HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 177, 14 April 1923, Page 19

HOCKEY.

(By

“Right-Half.”)

Karori will be a strong team this Beason, as it will include Heaphy, “Kiwi” Perrin, and Watchman, New Zealand representatives, and also " Moore, Spiers, Henderson, McGregor, Lewer, Roberts and Cooper. McGregor is the well-known old-time half-back, and his return to the game will bo watched with interest. Karori ww probably run two junior teams ana a third-class team. The Karori girls team is also a good one. Karon men’s senior team will probably ar range a match with some other senior team for this afternoon.

The Karori school team is not quit® so good this year as. in the past. Sixteen years in succession is a long time to hold the schools championship and perhaps with the growth of the schools hockey association, a more 'h oftl ““7 competition will be witnessed tis y* ar ’ , ~ r A solid practice game was held by practically all the Hutt Club s team* last Saturday. , Three teams from Weslev will very likely turn out at the TTutt grounds to-day to give the Hutt men a practice match. Entries closed on Thursday for tht> competitions, which seem to offer a better outlook than last year.

Wellin gton-Umted’s new man, Webster, has been tried out in practice games, and it looks as if he were a decided acquisition. His game nta that of tho other forwards, and turn part of the team should be much stronger than last year. This club is better off for men than it was last year. It will have a senior and ]un ior team, and then there are the better part of a dozen men over, out . o> whom .it is hoped to make another team.

What happened nt the meeting of the Referees’ Association? There cer•tainlv was a complete change round, it almost seems as though there were something) underneath it. the old president is the only remaining figure of tho officers.

The formation of a schools hockey association, will have ft good effect on the game in Wellington. Messrs. Kirk and Keen, who are largely responsible for the new association, are to ba congratulated on the move. Tho

schools’ association will be run under the Wellington association, as part of it; and will take control of the school games subject to the assent of the association. One of the aims of the new association will be to prevent the move that has taken so large a hold in the south to cut out denominational schools from the game. The opinion was expressed that an attempt should be made to get ail schools, and not merely primary schools, interested in hookey. Some of the best sport in Wellington comes from secondary schools, and it is a pity that hockey cannot gain a footing there. Soccer, despite the football traditions at one school, at least, has got a leg in. Why not hockey? Tho Y.M.C.A. Club is looking forward to a very successful season, as it has acquired some very useful players. T. Guy, who would have represented Nelson, had he not been transferred to Wellington just before the match, will play for Y.M.C.A. this season. R. White, who has been goalie for Wesley for a couple of seasons, should be fit and in good eye, as his cricket experience through the summer has no doubt kept himHilert. Ho will play back for Y.M.C.A. Olliers who will contribute materially to 1

strength of the Y.M.C.A. team are R. Petrie, from Technical College Old Boro, L. Atgo, who shoots well, T. Games (of the old Ramblers), who is fast and clever with the stick, handy on the wing, and J. McDonald, incapacitated last season, but now fit to stand up to a hard game. Y.M.C.A. losses are H. Mclntyre, now in Christchurch, a strong forward player, and G. M. Fildes and G. B. Stephenson, who will be absent for the first two matches of the season. The club intends to play a clean, hard game, and contest all matches enthusiastically, in the hope of placing its colours well up the list. Practice matches will bo played on Karori grounds to-day. A good turnout is expected, and as some of the clubs, have boon training seriously already they will bo able to lay the commencement of combination. The Karori grounds are in very fine order, and quite fast enough for the majority of players so early in the oeason.