BID FOR HOCKEY SUPREMACY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21806, 11 June 1936, Page 18

BID FOR HOCKEY SUPREMACY

CANTERBURY TEAM TO * TRAVEL NORTH SELECTION OF PLAYERS FOR TRAINING Entries for the New Zealand Hockey Association’s challenge shield will close on July 31. The Canterbury selector, Mr C.S. Bellamy, is already watching for candidates for the Canterbury team. The shield is at present held 'by Auckland and the local association has. entered no challenge since the northern province was successful six years ago. This year a determined effort, is to be made to raise funds for the team’s expenses for a trip to Auckland in quest of the trophy. It would be useless to send a weak team, but still carrying the majority of last year’s team, which put up such a good game against the visiting AllIndia side, the Canterbury team should be a first-class one. The selector has a choice of three goalkeepers, H. Rhind, D. M. Hall, and H. Barnhill, all of whom are playing well this season. The two backs should be found from C. Rogers, R. Thomson, and R. Shillito. The first two played brilliant games against the Indians last season, and Rogers played in all three tests. Shillito is playing remarkably well this year and could replace either of the first-named pair. C. Here, who played centre-half last year, is now living in Wellington, and E. Cooper has played only two games so far. The halves will probably be W. Bowden, D. Loader, and either E. Radcliffe or M. Watson. The biggest problem for the selector will be the choice of the centre forward, as R. Rusbridge, who would have been a certainty, will not be available. N. Bowden and D. (McCormick should be together on the right and P. McCormick and N. Burtt on the left, with G. Burke in the centre. This team would be fast and clever. It is time players were chosen for training.