MEN’S HOCKEY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 271, 12 August 1938, Page 18

MEN’S HOCKEY

Senior A Championship i Competition ;, HUIAI AND KARORII | VERY EVEN J fi — a Leaders To Meet To-morrow (By Penalty.) There seems to be no doubt that the position of champion in the senior A grade of the Wellington Men’s Hockey Association competition will be fought out by Karori I and Huia I. The standard of play of these two teams is definitely higher than that of any other teams in the competition. Karori I and Huia I will meet tomorrow at Karori, and a good deal will deoend on the result of this match. At present Huia have a on e -P?“t will Karori It ie to be hoped that it will be possible to arrange to play this game on the No. 1 ground, instead of the No. 2 ground, as at present set down, as this will be the most important club fixture Botl/leams have shown very consistent form during the season, and play a very atractive game, using short-passing tactics. Although Huia have been weakened by the loss of R. Brown, inside left, they have been compensated by having U. Wheatley playing for them again. This player has given brilliant exhibitions of hockey when playing at inside right for Wellington representative teams. The Hutt team, which is now in third position, five pointe behind Huia I, is playing a consistent game, although inclined to indulge in wild hitting on occasions. A serious loss to this team has been the absence of G. Judd because ofan injury. However, with Graham at centie forward, and F. Chapman on the right wing, the team still has a very dangerous forward line.

Karori-II Improve. . . Last year the Karori II team lost all its early matches, and then surprised some of the teams higher in the competition, eventually reaching a position about heif-way up tlie ladder. It has repeated the performance this year, and is now fourth. This team has a big asset in U. K. Perrin, a very experienced player, at tU One C p’oint behind Karori are Wesley. Thev play a very keen game, hitting bard, and ean always be depended on to give whoever they meet a good game. It is pleasing to see them finishing well up on the championship table. It is surprising, considering their form in past se a . s< > ns ’ that they have not previously finished hi, Wrfiington, University and Technical are all even' with six pointe each. These teams show flashes of good form, but are very erratic in their play. A new team in the senior A grade companv this season has been. Huia 11, under the leadership of R. Martin. In spite ot a number of defeats earlier in the season, Huia II have some very promising young players who are developing along the ri-ht lines. With this year’s experience they should become a strong team next season.

Standard of Hockey. . There has been an improvement in the standard of play in the senior A hockey competition this year, in spite of the very wet and heavy grounds on which games have had to be played. Most of the teams seem to be developing the. short-passing tvpe of play, and the hard-hitting game or the full-backs of a few years ago is not now seen to the same extent. This change in the style of play is specially noticeable in the Huia I and Karori general fault among the forwards seems to be that they are not able to shoot. This fault is noticeable even in the Wellington representative team.

Technical Seniors. . . There are two main taults m the Technical senior A team which prevents it from developing into a first-class combination. First, the men allow themselves to be played out of position too easily, and secondly, they do not look sufficiently far ahead. Generally speakin” the stick work of the team is good, and the individual skill of the players is up to standard. If they can improve their positional play and make an attempt to work out tactics, they should improve. The team does not always make the most of its free hits. There is a tendency for the wrong man to take the hits, ana too often they are badly directed. It has been said that the team has had an unlucky season, but possibly lack of traming has something to do with this.

Caughley Playing Again. Well-known by University players ot. five or six years ago, F. Caughley turned out again for the team on Saturday, and played a good game at full-back. * IS positional play was a lesson to the other full-backs in the club.