ASSOCIATION NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 150, 25 June 1904, Page 14

ASSOCIATION NOTES.

[Mr Vaxguahb.] Tlio matches set down for decision last Saturday l\to\ to be postponed owing to tho inclement weather. Tbo postponement committee wan reluctant to deeloro the matches " off " owing to tho lengthy programme which hn» to bo enrried out this season, but thcro was no other course open to it. Tho information received by last week's mail concerning tho selection ot tho Now Smith Wnles team indicated very clearly that tho visitors will prove formidnblo rivals to 115. Their merits have already been set out in «'n excellent letter * written by a New South Wales <>x-play«r, ajid published in the livening Post last week, and I shall rcsorvo comment on their play until after they have appeared at Auckland. Writing with respect to our chances against New South Wales, Mr. T. A. Cync, president of tho New South Wales Association, admits that it is unsafe to prophesy 011 tho question, *Kit adds : "If tho game ban not improved a very great do.il in Now Zealand since I" was there, your teams will havo very little chance o( winning tho big matches." Touching on tho programme of the tour, ho says ho docs not liko it, and mentions thnt tho visitors will require to possess castiron constitutions to stand it. Prior to the selection of'tho Now South Wales team two inntchea were played at Forest Lodge, Sydney, and drew an attendunco of 3000 spectators. A Sydnoy writer, in referring to tho matches, mentions tho play of several representative men, and his notes should prove of interest at, tho present timo. Tho Metropolitan teams, ho hays, pioved too Rood for tho country men. The A team, which met the Northern District, won by 2 rohls to nil. It wns very keenly contested in tho first, half, although sure shots liko Moore and Caroy missed Rood chances of scoring through being • overanxious. In tho second taim the Metiopolitan team were superior to the Northerners, and put on 2 goals, Carey being ono of tho scorers. The forwards of .Sydney showed better combination than the visitors, yet it was mainly individual woik in which they indulged. Mooro played a biillinnt roving game, yet did not feed his whirs well. Carey wns the best of the vest, passing bolter than any of tho others. Sydnoy halfs weio a grand lot. Jluder nnd Timriis b<>ing pmticulnily fin?. Dyers played Miundly lather than brilliantly, and Robinson, at back, niaiio a few mistakes, but savqrl in fiomo awkwaid posit ion*-*. Thorpe did Mime good kicking. Spencer wns not tried much, but did hh Tittle well. Wishart was tho boht of the Northerners' attacking division, his centmng being high«clu«s. Tlio second match, between Metropolitan B team and South Coast, was responsible for a lot- of scoring, Sydney winning by 6 goals to 2. Tlio Metrops. were the bpKt team from start to finish. Tho work of the forwards was superb, their shoit passing proving too 1 for tho Soutluirncrfl. metcnUc and his colleague (who i."= not coming with the team) 'were nhvnys l.cst. Waddell scored hcvcrnl goals with nire shots, and Condon, Hnrrison, and M'Mnhon each worked noli, youth's forw.irds weie a henvy lot, but did not combino Mcil, nnd kicked too Unrd at times. A. Rao, at out«ide left, stood out above hia frl!o\v.«. An amusing i>icro of off-sido play wn-s wttneaqed recently in n Wednesday niat< h at Duncilin. One full tmk on tho nofciKling s'ulo (hj^h a Southctn wiilcr) bud got loclccd in bctwtcn tv/,o of tho upjK)f>ii)fr fonvanK and two otlicis of (ha Utte/' .side voie fsclaimi))j; in their i<xcil<>mcnt ti> their mm to " llorl ll out," nut taking ;uiv notice of their otl^iile

position. The ball w.is cvonlually luvled out, anil the lefeipe immediately pouniod upon thorn, and, inm-h to llioii- vumlumeiit, penalised thorn. Uhoy ate fitiil wnudi<iiug. il pl.i\ois are in an oll.milo position they aio liable to bo penalised thtmid they mtcileii) in .my way with the jila.v. They must keep out of the way v of play until they .iid put on.«ide again by an opponent playing tho hall. 'A"mi>m;st Ihe Southerners playing woll this season is D. M'MiU.m. 110 is credited with bring ihe best centre forwaid in DuiKulin, and his head and foot work aro f-aid to bo always worth watching. Another prominent phiyor is Reid. Descubing his play in a recent match a Soul hern writer says ho pioved himself a nio.st voiSQtilo player al left half-back, and unquestionably muni be considered as ono of the host, half-backs in the province. W. Morifion, Ihe ex-St. John left winder, playing in the mimo match \vith Reid, is .said to havo shown resourcefulness, consistently p.ood line play, nnd djsh, whilst Chad wick, the inside left foiwaul, is ciedited with In-ing invaluablo as a gou'-gettor, knowing and keeping his place, he is always leady for opporlunitiew, nnd by his promptitude and accuracy of shooting hi) extricated his team from an awkwaid predicament.