HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1479, 29 June 1912, Page 17

HOCKEY.

[Br "ButT.T-OFF."] SELECTION CRITICISED) I The Canterbury Invaders. The invasion for tho hockey shield has now commenced, and this al'tonicon 'Wellington will linvo to bo "all out." io withstand tho onslaughts of tho formidable Cantabriaus, Per, without doubt, t.lie visitors are very strong. I'ive of tho team were members of last year's representative combination, and the remaining aix aro tried and trusted men. Tlio writer knows their play individually, and fears them. Tho goal-keeper and full-backs aro immeasurably superior to those of the home team, whilst the half lino aro all very solid. The forward line, too, has been strengthened by tho inclusion of Harrington as "bully," and tho removal of Hulbort (last year's "bully") to tho insideleft. position. Patrick (Canterbury's .representative cricketer) plays left-wing, and and a good one ho is, too. Gellet.y is new to repr&seutativo liockey, but has been showing good form in the trial games, whilst Green, right-wing, is a seasoned player. Tho following is tile Canterbury toain Goal-keeper, C. Bellamy. Left-back, W. Chambers. Right-back, G. Sherwood. Left-half, W. Duffield. Centre-half, D. Snell. Right-half, n. Throp. Forwards—Left-win", W. Patrick; leftinside, E. Hulbert; "bully," W. Harrington; right-inside, T. Gollety; right-wing, E. Green, More In Sorrow than in Anger. Tho Wellington team contains nine of last year's representatives, but it is the writer's firm conviction that tho best team .has not been picked. For the last two Saturdays the selector, Mr. Organ, has been playing for his club (United), and, good sportsman though, he is, lib should have been' on the line. Last Saturday a trial (?) match was played at Day's Bay, and, on the day's play, four members (who have not been picked) should bo figuring in the representative team. They are Morpeth, Held, Aiekin, and Murphy. Morpeth was originally picked in tho "A" team, and, although he performed well in tho trial gamo, he has been dropped in favour of Divver. Then Roid played a very fine gamo on tho right-wing, aild thoroughly justified his inclusion on tho day's play, and his form this season. Aiekin has been playing really Well in club matches, and his display 011 Saturday stamped liini a better left-lialf than R. Tlionipsoii, who (Hid not perform too well against'Hawko's Bav and Auckland. ' Then, coming to Murphy: How is it that he has been dropped in favour of Andrews? Surely, if anybody ever merited a Jilaco in tho team it is the littlo Karori forward. Ho is right on the top of his foTin, and has played so' well away on tour that his exclusion seims unaccountable. And then, in tho trial match, he shot three good goals (ono from a corner hit), and yet he is left out. He stood head and shoulders abovo Andrews, whom he beat in almost every "bully." Tho remarkable featuro of the trinl match is this: That tho B team defeated tho chosen eleven. Of course, it is the cheapest thing in the world to criticise ,a selection, and only the disappointing choice which lias been made leads one to take up this painful 6tylo of "hockey notes." The opinion of the Wellington representatives seems to bo that they will "get home," but that does not bunk the question that 'a better team might havo been chosen. The writer thinks that lie would have chosen , the team as follows:—Morpeth,' M'Eldowney, Baker, Aiekin, Campbell, Parton, Loader, Davie9, Murphy, G. Strack, Heidi Correspondent on the Same Subject. . A correspondent has something to My m a similar though not identical way. He writes:— Sir,—l havo heard tho question asked several times during the week: What is the use of tho , local; association , playing trial games? and the question; might well bo asked after last Saturday's events. .In tho so-called trial gamo, tho B team showed its superiority. over the A team by defeating it by 1 goals' to 3. Yet in tho representative team to play Canterbury, wo find that the A team is the representative team, with thrco men placed, but, of theso three, be it noted, only bno man played in last Saturday's B team. Some of the A team players are worthy of their place 9, but of some this cannot be said. Four positions which the trial gamo was to throw light on are filled by men who, on performances, are not the best for theso positions, l'hreo of these men were outplayed by better men in tho "trial," and it is further worthy of noto that all four are members of one particular club. Does anyone dispute tho fact that' Murphy did not give a brilliant display as "bully" last Saturday, while Andrews's display was only mediocre. Murphy also played brilliantly against Auckland, and is more likely to combino better with his club-mates on the left flank, But Andrews is choson, and Murphy is not. Thompson was not a success on tho northern tour, was only fair in tho "trial," and is admittedly too slow for such men as Welham, Auckland, and Patrick, Canterbury's speedy winger. Aiekin on the other hand has played well in club gntnos, and outplayed Thompson in tho "trial," but Thompson is cliosen, presumably. on his reputation. Even M'Gregor, Burbidge, and Hall are preferable to Thompson. C. Davis is a more brilliant and reliable full-back than M'Eldowney. Tho latter is too slow ir clearing. Dwyor is certainly preferable to Morpetli, but Cleave, whom many opine is the best goalkeeper in Wellington at present, was not deemed worthy of a trial. So much for the benefits of a trial game. Candidly, I think trial games aro a waste of timo, because a selector who does hi 3 -duty by watching the play- of as many of • the teams as possible should bo able to selcct his team straight out. He cannot do this, however, and be an active player at tho same time. Our present selector, who has played in club matches on tho last two occasions, proved that hehad not an all-round knowledge of the various teams by calling on the .late, selector to assist him in choosing a .1? team. It says much for Mr. Walton that the B team'was able to defeat the A team.—l am, etc., jum