three occasions, at the end of chain passing, Holland sailed in over an overlapped wing at the corner. It. was speed and interplay that put Ponsonby on the right side, and they gave a line exposition of what is brightest and best in the code.

RICHMOND'S BATTLE. With botli teams minus key men it was not to be wondered that combination suffered in the No. 1 curtain-raiser, in which Mount Albert headed their final conquerors last year, Richmond Rovers, . by - 13—12. i The winners had Patterson for J. Schultz and Richmond played their reserve grade full-back Marshall, vice Mincham. and the pack missed the weight and experience of Cliff Satherley. By so much relatively did the Rovers suffer. It was a fine open display, and, on the whole, Mount Albert quite deserved their success. Richmond teamed with vim and precision once they settled down, but when Eric Fletcher retired with a foot injury their fate was sealed, and the incisive inside, back collaboration of Mount Albert, with L. Schultz as the king pin, had a telling effect in the second stanza. Up to the interval, however, the maroonj shaped with promise

to lead by B—s. Mount Albert's heavier front sextet, allied to clever rearguard tactics, turned tlie scale. In addition to L. Schultz, Morrissey, in spite ot' overeagerness, played in Inspired fashion. Patterson was a trifle strange In first-class company, but filled the bill. Halsey was a determined winger, but on the other flank B. Schultz was hesitant, though dashy in patches. Crunch was steady at full-back, and behind the scrum Watklns was enterprising at times. Shadbolt, Constable and Gunning were in top form, and Herring and Flannagan were in the picture, Peterson showing a practical knowledge of the loose forward play. This ex-Hawke s Bay performer handled well and has plenty of speed. Half-back Powell spoilt a good showing by excessive kicking. Marshall improved as the game went on as custodian for Richmond. W. Tlttleton (centre) gave splendid support to Biekerton, who, as second five-eighth, was one of the stars of the contest. He has a keen sense of anticipation and positional play. G. Tlttleton was in better trim oil the wing, but Wilkie impressed more. The three-quarters benefited when Tetley left the pack. He linparted new life to the back division, lelford. Metcalf and Hadley were good torwards, but lack of weight in the scrums is a serious handicap. In the circumstances, Richmond's defence—not by any means solely defensive in character was most creditable. Mount Albert may find Pon son by a tougher proposition at tlie week-end.

GOAL-KICKING DUEL. Tho score in the City-Xewton match was kept alternating by the ability of Sissons and Wiberg to land goals for their respective sides. Wiberg contributed 10 of City s l(i points in live successful shots, one being a beautiful iield goal from well out when he had little time and little space in which to manoeuvre, while Sissons' contribution for Newton was four conversions. It was a remarkable duel performance in days of decadent goal-kicking, and between thr.ni they kept the issue of the game ill doubt li> the end. The match was played at a fast clip all the way, there were intermittent flashes of go6d back play, but real combination was seldom in evidence. Wiberg, apart from his goal points, played a tine game at full-back, I-i. Brown was the real pivot of the City attack, lawliai did some dashing things, while Torteous gave good service at the base of the scrum. Herring, Dye and Mcl-auglilln showed up in the City van. E. Brimble showed up wit'.i speed and elusiveness in the Newton five-eighth line, while there was a touch of real brilliancy in Wright's exhibition in the centre berth. Johnston, Qtiirke and Hutt got through a great day's work in the forwards.

GRADE GAMES. RESERVE GRADE. Richmond 13. drew with Jit. Albert 13. Marist ->8, beat Devonport 5. City 15, beat Newton 5. I'onsonfoy -4, beat Manukau 4. SENIOR B GRADE. Pnpakura 1f», beat Otauhuh 0. SECOND GRADE. R.V. 11, beat Richmond 6. Glen Ora 11. heat Mount Albert 2. THIRD GRADE. Citv 23. heat Point Chevalier B 4. Nortlicote 27, heot Newton B 0. I'apakura 7. beat Manukau 5. Newton 8. beat R.V. 3. Ellerslie 15, beat Green Dane 5. FOURTH GRADE. Ellerslie 3, beat Point Chevalier 0. Richmond 21. heat Marist 0. Devonport 25, beat Ponsonby 0. FIFTH GRADE. Otahuhu 30, beat Devonport 8. Richmond 13. beat Newton S. Nortlicote 3, beat Glen Ora 0. SIXTH GRADE. <-><(V S. beat I'apakura 2. Green Lane 17, beat Avondnle 2. SEVENTH GRADE. Richmond 1!>, heat Northcote 0. City 10. beat Marist 4. (iie'n (Ira S. he.it Ellerslie 0.

SCHOOLBOYS' GAMES. SENIOR GRADE. Richmond 16, beat l'onsonby 3. Devonport 46, beat Mount Albert 0. ISTEKMKUIATE GRADE, v vondale 17. beat Manukau 5. Northcote 9, beat Otaliubu 6. ...cuiiionil beat Elierslie <J. Newton 5, beat Green I-ane 2. SEVEN-A-SIDE. Manukau 3, drew with Northcote o. Elierslie 3. bent Newton A. 0. Murist 0. drew with Richmond B 0. Green Dane 0, drew with Otahuhu 0.

GAMES IN THE PROVINCE. WHANG AREI LEAGUE. Seniors. —Hlktirangl 16, bent Kensington S; Taknhlivui IS, bent Whakapara 3; Portland 14, beat City 0. Juniors. —One Tree Point beat Iliku raiißi 0; Kamo 112, beat City 0. Fourth Grade. —A seven-u-side ment run at Jubilee Park to day resulted in a win for a City Club's side, who beat Taknhiwat in the filial 9—5.

TAUPIRI. Iluntly 20. beat Taupiri 8. Ngaruawahia 6, drew with Pukemiro 6. Juniors— Iluntly 2, beat Taupiri 0; Ngaruawahia 14, beat Pukemiro 2 Third Grade. —Pukemiro 2, beat Ngaruawahia 0. LOWER WAIKATO. Te Kohanga 40, bent Mercer 3. PAPAKURA. Papakura IS, beat Otahuhu 0. xfnnll Third Grade.— Papakura li, beat ManukflSixth Grade. —City 8, beat Papakura 2.

GAMES IN THE SOUTH. NEW PLYMOUTH. Tnclcwood 53, bent Rflhotu 18. Eaßtern Suburbs 17, beat Western Suburbs 8. WELLINGTON. Central 30, beat Hutt 12. CHKISTCHURCH. Addington 44, beat Waimairi 8. Linwood 13, beat Sydenham 8. NAPIER. Marama 15, beat City 2.

N.S.W. BEATS QUEENSLAND. SYDNEY, May 17. In a Rugby League match yesterday New South Wales defeated Queensland b.v 30 pdintfl to 13.