SYDNEY PLAYERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 63, 16 March 1939, Page 23

SYDNEY PLAYERS.

FIRST TWO MATCHES.

MARISTS AND RICHMOND.

OPENING OF LEAGUE SEASON.

Marist Old Boys will meet the visiting Sydney combined Rugby League team on Easter Saturday and Richmond Rovere, who have not been defeated by an overseas club team, will face the visitors on Easter Monday. The club to meet the Sydney players for the third and final match has not yet been chosen. This was an announcement made at the meeting of the Control Board of the Auckland Rugby League last evening. Four nominations were received for the appointment of three selectors and, as a result of a ballot by the Board, the following were declared elected:—Messrs. H. Brisbane, H. Avery and E. W. Cloke. A deputation from the North Shore Albions Club, headed by Mr. H. J. Gerrard, discussed with the board a suggestion for the playing of more competition matches at Devonport. The chairman, stating that due consideration would be given to the representations, assured the club committee that the board was only too willing to help any of its clubs as far at. possible. Consideration of the request was held iver.

Questioning the wisdom of the board's procedure in adopting a motion requiring a risen',, to appear personally in all eases of players being ordered off. a deputation was leceived from the Referees' Association. The chairman took the opportunity to congratulate the president of the Referees' Association, Mr. L. E. Bull, on bin reappointment to office. Mr. Bull expressed surprise that the motion in question was not referred to his association, which contended that a referee finished his duty when, having ordered a player off, he reported to the league. Mr. Campbell said that all his board wanted was an effective working arrangement with the association to supplement evidence. After discussion, it was decided that referees engaged on senior matches involving players sent off would require to appear, but all referees were expected to supply adequate reports in such cases.

City Ground Rents. Dealing ivitli a notification from the City Council concerning increased charges for the parks and reserves, the chairman reported having attended a meeting of eports bodies called by the Rugby Union in the matter, with the result that a deputation was to wait on the parks committee on March 21. Mr. Campbell mentioned that the proposed increases amounted to approximately 30 per cent, and meant a large increased expenditure to the league. A lengthy discussion took place in connection with the relationship of the senior reserve grade and senior B grade. The retention of the former having been favoured by the Amalgamated Clubs' Officers' Association and the junior management, it was suggested that an improvement to both the reserve grade and senior club generally might be effected by giving senior B clubs a chance to gain promotion to reserve grade, or by having something in the nature of a combined competition. Mr. D. Wilkie, chairman of the junior management, strongly advocated an incentive being given to junior clubs to rise, particularly as some of the senior clubs were not paying much attention to juniors. Mr. Campbell said the matter was most important, and it was resolved to further consider the whole matter.

Following a decision by the amalgamated senior clubs to allow junior clubs to get the benefit of the established injured fund, Mr. Wilkie was granted permission to hold a special meeting of junior delegates to reconsider the proposal. Senior club juniors already benefited, and junior clubs not participating, it was stressed, would be doing their players an injustice.