Water polo team taking shape

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33095, 9 December 1972, Page 4

Water polo team taking shape

With the likelihood that Manawatu will be playing in Christchurch next weekend, the Canterbury senior water polo team will start to take shape next week. Mr L. G. McKay, one of the selectors —the other, Mr M. C. Scott, is overseas for two weeks—will probably name a side on Tuesday to meet Manawatu, which Canterbury plays on a home-and-away basis every season.

The major question, the captaincy, was resolved this week with the naming of I. H. Patchett. He always seemed a likely choice, provided his fitness was established, and provided. too, that Patchett was happy to play as a guard. His club captain, T. M. McGirr, has been using him in this position, with success, and although Patchett did have some reluctance to play back for most of the game, he is now quite happy with the position. As far as Mr McKay is concerned, he feels that a player of Patchett’s ability, strength and experience will best be able to control play from the back. As well as Patchett, five players seem certain choices for places in the first-time line-up at this stage. They are the goalie, B. G. Spear; B. M. Mustchin, D. J. Reid and McGirr, in midfield; and R. Gunthorp, nearer the goal. After that, the-battle for the remaining five places becomes a little more intense, though some stand

out. M. G. Davie will probably head off K. M. Burrowes as Spear’s young understudy; and P. G. C. Hay should win back the place he lost last season. After a slow start, Hay has been back to his best handling and shooting form recently and he and Gunthorp have a fine understanding. The very solid W. R. Williamson'— who won a “best and fairest” award when he played in Sydney—should give some experienced stiffening to the team. L. M. Scott, last year, and B. R. Hazlett, the previous season, did very valuable jobs for Canterbury, but it does seem only one of them will be chosen. It will be an extremely difficult choice, and Scott mav receive the nod at this stage. But he would have to maintain a very high standard throughout the season to keep out Hazlett. The final place will provide more problems. P. R. Tweedie, so often superlative at championships for one so young, has been nowhere near his best this season; while his University club-mate, P. J. Carpenter, has frequently played very' well.

Then there is the youthful M. A. Harding to consider, though the New Zealand schoolboys’ trip to Australia, now in progress, rules him out for the Manawatu matches. Whatever the side chosen, it will be well up to the standard of the last two or three seasons.