HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1936, Page 19

HOCKEY.

IMPROVED METHODS. i. ' ______ GRAMMAR 0.8. LEADING. £ PROSPECTIVE REP. TEAM. n ______ r. • . ' • . ._ ' JTast, open play, marked with manj V fine tactical movements, was noticeable ir >. the championship series of matches laa' Saturday. The rapidly changing situation* kept sumo of the spectators in ar excitable state and the scoring of a goa fulfilled their ambitions of the game However, many other spectators, \yhil< appreciating the players' training efforts Uiat had brought them to the conditior to maintain pace, also like to see othei sides of the game developed. Time anc thought had certainly been given t( methods of attack, but not enough to thi secret of successful positional play. Tin „ failure of positional play—the keynote ol jj the game—robbed several matches 01 , much interest, This fault was particular]} i prevalent at Remiiera and despite thi nature of the playing surface of that fiek; ; the games would have been improved eon--1 siderably and with less exertion and bettei i. results for the players if positional plaj > had been maintained instead of the slips " to rip and tear individual efforts. Anothei ■ fault—and one that requires drastic ' treatment—was tlie amount of "obstruction" engaged in. At Remuera two teams —Mount Eden ' and Training College, candidates for the I "wooden spoon"—tried conclusions, with • the result that Mount .L.'.en by scoiinj; : an odd goal left their rivals with bettei , claims tor the trophy. Many bright : patches were witnessed in the Grammar , Old Boys-Spmerville game, but the issue ■ was never in doubt and Grammar scored i a big win. 'J'lie JL'apatoetoo spectators I witnessed the best play when the local boys, still continuing their successful career, played a drawn game with last year's bracketed champions, St.' Luke's. University were in a lively mood against Y.M.C.A. and rattled in the goals to improve their position on the championi ship ladder. SMART FORWARD EFFORTS. i When Grammar Old Boye and Somerville took the field it was at once recognised that with Wcllborne an absentee the latter team would be well up against it. Added to this Long was also on the sick list, but took the field, and the consequent play soon revealed that the handicap was too great. Grammar Old Boys set' off at a fast pace with good passing runs, mainly working from the left, and the understanding between the vanguard soon had the opposing defence in trouble. In quick time Ross snapped opportunities and placed two goals. Gradually Somerville overcame tin: attackers and gave the Grammar defence a testing. Some splendid scoring chances were lost, mainly through the tapping methods in the circle. Jt was beyond all understanding why the ball was not hit and hit hard. When Twigden added the third goal for his team it was very apparent that riothiiig could deprive Grammar of a victory. Ends were changed and Somerville'e defence became more stubborn, with the result that in thin spell only two more goals were added. Somerville had plenty of chances, but failed to accept them and left the field with one of the biggest reverses the team has met for a long period. In Grammar Old Boys' goal Anderson gave a fine display. He showed decision and certainty in all his efforts. Jones, full-back, was the strength of the rear division and his efforts removed many dnhgerous situations. He could have with advantage changed direction with many clearing hits; there was a tendency to hit too much to the left. The half line played too far back and must study position, more especially when their forwards are in or near the opposing circle. Front line honours go to Koiighton, Run* and Twigden, but -both wingers, especially Jerram, were seen to advantage. The left wing's goal was a great ell'ort from an awkward angle. The Somerville custodian, Delahunty, seems to have struck a bad patch this season. There wae no certainty in his efforts and he misjudged efforts in coining out from the net. Stewart was the safest of the full-backs, but, like his partner, Smith, had his efforts handicapped by tho goalie. The half line wee the weakest link, but the fact that Long was indisposed accounts for his work. Braithwaite and Pickup were best of the forwards. Cochrane spoiled his play by hie tactics in the circle and threw chances away with the strokes he made, instead of applying a clean, hard hit. Finer, up from tne lower grade, took Wellborne's place on the left wing and did well under the circumstances. SPARKLING DISPLAY. Those who journeyed out to Papatoetoe on Saturday were rewarded witli an exciting match when St. Luke's met and drew with the local eleven in a game which was brimful of incident. Fortunes fluctuated throughout the game, and both sets of forwards were seen in some pretty concerted movements which usually broke down near the circle, the defence proving too solid. Papatoetoe are now showing the benefits of their night training, and are certainly a force to be reckoned with. They had slightly the better of the exchanges, especially towards the finish of the game, when they had the St. Luke's backs bustled and defending desperately. On their showing in their last two matches St. Luke's seem to have lost that cohesion and understanding between the backs and forwards which meant so much to them earlier in the season, and this can be attributed to the lack of correct positional play in the half-line. Airey, the Papatoetoe goalie, gave a brilliant display between the posts, playing with nice judgment and clearing well with his boot and stick. Lusby wae a tower of strength in the full-back position, his clearing hits usually being well directed. His partner, Cocks, played a much improved game, his coolness throughout helping him a lot. Dowling and Edney were the pick of the halves, the latter overcoming his previous fault of using only one hand when playing the ball. The forwards worked as a. line right through the piece, Chapman and Monteith proving great opportunists. Torbett, at centre, catered well for the rest of Ilia forwards, but Williams, on the 16ft wing, was inclined to crowd in on the centre when nearing the danger zone. The St. Luke's forwards spoilt several of their chances through bunching near tho circle, where over-eagerness also robbed them of success. Alexander, Vipond and Corin were the pick of the line, but lacked their usual understanding. The halves were frequently caught out of position, although'Robertson's roaming ometimes enabled him to cleverly interept the opponents' passes. Brodic was nclinedto dally when in possession, and several times was beaten to the hit before he could clear. Clark was the better of tho two full-backs, showing a marked improvement in his passes to his forwards, toning down and placing his clearing hits to advantage. Wattam, although still feeling the effects of the ' flu, played with judgment and used his feet well. 'VARSITY TRIUMPH. Although winning by a five-goal margin, University did not give such a good display against Y.M.C.A. on Saturday as they did the previous week against St. Luke's. Their opponents served up a different type of game, and this upset the students' combined efforts, with the result that the game developed into rather a scratchy display. Y.M.C.A. Had little semblance of preconceived movements, most of the attacks being individual efforts which broke down through lack of , support. . . I For University the mside forwards, Cooper, A. Broun and Lawry, all worked well, the latter proving a will-o'-the wisp, always ready for an opportunity to take advantage of any mistake the opposing backs might make. The halves all played well, N. Broun being perhaps just a shade better than \vs two wing men. Halliwell was safe at full-back, and Henderson proved equal to the demands made on him I as the final line of defence. J

Ireland, the Y.M.C.A. goalie, made some nice saves, but found the students' bombardments too much on the day. Both Surman and Burton had some hard work trying to stem the opposing forwards' attack, and might have been more success- , ful had they had more support from the halves. The half-line proved the weak link, Neate being the best of a mediocre line. The forwards lacked understanding, and their positional play left much to be desired. Beere, at centre, failed to hold „ his line together, whilst Brown endeavoured to do too much on his own; he 11 even went back and supported his fullit backs on a couple of occasions. Riddolls is crowded in too much on his centre, and n was found missing when passes came out lI his way. fa A RUGGED DISPLAY. is ■ . n For speed, hard hitting and ruggedness sr the Mount Eden-Training College game d supplied all that was possible. There wa* o a total disregard of positional play. A e drawn game would have been a truer 0 indication of the merits of the teams. >f The game was marked with too much body >f play, and the manner in which eome y players came in from the left and brought e down an opponent was more in keeping d witlf a flying tackle on the football field. i- — r THE REP. TEAM. y ■ ' e In selecting 22 players from which to ■ r make hie choice of the team to travel to c Palmerston North and Gieborne, the eole '" selector, Mr. W. Newsham, has had a difficult task, owing to the inability of 11 players to travel. A good team can be e sent away even under the circumstances, h but it will not be anything like the S strength of the eleven that would be i' placed on a local field. The first game, t probably a shield match, will be played r at Palmerston North on June 20 and e three days later Poverty Bay will be met. il 1 AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION. 't REPRESENTATIVE ITINERARY. t At this week's executive meeting of the 0 Auckland Hockey Association arrangei- inents for the tour of the representative side were finalised. Shield matches are to be played against Manawatu, at Palmereton North, and Poverty Bay, at Gisborne. The itinerary is:—■ Juno 18.- —Leave Auckland at 6 p.m., ,- proceeding to Te Kuiti, where the team e will stay the night. t June l o .—Leave Te Kuiti for Palmerston e North, via Wanganui. June 20.—Play Manawatu at Palmerston e North for New Zealand Challenge Shield. 1 June 21. —Leave for Napier, where the I team will stay the night. c June 22.—Proceed from Napier to Giee borne. e June 23. —Play Poverty Bay at Oisl borne. Tim is also a New Zealand Chal- ;. lengo Shield match. c> June 24. —Leave Gisborne for Auckland, -• arriving here during the late afternoon. s As the tour is to be made by motor, i those selected to make the trip should 1 have a most enjoyable time. Officials t appointed: Manager, Mr. G. Peace; 1 selector and coach, Mr. W. Newsham. r