League Selectors Experiment

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31028, 6 April 1966, Page 19

League Selectors Experiment

(By Our Rugby League Reporter.) The Canterbury Rugby League selectors (Messrs R. K. Andrews, D. L. Blanchard and E. Butts) have chosen an attractive squad from which the team to play a final trial match against Marist on Easter Saturday will be selected.

Some of the selections will undoubtedly receive criticism from those who believe in a player filling only one position. Several positional changes have been made, but only one was beyond predicition. - This was the naming of J. B. Kennedy (Marist) as lone of the eight forwards. i

Normally a centre and last Saturday a reserve for his club, Kennedy’s career has been hampered by leg and shoulder injuries over the last few years. There is no doubting that had he been able to stay free of injuries the hard running, strong tackling Kennedy would by now have estab-

lished himself as a leading provincial centre. He is certainly big enough for the forwards and, should the experiment prove successful, the selectors will have brought off a major success. The unavailability of J. M. Bray (Hornby) because of accountancy examinations has enabled the young Sydenham player. R. Raistrick. to move up a grade. He could develop into a first-class player as he is not without experience as a three-quarter. If he played in the position regularly P. V. Smith (Marist) could become Canterbury’s leading full-back. However, his perchant for playing

|in the centres or stand-off i half for his club makes him a surprise selection over W. R. Campbell (Linwood). It was pleasing to see R. Cotter (Addington) and G. J. Rosa nowski (Linwood) named amongst the forwards for they have given every indication that they are able to play above purely club standard. With I. T. Drayton (Hornby), M. H. Mohi (Marist), J H. Fisher (Addington) and Bray not having been considered by the panel, the younger players will have the opportunity of forcing their way into the team for the West Coast match at Greymouth on April 17.