CINDERELLA TEAM OF THE AUCKLAND RUGBY LEAGUE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 169, 19 July 1941, Page 5 (Supplement)

CINDERELLA TEAM OF THE AUCKLAND RUGBY LEAGUE

High hopes held when the Papakura Senior Rugby League team was admitted into the Auckland Rughv League's senior competition in the 1939 season have not been realised, and this season Papakura is at the bottom of the league ladder without winning a match to date. In the past two seasons the club has played 23 matches in the championship and has won only one. In these games it. scored 102 points with r>r>2 against it—an average of 24 points a match.

Papakura League officials regard the future with misgivings, and recently a meeting was held to discuss the outlook. There was a general desire expressed to keep the senior team going, and one suggestion made was that it should be built up with the aid of the best

junior players available. The Papakura third grade team has lost more than half its players this season, and it is expectcd that it will withdraw l'rom the competition. Opportunities for some of the players will then be provided in the senior team. In the first season the Papakura senior team received a valuable reinforcement in H. Milliken, from Canterbury who was regarded as one of the best forwards in New Zealand. He was chosen that year to go with the New Zealand League team to England. Assistance has been given, too, by several senior players who have been associated with other Auckland League clubs. This season the absence of Milliken has been greatly felt. This week the club has lost one of the outstanding backs. .T. Mclnnes, full back, whose goal kicking had been a great asset. He has gone into camp at Trentham. The Papakura play has been, on open lines, but there is ample evidence that the team is not strong enough to be pitted against the leading Auckland senior league teams.