HOCKEY

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 297, 14 September 1927, Page 8

HOCKEY

(By *

"Right-half.")

CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE , . SENIOR A.

1927 Season Tho past season has been most success fill in every way. Fortunately the weather was faiily good, there being onlv two occasions on which games had to bo called off. Tho standard of play was good, and an excellent. spirit pervaded tho sport. All the championship games were strenuously contested. Representative Toams. So far as representative games are concerned, Wellington has had a particularly strenuous season. There havo been three fixtures with Wairarapa, oue with Taranaki, and one with Hastings. Two proposed visits from Manawatu teams fell through after all arrangements had been made for playing in Wellington. The representative teams acquitted themselves excellently. North Island Team. It is pleasing to note that, although there was some dissatisfaction and trouble caused through all the Wellington nominations, excepting one, withdrawing from the New Zealand representative Team, seven •Wellington men havo been chosen to-play in the North Island team to plav against South Island. The Wellington Association was honoured by the fact that R. Lusty was chosen to be captain of the New Zealand representative team, which was so successful in Australia. . It was also gialifyinn to the association to know that tho Soccer and Rugby people had co-operated with them durin" the season in respect to the Hutt Recreation Ground, of defaulters, and of disqualifications. Schools Hockey and the Ladies, The schoolboys’ and the ladies’ teams have also acquitted themselves in a firstrate manner. „ ~ x The Management Committee of the Wellington Association have had a busy year. All the meetings havo been well attended. Mr. L. Butcher, the secretary, and Mr. W. G. Morpeth, the treasurer, have both worked very haid in tho interests of hockey in Wellington, and both deserve tho greatest praise for their efforts. _ LADIES’ HOCKEY A NEW CHAMPION TEAM. (By "Critic.”) After holding the proud distinction of champion ladies’ hockey representative team of the Dominion for the Past three and a half years, Southland found Huahine-Daunevirke a. goal .better side m the final for the 1927 honours. Still the southern team, although beaten for tho honours, did not return homo emptyhanded. As runners-up to the champion eleven, the Floyd Shield will occupy the shelf left vacant by tho K Cup. Tho Struggle for Supremacy. Exhilarating hockey crammed with thrills was the general verdict of tne crowd at the deciding maten between Uuahine-Dannevirke and bouth ix loro in tho annalu ot ladies nooiiey in the Manawatu has such a brilliant exhibition ol st.ck-WOFK been given. lluanuio rushed matters ? a ? ly * I?.? pretty combinatiou, wonderful Standing, and quickness of the moveme t i-irniiir tho just reward of a goal, ano Southland defence was spellbound at the Suddenness of the mov ££ ent :. nl . t pI™d 1 ™d wonted right to plan, fho boutbland van swung 6 the lea!her about nicely, nut irratic shooting which was mainly due to over-eagerness, i-.sl at. least two splendid equalising chances before half-time. It was after tho resumption, when Southland equalised, that hockey of the expected order was given. , RuahiniDannevirke clapped on the pace, and playing zig-zag movements, penned um Southland defence right on the goal line, but brilliant custodianship by Miss L. Hawkes kept the citadel intact. Ihe persistency of the Kuahine-Bannevirke vanguard eventually bore fruit, Miss U. Foreman, who played a game worthy oi high y raise, scoring. . 'this reverse saw Southland dominate the i av and giv the public an exhibinon of their truf capabilities, tho snm.-o understanding, good balk control, and accurate and quick passing being all that could be desired; nut despite all this Southland was a beaten team long before tho call of time The effort to effect at least a draw was left too late, and when the chance did come it was thrown to the winds. Southland were beaten on their own merits, and Rua-hine-Dannevirke are to be heartily congratulated for their fine performance m making the residence of the cup in Hie North Island lor at least twelve months. The champions received a civic welcome on returning home. About the Players.

Miss Maire Williams proved Wellington’s best goal-getter, securing four of the 16 goals, wniio Misses M. Wilkins, J. Harper, and Wopp were next with three cacti. Misses Sybil Swinburne (2) and M. Fraser were the other scorers. , The Foreman sisters were Ruahines shining lignts, and mainly through them Southland were beaten. They never letup all through the match, aud capped their efforts by sharing both the win uers’ goals. Between them they scored 16 goals in seven matches. The Wellington half-back line is due for some special consideration, as they all played up to expectation, but if any particular member of that line deserved exceptional praise, it was surely Miss Anna Lucena, who gave the most brilliant display of halt-back play seen at the tourney. Miss Lucena was the star of the Wellington defence. Manawatu can justly boast of possessing ouo of tho finest forwards in the Dominion in the person of Miss M. Waters. It was a pleasure to watch this heady young player at work during the tourney, kho was the moat valued forward in the Manawatu front line, and it is uncertain what would have happened to the home team but for the skilful manoeuvring and snap shooting of Miss Waters. She scored ‘nine goals in the five matches played. Mrs. W. Hoppi, one of the stalwarts of the Ruahine-Dannevirke team, is deserving of much praise for the manner in which she played the game. Without her magnificent support the Foreman sisters would hardly have annexed the two goals respectively which meant so much for the winners. Mrs Hoppi is a player of the first order. The goalkeeping ot Miss Lucj' Dick for Wellington was all that could be desired. She gave a sterling display between the sticks. The most prominent players for King Country were Misses t». Turton. E. Carleton. and K. Carleton, all of whom added goals Ip their record. Miss L. Turton was the most versatile of the attacking department of the team, and was responsible for some splendid stick-work, particularly against Wellington. Although not so successful as was anticipated, Wairarapa sent a very good side, and the experience gained by the younger members of the team should be most beneficial to them .later on. Miss Florrie Booth, one of the finest forwards : n tlffi North Island, was at times disappointing, but generally she gave glimpses of her brilliancy in handling the stick. 81ie was Wairarapa’s top scorer. Miss Williamson’s game attracted much notice, but unfortunately for her the inter-island match was abandoned Miss Williamson is a great asset to Wairarapa Another player in the team who impressed the writer with her splendid performances was Miss D. Henderson, who showed up to much advantage in nractically. all the games she played. Judging bn her plav the writer holds a particularly bright future for her on the hoekey field. Others who earned favourable comment were Misses Anderson. I. Booth, and Strawn. There are a few who looked upon Miss Svbil Swinburne as most fortunate to rain her place in the Wellington team, but if her performances at the tournament as a whole are taken into consideration. I do not think her ■ inclusion was by any means unwarranted. Furthermore, she earned a great name for her-

self by her fine displays with the stick at the tourney. Miss Swinburne exhibited dashing hockey, and was a credit to Wellington, , Notes. The big things expected of Wellington at the tournament did not eventuate, and the side, which was looked upon as the best dispatched to a tourney for the past throe or more seasons, has been the subject of much criticism. The conditions that prevailed during the first few days’ play were anything but favourable to our representatives, and on both days Wellington was called upon to battle against the two strongest opponents Of the section—namely, Manawatu A and Southland. Each member of the team did all expected of her under the circuin stances, but the mud was not to their advantage The team was a very strong combination; in fact, one of the strongest yet to represent this city, and does not deserve the harsh criticism being meted out to it. Had Wellington been favoured with a little luck they may have reached the semi-final.

P. W. L. D. F. A. P. Karori A .... .. 13 11 0 45 18 20 Wesley .. 13 10 3 0 42 23 Hurt .. 12 7 5 0 42 34 It 'Varsity ... 12 6 5 1 30 23 13 Training Col.. . 12 4 7 1 26 28 9 Wellington .. 12 0 10 0 20 48 4 Kafori B 12 2 SENIOR 10 B. 0 20 45 4 Y.M.C.A ....11 12 0 0 73 20 28 Pet-one .. It 10 A 9 43 21 16 Karori . It 7 5 •» 50 56 Hutt .. it 6 6 32 21 11 Wesley ■’Varsity . 11 6 6 0 45 38 11 . 14 4 8 2 27 38 10 lluia .. 14 3 w 51 8 Wellington .. .. 11 1 13 0 15 66 •?