MANUKAU'S "DOUBLE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 230, 28 September 1936, Page 13

MANUKAU'S "DOUBLE."

LEAGUE SUCCESS. EOOPE ROOSTER WINNERS. CITY THIRTEEN BEATEN. | By defeating City decisively in tile final 1 1>£ tile Auckland Rugby League's Roope Rooster knock-out competition, Manukau division have won the League "double." As a result of consistently good play they carried oil' the senior championship, and 011 Saturday they collected the Silver Wyandotte after an excellent display. Their next encounter will be with Richmond next Saturday to decide the champion of champion honours for 1936. A large crowd followed Saturday's contests, which included the semi-final for the Phelan Shield between Ponsonby and -Devonport. Another blight game was provided and ultimately honours rested with Ponsonby. Results were: — Roope Rooster.—Manukau 23, beat City 10. Phelan Shield. —Ponsonby 10, beat Dcvonport 15. TRIUMPH FOR CHAMPIONS. With their big forwards battling tirelessly and the side generally teaming well, Manukau accounted for City more easily than was anticipated. The champions were at their best in the first spell, when tliey rattled on IS points to their opponents' 5. It looked at this stage as though City were in for a thorough trouncing, but, following the change over, they held their own —live points being scored either way. After their early games in the knock-out competition City were distinctly disappointing, particularly as they saw a larger share of the ball from the set. serums than their opponents. The forwards played up to form, but the backs fired away the majority of chances given them. They were too slow in getting the ball out to their wingers, and rarely did their passing movements make much ground as a result. Their defence, too, was weak, particularly in the first half, when Manukau launched their main bombardment. Occasionally the City backs harassed the opposition with unorthodox tactics, of which Lou Brown was the chief exponent, but their work was too spasmodic and erratic to carry them to victory. Wiberg played soundly at fullback, and frequently chimed into passing bouts to good purpose. Tawhai and Rata were real triers, but they rarely rose to the same heights as the m«n playing opposite them. Lynch did some line things in the live-eighths line, but his best, like that of the rest of the backs, was merely an occasional flash in the pan. Brown's workwas good, bad and indifferent, and some of his solo efforts got his side into more bother than they were worth. Thrust near the scrum, good support for the backs by the forwards, and ability to profit from their opponents' mistakes, spelt Manukau's success. Maliima was one of the outstanding backs on the ground, and his sharpness from behind the scrum had City in trouble time and time again. W. Brimble and Ilemi teamed well in the five-eighths line, two tries coming the latter's way. Hroughton, Hollis and Murray all played their part well in the three-quarter line, while Watene. until forced to retire late in the first spell, was always going great guns at full-back. The versatile captain played his usual reliable game in all departments, and with a characteristic burst paved the way for one of Hemi's tries. The fact that he was on the side line accounted in some mflHure for Manukau falling away after the change-over, although Murray gave good service as custodian. Among the forwards honours for City must go to Johnson, for efficient raking of the bail, Raymond, Clark and Herring. They were triers ail the way, but in the tight stuff the weight of the opposing sextet told its tale In the end. Two line forwards for Manukau were Broderick and Gault, while others who lent their weight with a will were Rutherford and Kawe. Whye was tireless in raiding, and, although he "threw away a try with his notorious mishandling, he had earlier finished off a passing movement in approved style. The game was fought at a great pace, but in the dying stages the players showed evidence of having enough. It was a fitting final to the Roope Rooster competition, being productive of gruelling and spectacular play, and Manukau, by their clear-cut win, proved themselves worthy winners of the trophy.