LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 122, 25 May 1936, Page 15

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

SATURDAY'S GAMES.

FINEST OF THE SERIES. PONSONBY BEAT MOUNT ALBERT. The matches played at Carlaw Park on Saturday, when the Auckland Rugby League continued its competitions, were the finest of the series this season. The -play- generally speaking was of a high order and with the players, throwing the ball about in a fascinating way, the large crowd was provided with a feast of fine football. In the main game of the day Ponsonby just got home against Mount Albert after a strenuous struggle in a high-scoring encounter. . A surprise was caused when Newton easily accounted for the championship leaders, Devoriport, after a fast and open game. Manukau, aided by the brilliant kicking of Henii, once more emerged on top, their victims en this occasion being City, while Richmond came into their own again by defeating Marist by a decisive margin. Positions of teams: — Points. Ch. P. W. L. D. P. A. Pts. Devonport 4 3 1 — <>2 3!) C Ponsonby 4 3 1 — 77 (i<.) 0 Marist 4 2 2 —: 4.> i>4 4 Mount Albert . 4 2 2 — 44 49 4 Richmond ... ~:;4 2 2■— 04 BO 4 Newton 4 2 2 — 4S 38 4 Manukau 4 2 2 50 70 4 City 4 — 4 — 48 09 — PONSONBY SCRAPE HOME. After a game in which the scores seesawed throughout ana the play swung from end to end of tli<- Held nit™ nt a bewildering pace, Ponsonb.v just managed Id get the decision over Mount Albert »y •'■' points to •_>(>. The pace was on right rrom the jump and it never slackened as Hrst one side held the lend and then the other. It was anybody's game right up till the time the curtain was runs down, and perhaps a draw would have given the crowd more satisfaction than Ponaonby's narrow win. The teams were well matched, but Mount Albert had a decided advantage in the scrums. Their forwards consistently raked the ball for their backs to get under way hut more often than not these, thrusts were effectively countered by the opposition by quick-covering defence. The Ponsonby inside backs were a lively lot, and time and again they profited by the mistakes of the opposition to initiate passing movements which invariably developed dangerously. Hnlloran was always on the alert behind the scrum and teamed ill well with that lively trio, \Y. Ktockley, Uiley and Kay. Hiley was particularly enterprising and bis Mnky runs on several occasions cut the delciiro to shreds. Kay, too, was thrtistful. and showed fine appreciation of positional play, but. at: times his passing was erratic. .Tones was the pick of the wingers and showed up for determined running. Paton was a tower of strength at full-back, defending soundly and kicking with judgment, while his tine goal kicking did much to carry his side to victory. Wntkins, the Mount Albert scrum half, was always going £reat Runs, and unleashed his bucks at every available opportunity. Morrisey was always looking for the opening in the. fiveeighth line, and Ualliwell, who also figured in this berth, shaped well for a newcomer to Hie code. He ,has speed and football brains, and, providing he overcomes a tendency to kick too much, with a few more games should develop up to a good attacking player. Hnlsey acquitted himself well at centre, while Stewart mid B. Sehu'fz on the wings usually made the most o£ the opportunities that came their way. Crip' at fullback, was hard worked, but hardly reached the degree of reliability exhibited by Paton. The Ponsonby forwards teamed in splendidly with their backs and what they lacked in the set scrums they made up by whipping the ball away fr/m the loose to open up the play. There were no drones among the sextet, who wen? perhaps at their best, when the attack by the opposition was its hottest. Those who were particularly prominent were Morgan, Blood. Davis, and .1. Stockley. The Mount Albert pack worked tirelessly in their efforts to win the match, hut in the open were hiirdlr as effective as the opposition. Petersen was always to be found where the tight wns thickest,- while others who gave splendid d'splays of forward play were Herring, Gunning and Constable.

NEWTON SHOW FORM. A Rtendy brilliancy In attack made Newton ii niucli better team (lian Devonport, ami although the leaders plaved hard ell the way through they were rarely in the picture. Devonport put up » light which may have carried them through in an ordinary game, but their best was not good enough for a Newton team, which on tile day played very attractive f nut bull in splendid combination. The Newton forward* pluyed their part well and gave their backs plenty of chances. Thus it was that \V. Brlmble gave a very fast and accurate service from the set scrums.. IC. Hrlmble's sharply penetrative runnings cut deeply into the Devonport defence, while Bright, tin; next in the line, showed great speed and linked perfectly with the wings. And in the last line of defence Dempssy played a faultless game. Devonport showed no definite plan of countering the Newton attack, nor ilid the sea alders display the combination that would have been necessary to reverse the tide that flowed against them all the way.

The Newton .success could be attributed to good piny by ti very even set of forwards, and the nblliti: of J-;. Hrlmblc — oasily the. outstanding buck In the game— to penetrate and make great chances for the men behind him. That nil vital thrust the .Shore flrc-elgliths <1 i>l not liuve, but when a splendid chance did conic as far as tho wins, li. Scott, with strong running, got his customary try. The Devonport forwards battled well against Hie opposing six, and occasionally made progress on their own, but their backs were quite eclipsed by (lie speedy interplay of tiic Newton rearguard, RICHMOND COMBINE. In the parly stages of the KiehmondMarist match the latter had so much the better of the game that an easy Marist victory seemed a distinct possibility. The Marist forwards were dominant, they harried Richmond relentlessly, and at halftime Marlst led by 13 points to 5. From the Klchmond viewpoint everything had gone wrong in the first half, and it was obvious that their hacks were at fault. Heroic measures were resorted to, and a complete hack reshuffle was made. G. Tittleton, who had started off as a threequarter was shifted to full-hack, Marshall came from tho last line to wing threequarter, and Mint-ham moved In to first five-eighth. The result of the upheaval was a buck division that could combine, and they brought, off attacking moves with a spee.il and rhythm that piled up for them an unbroken sequence of 21 points. JMlneham made a great success of tho first five-eighth berth with heady play and ability to make openings. Tetley played the true breakaway game in great style and from the loose often got the Klchmond attack going. Aro with fast accurate passing played his part well in the Marist key position, wiyie Hiislam linked well and gave good service, but beyond this pair, who understood each other's play to perfection, there was little in Ihe way of constructive, endeavour. Glover played very soundly at full-back. In the early stages Clarke showed up in the Marist forwards, Anderson played a great game all the way, and good support came from Keene.

MANUKAU'S SECOND VICTORY. There was an element of luck In Manukan's victory over City Rovers by 10— 11. and, except that the winners had a slight leeway in the second spell, a draw might well have been the result. A knock-on in lliinnkau's final scoring movement enabled the iidvnntage rule to he applied, and City paid heavily for a momentary defensive relaxation. It was a line, pulsating game, with brilliant patches, the highlights being the goal-kicking feats of Jack Ueini (Manukau), who lidded to his reputation, and tlirußtfnl running by Lou Brown (wing three-quarter), Ireson and Dye, of City Rovers", whose lighter pack stood up creditably to demands. The play of Herring, Dye and Clarke was impressive, and Dye showed other merits in the second half, when he used his weight and speed in the open. Manukau. without their Maori All Black, Kawe, luul a useful acquisition in Procter, hut the forwards, With Rutherford not getting his usual share of the ball, did not hunt as well together as in earlier matches. Whye was outstanding, and Pickrang was good in the rucking. The front men have yet to learn the art of breaking irno array to support their rearguard. Philp was slow in getting the ball away, so that the five-eighths were handicapped. There was a weakness, too, in the defensive collaboration of Trevathan and Ilollis. overcome in the second half to some extent when Broughton was shifted up and Watene played lit centre, Hollis going on the wing aud Priestley into the pack. Mason proved a-

dashing little three-quarter, but his handling waS occasionally at fault. Wiberg, who defended gallantly for the Rovers, made up for any shortcoming in lenstlikicking as compared with Hemi, by apKtmdld line-kicking and positional pla>, Hemi, who frequently showed pace and other recognition of custodian requirements, amazed the crowd with liis goal landed at an angle from 3J yards on his own side of half-way. In every match (four) since liis advent to the code lie has opened the scoring with a goal. He contributed ten of Manukau's points. Brown gave a greui exhibition of three-quarter play. He featured in two of the sparkling movements of the day, demonstrating remarkable speed, anticipation, determination and polish. This was illustrated when Iveson cut out Trevathan and Hollis and changed direction to the right. Brown was up in a flash, and, accepting a pass over Broughton and Hemi (in line), raced away for liis try under the posts. Rata played soundly at centre, but was starved by Tawhai, who spoilt a resourceful display by too much kicking. McLaughlin made the most of limited chances on the left flank, but was erratic. Iveson surprised with his inside back work, and seems to have found a niche. Porteous served him well from the scrum base, due to McNiel's good hooking. City should have benefited from this match for the fixture with Devonport.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE. RESERVE GRADE. City 20, beat Manukau 6. Mount Albert 25, beat Poneonby 3. Newton 12, beat Devonport 7. Richmond IC, beat Marist 9. SENIOR B GRADE. Point Chevalier 13, beat Green Lane 8. SECOND V GRADE. Glenora 13, beat R.V. 5. THIRD GRADE. Mount Albert 9, beat Richmond 7. Point Chevalier A 11, beat K.V. C. Newton B 11, beat Marist G. Devonport 1!), beat Green Lane 0. ■ Point Chevalier 0, beat Northcote 0. Manukau 10, beat Newton A 8. Ornhiihu 15, beat Ponssonby 8. l'upakura 24, Mount Albert 0. FOURTH GRADE. Mount Albert 33, beat Point Chevalier 3. City 33, beat Devonport 2. Richmond 10, meat Ellerslie 5. Marist 14, beat l'onsonby 2. FIFTH GRADE. Glonora 8, beut Richmond 5. Newton 8, beat Devonport 5. Papakura 5, beat Otahuhu 0. SIXTH GRADE. Richmond 4G, beat Papakura 2. City 5, beat Green Lane 0. SEVENTH GRADE. Point Clipvnlier 11, beat Ellerslie 8. Otahuhu 8, beat Richmond 0. SCHOOLBOYS' GAMES. SENIOR GRADE. Dovonport Iβ, beat Richmond 0. Richmond 23, boat Mount Albert 3. INTERMEDIATE GRADE. Avomlale 20, beat Green Lane 0. BUerslte ",, beat Marist Brothers 5. Newton 4G. beat Northcore 0. Richmond 29. beat Manukau 0. Green Lane 20. beat Avondale 0. JUNIOR GRADE Richmond A 8, boat Newton B 0. Devonport G, beat Avondale 0. GAMES IN THE PROVINCE. WHANGAREI. Knmo 8, Jieat Tnkahiwai 0. Whakapara 31, beat Portland 8. Iliktiriingl boat City by default. Juniors. — Hiknrnngi i), beat Kamo 8; City 0, bent One Tree Point 3. Fourth Grade.—Portland-Otaika 20, beat Knmo Hi ; Hikurangl 11, beat City 2. WAIUKU. Senior B.—Waiuku 7, beat Papakura 0. HUNTLY. Huntly South 13, beat Ngaruawnhia 2. Juniors.— Ngaruaw'iuia 12, beat Huntly South (!. Third Grade.—Pukemiro 0. beat Huntly 0. GAMES IN THE SOUTH. NAPIER. Clive 14, beat Marama 8. NEW PLYMOUTH. Inplewood 15, beat Eastern Suburbs 3. Western Suburbs 15, beat Rahotu 12. CHRISTCHURCH. Addington 25, beat Sydenham 10. N.S.W. BEAT QUEENSLAND. j SYDNEY, May 24. j In a Rugby League return match New | Soulli Wales defeated Queensland, 24—13. '