ROOPE ROOSTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 210, 6 September 1938, Page 15

ROOPE ROOSTER.

ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.

DEFEAT OF MARIST.

CITY MAINTAIN FORM.

The Carlaw Park grounds were quagmires for the second round or the Auckland Rugby League*s Roope Kooscer competition on Saturday, and the results had an element of surprise, but tliey stimulate the competition.

The match between North Snore and Marist proved a very hard struggle from end to end, and the Shore forwards were superior to the Marist six and won the match for their side. Shore led at hairtime by 8 points to 2, and in a very hard second hah there was no further scoring. Some good football was played in the heavy going, but under the circumstances spectacular open play was largely out of the question. The ball was thrown about at times, but neither team was able to use its backs as an effective attacking combination; most of the efforts were of an individual nature, and confined to defence. However, there was nothing to prevent the forwards from exploiting some of the best phases of play, but it was regrettable that towards the end a tendency to play the man instead of the ball developed, and the referee, Mr. R. Otto, is to be commended for the firm stand that he took To complete their backs Marist had to play Bakalich in the three-quarter line and he gave quite a good exhibition in a new role. The rearrangement led to Haslam being shifted to second five-eighth and there ho did a lot of good defensive work Most of the hard work fell on Glover and the Marist full-back showed great ability at fielding and handling a verv difficult ball. Matthews showed up with great pace on the wing, but it was not a day when many chances got that far. R. Grotte played soundly at half-back. Woods played a splendid game in the Marist forwards and got good support from Anderson and Butler. All the Shore forwards revelled In the heavy going with a great three in Sowter, Jones and Mcintosh. The Shore pack started well and kept going, and their method of keeping the ball all the time was the right tactics for a particular day. The Shore backs made it a defensive day and gave a good exhibition of checkmating their opponents. Sterling and Brown varied their tactics well in the five-eighth line and V. Scott at full-back was safe and kicked well.

RICHMOND SUPERIOR.

Distinctly superior in their team play, Richmond had all the Better of their match with Ponsonby and won by a comfortable margin. The heavy ground hampered the play of both teams, but there were occasional bright flashes. With a firm footffold the Ponsonby backs would probably have shown to advantage, but as it was they were in a subdued light all the day. Martin did well at full-back for Ponsonby arid Young at five-eighth played a very heady game and was good both in attack and defence. Petersen and Coutte were the outstanding Ponsonby forwards. The Richmond forwards gave a fine display of concerted work, with McLeod probably the best and Devine showing up in the loose play. Bramley has settled down to play good football for Richmond at full-back. Potter gave an excellent display in the five-eighth line and W. Tittleton was sound as usual.

CITY'S GOOD WIN.

Bad as the playing conditions were on the No. 1 ground, they were probably a shade worse on the No. 2 ground, where the match between City and Newton was staged. City repeated their success of the previous Saturday and their win over Newton was full of merit. Again the City forwards were too good for thenopponents and they gave a fine display of virile football with Thompson, Jackson and McCarthy always prominent. The City backs played soundly. Banham was playing his customary constructive game when he was injured and had to be shifted out to the wing. Legge, Hapi and Whittle were not unduly hampered by the heavy ground and gave good service. The absence of E. Brimble and Sissons weakened the Newton backs, and the best on the day were W. Brimble, Dempsey and Kendall. Ginders and McNeight showed np well in the Newton forwards.

HEMI'S FIVE GOALS.

The match between Manukan and Papakura, at Papakura, proved a big attraction for a local public, who saw Manukau obtain an easy win. Hemi converted''five of the six tries that Manukau scored, yet the outstanding Manukau player was Chase. Afcnukau had a big lead at halftime and the result of the game was never in doubt. Papakura put up a plucky showing against an opposition too strong for them, but their forwards, where Fogarty and Herkt were excellent, played good footballall the time. The semi-final draw for the Roope Rooster will bring Richmond and North Shore, and City _ and Manukau ' together, two matches which should be good contests. The surprise of the past couple of weeks has been the improved form of City, who did not open the season well. The team is now an effective combination and they have the necessary incentive with two wins in succession over two' of the strongest teams in Auckland.

CHAMPIONS NOT COMING.

N.S.W. LEAGUE THIRTEEN.

SYDNBX, September 5. The Canterbury - Bankstown Rugby League team which won the premiership on Saturday will not visit Auckland owing to several players being unable to get leave and other reasons. It is probable that the other team in the New South Wales final, Eastern Suburbs, will make the trip to New Zealand.

REFEREES AND MATCH TIMES.

Arising out of a question on the time played in the schoolboys' representative match on Saturday, the executive report, submitted by the chairman, Mr. J. G. McCowatt, stated that where there was a timekeeper appointed by the management, as soon as the bell went the game must cease, but in the game under notice there -was no .official timekeeper and the time of the match was in the hands of the referee. A similar aspect was alluded to in regard to early matches. The rule is that 1.45 p.m. games away from Carlaw Park must finish by 3 p.m. The referee of the sixth grade replay explained that he had allowed the game to continue until 3.10 p.m. because the start was held up as the result of the weighing-in of the teams when the match was to begin. In the circumstances he had acted in good faith. The explanation was accepted, though the chairman _ said he disapproved the breach of rule in the matter. The annual picnic is to be held early in October.