HOCKEY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 53, 30 August 1913, Page 14

HOCKEY

(By "Sticks.") Once again, last Saturday, Karori Park remained vacant, and the concluding stages of the senior championship were further prolonged. A few weeks ago it appeared as though the season would be remarkable for fine Saturdays, but the recent run of wet Saturdays has banished all hope. The championship table, as it stands, gives the College eleven a tremendous lead, and it is almost impossible to depose them. At the moefc Metropolitan can only draw equal with the Collegians, but what a chance "Mets" have! The Canterbury representatives have visited us, tried out 1 strength, and gone in search of something not quite so difficult. Their tour certainly did not commence _ as they hoped, or Wellington enthusiasts expected it would, and the general impression is that the best team was not sent north. The event took place at Karori Park on Wednesday last, and, probably owing to tho unfavourable weather, the attendance I was* extremely poor. The ground was like a saturated sponge, and before playhad been in progress many minutes, both players and referees were bespattered with mud, and the ball, though nit hard and often, reminded one of the schoolboy "creeping like a snail unwillingly to sohool." Hard hitting paid well ; in faot, it was the only thing worth while under the circumstances. Dribbling, even by .the forwards, was almost out of the question, for it could not be executed with any degree of certainty. Some, of the most promising dribbling rushes were brought to an abrupt conclusion owing to the ball coming to a full stop in » patch of mud. Even such sure stoppers as M'Eldowney and Robbie werd absolutely deceived, and, naturally, everybody was " at sea." Taking the play of Canterbury first, it must be confessed that it was a disappointment. It was not the Canterbury of former years, and certainly not half the team that gave Wellington such a, lot to think about last year. Perhaps the_ conditions were right against the visitors, but in any case there is no doubt that the local men's win was Becured solely by merit. And yet it was practically a second-clasß team that was pitted against the visitors. What, then, would have happened had .Wellington had their usual set of forwards? Most probably Canterbury would have fared worse, because between ,the two there would have been no comparison. Of tho forwards, there was really not much to choose between them. Hobland did some clever stick work on the left wing, while his confrere on the extreme right took advantage of several good opportunities. Tfiorp (on the centre) •eemed to know more about the game than his, contemporary, while the efforts of Hulbert and Cummins pleased &t times. It was a poorjy constructed forward line, and would undoubtedly have shown to better advantage on a dry ground. Engineered by Snell (captain), th© half-line did serviceable hitting, but could not be relied upon to stop anything with any great amount of "ginger"' in it. The backs were weak, and would have don© better 'had they hesitated less. They somewhat redeemed themselves by hitting hard, but their defence was very feeble, and they were not "up to tricks." Brown, who held the responsible position of last line of_ defence^ gave a very creditable exhibition, and in the second spell mad© a great showing. In the space, of a very »hort time he stopped several difficult shots, and, like Dwyer. used his boot with great success. > The stick' cettainly seems to b« becoming merely an ornament with come goalkeepers. 4 _ With a disorganised forward line Wellington made _ a much better Bhowing than was anticipated. Last year Canterbury were Successful against the local team, when the latter possessed their crack forward lihe. On Wednesday last they met' a set of forwards, which compares very unfavourably with the first five, and yet the game went against them. Therefore one can only, come to the conclusion that the back division won the game for Wellington. Haigh, who was making his first appearance in representative hockey, created a very favourable impression, and those who felt a little dubious when Burbidg© and Thompson were both unavailable can now feel quite easy on the matter. On his exhibition on Wednesday Haigh is well worth a place in any_ team Wellington can put in the field this year. He is not a Burbidge yet, nor even a Thompson; yet he is already , a fine dogged player, who is also intelligent enough to remedy little defects from which no 'young player is free. Moreover, he is the only representative to hail from the Wellington Club. Well done, Wellington ! Campbell (centrehalf) did better than has been the, case in previous representative games this year, and- reminded one of Campbell of old. M'Gregor was neither brilliant nor poor; he was nearer the brilliant mark, as he always is. Consistency eeems to be M'Gregor's principal quality. There is little doubt that the star of th© forward line was Robbie. H« did not centre so much as usual, and appeared to miss th© usual forwards, but his individual work was splendid, and greatly pleaeed the onlookers. The remaining forwards were very moderate, although the goals by Cleghorn and Sheeran were smart bits of i work. Countless good opportunities were lost through lack of combination. As usual the full-backs— Pullyn and M'Eldowney — were quite safe, while pwyer | did great work in goal. His kicking tactics caused much amusement on the line. LADIES' TOURNAMENT. Chief topic of interest in ladies' hockey circles is the coming tournament, which commences at Wanganui on Tuesday week. The twelve entries received (details of which have already appeared in Th© Post) indicate ' an interesting competition, although the number is not so large as last year. The teams have been graded into two sections, and to all, appearances in such a manner as to provide even contests. Nearly every team to take part has now been selected, and for some weeks pact has been putting in all available time at practice. Such, a course will naturally prove of great benefit. Wellington's representatives have, however, not yet been selected, but the delay is not due to the selectors, the bad weather being mainly responsible. The final selection was to have been made last. Saturday, when a trial game was set down to bo played. This did not eventuate, as the heavy rain resulted in a/11 matches being declared "off." Thus players as well as others interested were again disappointed in not receiving the selectors' final decision, which will in all probability be given after to-day's trial— about one week beforo the departure of the team for Wanganui. It is understood (at time of writing) that most of the positions in tho Wellington team have already been filled, and the selectors are now awaiting the opportunity to decide as to who can most capably fill the remaining three or four places — a task which is by no means an easy one. Most of the local players are, of course, _ aware that some of their number — principally Misses Lang, Tinney, Cameron, Newman, M'Donnell, and Dement—are certainties, but speculation is rife as to who will be the other successful aspirants. It has been stated that Misses G. Harris and Brown (both certainties), if selected, would be unable to make the trip, and in consequence they were among the emergencies for the trial match. One of the positions which has caused the selectors much difficulty is that of goalkeeper, and to-day Misses Stiibba and Roadley were to have put forth their final claims for the position. There is every reason to believe that Wellington's team will give a far better account of itself than in past seasons, and when tho tourney concludes their position on the ladder should bo nearer the top than the bottom. The present champions — Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay— are reported to be quite as strong as last yoar, when they went through the tourney unbeaten. There is, however, one marked difference between these contestants, viz., the Wairarapa team is, with one exception, composed of girls who have previously represented the district, while, on the other hand, Hawkes Bay's renrcwntativna are nearly all njHking their first tppearuicei at the, toura&meat,

there being uo more than four in the team who took part at Chriatchurch last yoar. Writing from Napier, our hockey correspondent states: — "The Hawkes Bay team is a thoroughly representative one, four Dunnevirke girls beihg_ included. The team is very light, and in this respect differs considerably from that sent away last year. Nevertheless, it •is quito as strong ag any previous team, and should give as good on account of itself this year as last,! when honours were divided with Wai rarapa." Thus it may be judged that if these two teams manage to lead their respective Bcctiong, the final would again result in a "ding-dong go." But as it was chiefly the weight of the Hawkes Bay team that prevented Wairarapa from being victorious last year, the latter tenth should, with an improved combination, secure the honours.' There are, however, other teams which are stated' to be likely winners. Id this oonneotk>n, Poverty Bay are " fancied.'* This team is in the -same section as Wairarapa, and tho result of their meeting will, as was the oase last year, provide a keen contest. Southland andf Manawatu are also mentioned among the probable holders of the cup, while the Eketahuna team is described aa beintf • a "dark horse." It is naturally difficult as yet to comment on the respective merits of the various teams to compete and their probable success at the tourney, as this cannot be ascertained until after the competitors have made an appearance on the field at Wangtnui. There is this one thing that counts— the teams devoting most time and consistehoy to combined practice are sure to oome out on top. At a meeting of the Wellington Ladies' Association, held thi* week, Mr. Manning was elected manager of the local team to travel to Wanganui. It was also decided to communicate with the Waimrapa and Manawatu Associations with a view to securing a visit of a junior ladies' te*m from those districts.