LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 79, 4 April 1938, Page 16

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

OPENING OF SEASON. PRELIMINARY MATCHES. TRY-OUT FOR FLAYERS. In sultry weather the Auckland Rugby Lrncuc's season was openeil at Carlaw Park on Saturday with preliminary matches. There u a s a fairly good attendance, and the jriounds. which liad been watered prior to the matches, wove in good order. Ihe new Papakura team .put up a splendid showing against \larift, and were defeated by a single point. Results were as follows: — Mount Albert '-'4. l!i, limond 15. Manukau 10. foiiscnhy 11, Marist Iβ. I'apakuru 10. City 20. Newton J6. The match between Mount Albert and Ruhniond was a bright exhibition, and in the end the former ran out winners by 24 points to 10. Mount, Albert fielded a very fast threequarter line in McNeil, Mimliam and McC'alluin. Mincham, the former Richmond player, got a try, converted two, and kicked a penalty goal. M. W. Devine. the former Well met on representative forward, appeared for Richmond, and was one of the best players, on the ground.

Richmond tried out Mills am] Graham, two of their junior hacks, ami both did impressive work, while Furnel!, at fullback, shaped well. Manukau played well enough to defeat Ponsonby by 19 points to 11, but the Manukau back play was very erratic and patchy at times. Brimble, the outside half, opened up the play well, and Chase gave a pood exhibition at full-back. Brodrick and Kirinui were outstanding forwards. The Ponsonby team did not settle down properly, although the material appeared to be there. Kay stood out as the best back, and there were three eood forwards in Cootes, Fraser and Morgan.

The match between City and Xewton was rather ragged, and ( ity won by 20 pointa to 18. City had most of their team of last year. For Xewton, Ken.lull, a North Auckland player, shaped well at full-back, and Wilfred Krimble and K. Brimble paired well in the inside backs. A lot of interest centred on the rirst appearance of Papakura, and playing with great spirit they vere unlucky t<) go down to Marist by the margin of 1(5 points to 1.1. Haslam played .soundly in the Murist backs and got cockl support from the others. Anderson. Bntler and Breed showed up in the forwards. The Papakura pack plnverl solidly all the way. and in their backs R. Burgess gave a very dashing display.