MEN’S HOCKEY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 266, 6 August 1937, Page 18

MEN’S HOCKEY NOTES

Obstructing Tactics Not Penalised GAME AT AUCKLAND To-morrow’s Matches Interesting

(By

Penalty.)

All things considered, the Wellington hockey team was unlucky in securing only a draw against Auckland in the New Zealand Challenge Shield match last Saturday, and the Auckland reports of the game completely justified the Wellington selector’s choice. The score was stated to have been a fair indication of the game, and the two teams seem to have had°little between them in all departments. A factor that placed the Wellington team at a disadvantage, however, was the Auckland ruling in regard to obstructionist tactics. The manager of the Wellington team. Mr C. P. McKenzie, referred to this aspect of the game at the dinner after the match, as he considered it only fair that Auckland umpires should be made a,ware of Wellington’s stricter adherence to the obstruction rule. Auckland club hockey countenances a great deal more body play than is the practice in Wellington, and in the opinion of Mr. McKenzie oftentiers who would be “put on the bank after a warning here were not cheeked at all during the shield game. Time after time the Wellington players were beaten by tactics that would have been penalised in Wellington, and it was some time before they adjusted their play to meet the tactics of the opposition. , Even when Wellington had become accustomed to allowing for a certain amount of body play and shepherding, their game was unsettled .to a great extent, and the second half did not see them turn on the form they produced in the early part of the game. “Evergreen Perrin/’ as an Auckland report terms him, was the unlucky man of the trip, and his absence in the later stages of the game must have made a great difference to the Wellington team. Spiers, apparently, played a sound game that did not lack initiative, and he cleared well. . . , The Auckland critic ol the game stated that “it was delightful to see the vanguard exploiting the 'back pass’ to change the line of attack.” This comment should be some reward to those members of club teams here who have persevered with these tactics in spite of discouraging ground conditions. It was unfortunate that the ground was not the best in Auckland, even though it was probably a better surface than any regular club hockey ground in 'Wellington.

Club Positions. The fixtures for to-morrixw s games m Wellington should provide at least two even games, between the two Karon teams and between Wesley and lechnical Karori A are not likely to give any quarter to the B team, and the game will be a keen one that should provide some good hoekey. The Wesley-Technical game should be interesting, though the standard is unlikely to be as high as in the Karori game. Wesley have their strength in defence, Technical have a better forward line, and both teams are capable of turning on patches of good hockey especially in the face of opposition. Hutt should manage to beat Varsity, as the Hutt team is now a sounder combination. Huia should have little difficulty with Wellington, and if Karori B go down to their A team, Huia will be at. the top of the table with Karori B once again.

Ignorance of Rules. •It a hockey talk in Wellington recently Mr. H. Hatch asked the audience of about 80 to 100 to be honest and answer a question as to how many had studied the rules. Apart from umpires present about two women and not more than six men held up their hands. There is no doubt this is the main cause of ignorance. Mr. Batch proceeded to point out to them by analogy that when pupils were studying mathematics their teachers insisted on their knowing the tables which were the fundamental basis of ail mathematics. The same applied to hockev. How could they expect to do justice to the game and get real pleasure from it if they did not know the fundamental rules? lie asked. The average player does not know the rules, and if he learned them it would have two effects—he would have more appreciation of the umpire and he would give away less penalties. That is worth thinking about.