LEADERS GO DOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 138, 14 June 1938, Page 17

LEADERS GO DOWN.

MANUKAU'S SECOND LOSS.

PLAYERS IN AUSTRALIA.

It has been made clear that the heavy Auckland contribution of players to the New Zealand team has weakened club football in. Auckland for the time being. Manuka d, with five representative players absent, have fallen below their high standard of earlier club matches and have now lost two matches in succession. Combination Tells. In their match with Ponsonby on Saturday Manukau could not counter effective combination <.n the part of the Ponsonby backs, with Riley in the centre showing exceptional ability to make the play for bis wings as a result of ineisive dash and tine judgment. Campbell, on the Ponsonby left wing, showed great pace, and made some spectacular side-line runs, while Nurse o.i the other wing appeared to be just as speedy. Rush, a promoted junior, made a promising debut behind the Ponsonby scrum.

The forward play between the respective packs was fairly even, Morgan, as usual, r-howing up i n loose play, and Zane, McCuire and Kirinui always trying hard for Manukau. Mahima did well at halt for Maniikau, and Panapa, the North Auckland player, gave his best display to date in the live-eighths line. T. Chase pave ■i good dkplay at full-back, and his tackling was excellent. 15ut it was in the three-quarter line that Manukau lacked something, and it was not the Manuka-u standard of earlier in the season.

Tlie difference between Mariist and Xewton was four points, with the former in tlie lead at the end <>t the match. Despite a heavy ground both teams went out to play an open game, and it was only spirited and good tackling which kept the points down.

Marist scored a try, the result of a nno «lash by Matthews, atter Donovan had w orkod a good blind side movement, in the first- # half, and i n the second half Sjssonfi kicked a penalty goal ior NVwton. \\ ith the end anjuoachinir Newton alta« ked hard. ami 11:tappeared to have a winning clianee when Marist were penalised in their twenty-livo. However, Sissons could not get the ball over ami nick up the points which would have put Newton ahead. In the last minute of play Marist got to the Xewton line, and a. try by Donovan, the reward of being in the light place at the right time, put the issue beyond doubt. Good Forward Play. The all-round play of Haslam in the centre, and the sterling defence of Glover at. lull-back were again ;eatures of the Marist play, and in the inside positions there was both brightness and thrust in the displays given by Chalmers and Murdoch.

The forward play of botli teams was good. In attack the Xewton backs combined and handled well, but too often the centre play crowded the men <?n the wings and gave them little chance of finoff the effort. Xewton have a wing of decided ability in Duncan, but generally the Xewton attack brought the Marist defence with it. and Duncan had no real opportunity of getting through.

After their surprise defeat of Manukau the previous week, much was expected of Papakura, but the suburban team made a poor showing against Mount Albert, and were outclassed. The Papakura backs did not team, and their defence was generally too weak to hold the opposition. There was good individual effort on occasions, but that alotie is not sufficient in a game where success depends on team play and effective backing up all the time.

In defeating City by a decisive margin Richmond showed that they were much the better team on the day. Both sides were hampered by heavy going, but Richmond adapted themselves far better to the circumstances, and siiowed ability to combine.

Banham, the player-coach from Sydney, did not show np as much as usual in the City backs, but his value is beyond question. Stanaway, the Northern Wairoa centre, stood out with splendid all-round play.