North Shore The League Champions

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 217, 13 September 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

North Shore The League Champions

SECOND SPELL RECOVERY

Team Play Of Leader Too Good For Newton Thirteen: Manukau Defeats Mt. Albert: Marist And Ponsonby Win

The Auckland Rugby League's senior championship was brought to a close at Carlaw Park this afternoon when North Shore beat Newton by 19 points to 9, and won the championship of the 1941 season. It is the first occasion on which Shore has won the championship since 1933. So well did Newton play that Shore was five points down at the interval, but in the second half the seasiders piled up points. In the main match of the day Manukau beat Mount Albert by 33 points to 18, and finished in second place in the championship. It was a fast, open game, but Manukau was more enterprising in method and threw the ball about with freedom. Ponsonby beat Papakura by 12 points to 9, and, after a hard game, Marist beat City by 8 points to 5. HEMI LANDS SIX

GOALS FOR MANUKAU

MARIST FORWARDS CARRY THE DAY

PAPAKURA RUN PONSONBY TO CLOSE FINISH

ROOPE ROOSTER DRAW

SHORE PILE UP POINTS IN THE SECOND HALF

After a bad start. Shore put on seventeen points in the second half to beat Newton, who actually outplayed the champions in the early stages. It was Shores day and their championship for 1941. ■« Play opened quietly in the curtain-raiser which meant so much to Shore. From the kick off, the Newton forwards swept over the opposition, and Everltt looked dangerous, but Smith tackled soundly. Smith opened Shore's account with a penalty goal in front, from 30 yards out. Greenwood and Chatham were associated in a good passing bount, and speed played its part in galaing 30 yards. However, Newton were on their game and Burton and Sllva carried play back to Shore's territory. Here Naughton was penalised for offside and Tredrea kicked a neat goal. North Shore 2, Newton 2.

Newton clapped on the pace and Green went smartly round the blind side to draw Sllva and Kendall. The latter made a great effort to score, only to be pulled down inches from the try line The crowd got a thrill from the keen play o< Newton. Sllva flashed Into the picture, and passed to Burton who cut the defence to ribbons. Midst excitement. Burton sent it on to Brady, who raced between the posts. Tredrea converted, and the champions were five points down. Newton 7. North Shore 2. ~"

Back on attack, the Shore forwards gained ground, and Petersen made a bold dash for the line. Good defence saved Newton, although Clarke and Naughton, in order, strove to score. Smith missed an easy kick from a penalty, and the Shore supporters howled. Shore continued barging tactics. Oraham passed to Petersen and on to Clarke, but when the movement looked dangerous, a forward pass to Naughton held up the attack. Just before half-time, Green, the Newton half-back, essayed a clever short punt, which had Smith bustled and nearly brought a try. So far Newton had had the honours.

Newton i North Shore : 2 Speed and improved combination by the Shore backs, saw Chatham. McArthur and Smith race Wilkie into a scoring position, but Chatham came infield and was tackled by Tredrea. Then came a sudden burst by McArthur, and Clark raced clean through the opposition, drawing the speedy Petersen, who took the last transfer and scored between the posts.. Smith equalised the score. Excitement now ran high, and a good dash by Silva and Burton raised Newton's hopes. However the greasy ball prevented Kendall from taking it cleanly. From a penalty goal. Smith placed North Shore in the lead, but the infringement by Newton was difficult to follow. North Shore 9, Newton

The teams were:— Manukau: R. Martin. Butler, Gregory, Awhitu, Hemi, Chase, Oliver, Ririnui, Te 'I '<ii, Watene, W. Martin, Thew, ThompMount Albert. — Lonergan, Moore, (ranch, Cowley, Carter, Hetherington, Clemen ta, Hucker, Sanderson, LeatherliiiHinv, C. List, Sniythe. Tristram. Mount Albert started off with a lively fiUiitk, which threw Manukau on to the' defensive. At the fringe of the Manukau twenty-five, Hetherington made a good ojirninjj, and sent to Carter to Cowley, the latter showing speed, and going across to score in a good position. Liet converted. Manukau quickly evened things up. Its heavy forwards broke through to the Mount Albert end. Watene ran strongly, nnd in-passed as Hemi ranged up into position. The next pass found Ririnui, and the big Manukau forward had an open road to score by the posts. Hemi converted. It was fast anil open football, with, both teams throwing the ball about with freedom. Manukau went into the lead through good play by R. Martin at full-back, who ran with the ball, and transferred to Chase, who worked his way through the Mount Albert backs and passed, to send Te Tai in to score. Hemi converted. Manukau came again, and Hemi kicked a penalty goal from short i unge. Tlie Manukau attack was on colourful, and unorthodox lines, with forwards nnjd backs linking up in the open play, ;nid the ball 'being thrown about with abandon. Occasionally the Mount Albert lm.cks were fighting back with combined effort, rapid passing and good handling. Mount Albert made a couple of spectacut 1-ir bids for scores, but Gregory opened ill'.'the attack from the Mamikau twentyfive, and sent to Hemi. to Chase. The 1 filter ran fifty yards with a clear field, t;> score between the poets. Hemi converted. Sharp play by Clements sent Tristram in to score. Clements converted. The half-time score was: Manukau '. 17 Mount Albert 10

Newton was not done with and a fast raid by Zimmerman. Ginders and Quirke had Shore defending. The Shore backs rose to the occasion, however, and Naughton raced through the centre, passed to Greenwood, whose speed gained thirty yards, and finally Chatham raced over in the corner to score a great try. Smith failed to convert. North Shore 12. Newton 7. A well-oiaced kick by Green got Newton out of trouble. Then Kendall made a bid to score, but th 9 Shore defence threw the Newton winger into touch. Straight running by Clarke gained good to Newton and Tredrea made the best of it. North Shore 12. Newton 9. Play swung in Shore's favour and Irom a snap kick. Smith kicked a dropped goal. Naughton next made a splendid solo effort to score, and he showed Initiative, but a forward pass to Chatham was ruled. Just on time.' Clarke scored a splendid try. Smith converted, and the game ended: North Shore . 19 Newton • Mr. Jack Donovan was referee.

When tftie second half opened Gregory, with a side-stepping run, raced through the Mount Albert "backs to score. Miinukau was now playing carefree football, with. Watene and Ririmii ready to throw long passes as fhey broke into open play. Awhitu got the next Manukau try (it the flag, and Hemi kicked a magnificent ;:c>al from the sideline. Sandenson battled in at the flag to score for Mount Albert, nnd Cranch converted with a grand kick from the widest of angles. Manukau was more in possession than Mount Albert, and continued ite attack on open lines, tlie next score coming when Butler, after exploiting the dummy, raced in to ecore at the flag. Hemi kicked a great goal. Kregory went across to get another Manukau try. Albhough now well down Mount Albert was fighting back as the chan«e came, wibh its backs moving fast, and handling well, but finding it hard t'o make headway in the face of a good covering defence. Moore made an opening nnd passed to send Clement* over for another Mount Albert try. The end came with the eccre: Manukau 33 Mount Albert 18 Mri G. Kelly wae referee.

Ponsonby showed the best combination In the early game against Papakura on No. 2 ground. Papakura. however, played a sound game ana showed further Improvement and was beaten by only three points. Wellm kicked three penalty goals 4or Papakura. Within a few minutes of the start the poneonby backs -came through in a fast movement. Ca rr and RHey carrying on from half-way. With an open field and the Papakura backs out of position; Riley raced over for an easy try. which Kay failed to convert.- Papakura worked back to the other end and kept Ponsonby on the defence for some time. The Papakura backs were playing well. Halsey and Wellm being prominent In several movements. A penalty to Papakura near Ponsonby's line* was taken by Wellm; who found the uprights. A hot attack by Pon«onby removed play to Papakura , e territory, where the half-back. Black, picked up from the loose and scored In a good position. Kay again -failed with the kick. Papakura gradually worked - back to the other end. where Wellm raised two more points from a penalty for offside play. ■ Paosonby lost no time in removing play to FSttakura's territory, where, after Papakura had hgld its opponents for some time. Funnell scored, after a passing movement from a scrum. Kay failed to convert from a wide angle. In a sweeping movement Papakura put Ponsonby on the defence and Wellm kicked hie third penalty goal from an easy position. Kay. Ponsonby three-quarter, went off owing to an Injury Just before the spell ended, with the score:— Ponsonby 9 Papakura 6 Papakura raised the hopes of Its supporters shortly after the teams changed over, when the ball w£Qt out to Hosken, who raced through the defence to score a good try. which Wellm failed to convert. A breakaway by the Ponsonby backs sent Papakura back, but Funnell failed to pierce the defence and play was quickly removed to Ponsonby's twenty-five. A spell of even nay followed, neither «lde gaining much advantage until Black secured and raced through to-pass to WlUlams. The last named sent out s> had pass to Briggs near Papakura's line and a good scoring chance was lost. Branford. Papakura flve-eiKhth. was Injured at this stage and was carried to the casualty room. Ponsonby had the better of the play at this stage and from a pasilnp movement the ball was eventually sent out to "Hughes after Black. Carr and Riley had handled, Hughes scoring near the terrace corner giving.Ponsonby the le?u. Scott tailed with the kick. and Funnell then figured in a fast movement, but the latter was pushed out of touch-when within a few yards of the line The ftnal score was:— £onsonby 12 Papakura 9 Mr. was referee. 9 ★

ihe Roope Rooster draw for next Saturday Iβ' rapakura v. Otahuhu, and Mount Albert v. Marist Both will be early matches, the latter as a curtalrr T raiser to the Maori v. Pakeha match.

Excellent play by the Marist forwards was the outstanding feature of the main game against City on No. 2 ground. It was a hard-fought same from start to finish, with City holding a lead of two points at the interval. The Marist forwards dominated the play in the second half and as .the result of splendid combination with the backs McWUliams was sent over for the winning try. City scored in the last few minutes as the result of a great effort by Roman.

Territoiflally play was in favour of Marist at the start. City being held in its twenty-five until Brassey cleared with a line kick. City was securing the ball from scrums more often than Marist and held an advantage In this department. A strong run by Smith down the sideline gained ground for Marist. but he met a solid tackle. Play was quickly removed to Marlsfs twenty-five as the result of fast followingl up by Grotte. and after a brief spell of play here Wiberg put City on the defence with a strong kick to half-way. City was hard pressed when Costello took Grotte's pass and raced through to City's line, where he was smothered. A penalty to Marist was rniised by wiberg from an easy angle. A minute later the ball came out to Rogan. who ran half the length of the field, beating all his opponents with the exception of Wiberg. Rogan kicked over WiberES head, but the ball went over the dead line.

Back came Marist in a sweeping movement which put City hard on the defence, but Clarke gained ground with strong kicks and by running his backs Into position. Offside play by Simpson Marist forward, well past half-way, gave City a penalty, and Clarke raised two points A fast run down the line by Crocker. Costello and Taripo changed the venue of play, but Taripo cross-kicked and the ball went astray. The City play now showed an improvement and the score at half-time was:— City j Marist " o Within a few minutes of tne resumption of play. Marist had City nard on the defensive Good forward play by Marist ended close to City's line, where McWilliams was almost over. A clearing kick by Wiberg gave City relief, but Marist again swept through. Barchard knocked down a City penalty kick and passed to McLeod. who scored wide out. Wiberg missed with tlie kick but the try gave Marist the lead by a point. The Marist backs were now piercing the defence in great style, and they were well supported by the forwards The City full-back, Clarke, repeatedly got his side out of difficulties by safe handling, strong kicking and fast following up. After City had held its opponents for a time, a chain movement by the Marist backs found gaps in the City defence. McWilliams, the last to handle, going over for a good try which Blanchard converted. City lost a great scoring chance when McManus cut out two men in a fast movement, but Brassey dropped the pass when he had a clear short run to the line. Again the City backs came into the picture in Marist territory. Clarke, who had moved up back play, sent out a good pass to Brassey, who again dropped the ball when almost over. Immediately afterwards Rogan received a pass from Grotte ryar the half-way line and made a strong run to score at the terrace corner. Clarke missed the kick, and the final score was: Marist 8 City 6 Mr. A. Pearson was referee.