FOOTBALL.

Bruce Herald, Volume LV, Issue 63, 18 August 1919, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

The fact of the train' service preventing interprovincial watches is perforce causing' the various unions to 'look to the sub-unions for play for their rep. I teams, and it is understood that the ; Otago Union is prepared to sendi teams out short distances to play sub-union teams. If so, it will be a case of the old. proverb of the "ill wind," 'although it must be confessed that the Otago Union has treated its country inem'bers (better perhaps thaw any union in the Dominion in this respect. The prospects of a South Otago team having to playi several matches against high football society naturally raise thoughts'of its probable personnel. The match comimittee' selected (if numbers count for anything a thorough job is going to 'be ma die of the team, as a selection committee of. five has 'been appointed) has plenty of material to select from. As a matter of fact, in the forwards there will be nearly as good a team left out as will get in, and after. Heads and Cuff are taken out of the "backs 1 there is not much to pick and choose 'between the next eight or 10. Cuff has shown superior form to any full-ibaek this season. For a while there way little between Josephs and Cuff, but last Saturday's match saw him better and the Kaitungata man off colour. A. suggestion that both might iind a place—-Josephs at full audi 'Cuff on the wing—is scarcely likely to find favour with the committee.

Heads is assured' of centre. Although Shepherd has not been as prominent as in the early part of the season, it is scarcely possible to improve on him as one of the wings. The same may'be said oil Hand, who has had a pretty erratic party of "cobbers" throughout the season. Both are good on defence. The five-eighths play has been weak throughout the season. Combination has been poor and passing slack and illtimed', any good' work-being nvostly of a solo nature. Prescott has shown consistently good form throughout the bouts with Toko, and on 'Saturday was in tip-top form at centre. A move up to live-eighths would 'be judicious in his case. .lackman, of the Romahapa team, is young, and has not 'been in the position long, 'but in the last 1 Clutha match he 'was as good as any two backs on the ground, both in attack and defence. Xo other five-eighths in the Union has .shown such- consistently improved form. Xo provision is made in these suggestions for Cowan, whose pace and elusiveness make him a possibility, but his disability considerably affects his play. Otherwise Ms recent displays would' justify his inclusion. The'halves in tic Sub-union have not shown anything specially out of the way. Hughes is undoubtedly the best all-round man. Fahey failed last Saturday, Pre'bble is good in defence, but an attacking player is wanted at half, and Sherborne, though sharp ami elusive and quick at seizing an opening, is not experienced enough in this position. A hefty team of forwards can be got together. There is a tendency that it imay contain an' undue proportion of "shiners," thereby weakening the scrumj but the selection committee will no doubt see to this. The two Kaitangata hookers have shown enough form to establish their position, 'and Barron is one of the 'best forwards in the Subunion. Hewitt (Toko), Hone Anderson (Clutha), Miles (Romahapa), Whelan (Clutha'), and Currow or Costcllo (Toko) would complete a very fine pack of forwards, particularly dashing in.the loose, but just inclined to contain too few hard-working serumnrcrs. The experiment of playing three forwards who have played wing for their clubs would not necessarily be bad policy, so long as two 'of them understand clearly that the club position is a washout in the meantime. In view of rep. matches it is a pity the clubs do not shift a few of the wings into the pack as a try out. The foregoing combination would give a fair representation to the clubs—five each to Toko and Crescent, three to Clutha, audi two to Romahapa.