ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 32, 6 August 1921, Page 12

ASSOCIATION

THE BROWN SHIELD

GAMES

WHERE CANTERBURY LOST

GROUND

(By " Vanguard.")

The W.F.A, wus unhappy last Saturday, for it had looked forward to a record gate at the Basin Reserve for tho Wellington-Canterbury Brown " Shield' match.. Bad weather kept all but enthusiasts from the ground, but there are many^enthusiaste in Wellington this season, and the attendance was still very satisfactory.

Actually, playing conditions were not seriously bad, for little rain fell in the morning, and the afternoon's drizzle merely made the field slippery on its surface— there was none of the heavy, greasy mud in which past Brown Shield matches have often been fought out—and the southerly wind was not so strong as to interfere with, combination play. In that latter respect Wellington should have had a considerable advantage, over Canterbury, since the -team, with practically the game personnel, recently played a big game against Wanganui, while the Canterbury men had apparently to get into each other's play. For some rear son, however, the Wellington team did not shine out in combined play, while the team work of the Canterbury men was, as a rule, wry bright. The sensational opening goal, scored by Wellington in loss than a dozen kicks from the commencement of the game, no doubt materially affected Canterbury, and put them quite off their game for a time, while the success put the local men at once' into their stride. Taking, the game as a whole, the Wellington teami were superior, mainly for their ability to finish their "efforts with decent shots, whereas the visitors were palpably weak in front of goal. There was much truth in the remark: I heard, that if only A. Bissett had been, in the forward line, the shield would have gone to Canterbury. The.local forwards as a- combination were wenlc, the right wing particularly so. There was little understanding between. M'RUigott and Smith, and the opposing half, Simp'son, stopped them nearly every time. Ballard and Campbell, on the left wing, were the star forwards, and, when in possession, were always dangerous. The halves played grandly, and,, as is proper, were the mainstay of tho team. They ■ became extra forwards when occasion demanded, but were always in position to check and worry the opposing. forwards, Jones played a fine spectacular game, and greatly pleased tho crowd. His play was no doubt excellent, but for good, effective football, I think that M'Arthur gave the best exhibition on the ground. Brownlee played a good, heady game in the centre, but missed, a, great opportunity when he dr;V Jed through the visitors' diefenoe, and then shot wide. Ferguson and Taylor, as backs, made few mistakes, although they were both inclined to get up with their halves. It fa no doubt good strategy for one back to keep well up, but it is inclined to bo risky for both backs to play the same game. Porteous had practically no chance with the two goals scored against him, and generally his usual clover display of goal-keeping. The Canterbury team collectively played prettier football than.the home team, although they.lacked finish. Time and time-again they would take the. ball down field with beautiful passing, and .then,..when a goal looked ..almost a certainty, would fail badly. They. certainly had the opportunities, and, as I said before, if they only, had a strong' shot in the forwards, they would probably have won. Norman was the outstanding forward, and played , really good football, although he was well.,watched. He is wearing remarkably well, and was the only orwKof the Canterbury team who played in these matches prior to the war. Brownlee wa? the only member of the Wellington team with the same record.

Norman, in my opinion, should have taken more shots himself, in place, of passing to Kirk; not that Kirk was not capable of handling the ball, but little is k> be gained by passing out from good' positions into a doubtful one. No team will satisfy everyone; undoubtedly there were weak points about Wellington's play,' a nd' some o f these Yorkv 1 has pointed out in a letter to VanguarA" "It is doubtful whether the halves in the 1912 representative team, which, brought th e shi«H to Wellington, were any better than those who played on Saturday, but if Wellington is to retain the shield, the selectors will have to find a stronger all-round team than that which played Canterbury. It is my opinion, and,the opinion of a lot of the old heads, that a better team could be choaen. ' Petty iealonsifs should, not enter into tho selection of the team, as no doubt it has it one particular case Why should not the delegates to the annual meeting have a voice in the selection.' Here w» have a. representative team with four centre forwards in it tsurely there is little encouragement in th e _ making of a selection which makes an mside man look on while a centre plays i&side inthe representative games. If that sort of selection is carried to the extreme, wejnay see a centre forward in goal. ■ Just why M'Kenzie should be passed over on his play right through the season, I cannot understand, for he and laylor play regularly together, and know _ each other to a T. The team I should like to see against Auckland would ba something like this : Porteoua.MKenzie, Taylor, M'Arthur, Brownlee, Jones Ousack, M'Kee, Campbell, Hindmarch, and Ballard."

The N.Z.F.A. has a Jesspn to learn from the great success of the Springboks tour. Association will never go ahead and, draw the public as it deserves to do until we have regular visits from Australian teams, and possibly visits from a crack English team to add the finishing touch. The interchange of visits between New Zealand and Australian teams is an excellent idea, and every effort should be made to arrange regular fixtures of that kind.

In the grading of the first division next season into an A and B gr,ade there will probably be one or two difficulties, and one is that the scheme will grade clubs according to their position in the league championship, this season, but the players who have put the clubs in .that position will not be graded. It may seem ridiculous to talk of grading players, but unless they remain loyal to their clubs \t the next time of signing the new rule may act harshly against some of the weaker clubs. A good player naturally wishes to play in the best competition, and up to the present he has been content to play in a weak teamf as he was getting the best football procurable, although not associated with the best players. In the scheme to start next season, however, lie finds himself still with the weak team, but playing practically second-division football. Will ho still further weaken the weak team by trying to strengthen' one of the A grade teams? In praqtically every team that are now candidates for the B grade there are at least one or two outstanding players who wdSfil be welcomed by teams which willvbe in the A grade. It seems impossible to stop them going, if they wish to do so.

The Thorndon juniors are running second to Marist in their grade competition, with eighteen points to Manet's

twenty. The team's record is: Played 10, won 9, lost 1, drawn 0, goals for 63, against 14, points 18. :

SCHOOL SOCCER.

The "trials" held at Anderson Park for the purpose of selecting the school representative team, which is playing at Palmerston North to-day, brought out some first-rate r boys. The selectors were Messrs. Kean -"'(Hataitai), Kirk (Wadestown), Herron (South Wellington), and Brother Donatus (Marist, Thorndon). For the position of goal-keeper five were nominated, < Oughton, of Worser Bay, being selected. He was easily the best of the bunch. ; Eight full-backs were nominated, the choice being O'Halloran (Marist, T.) and Bognuda (South Wellington). O'Halloran was easily the best player on the ground. In addition to playing for his school, he also plays, in fifth grade games on Saturdays 'for Marist Old Boys, while Bognuda plays in fifth grade for South Wellington Club. The only other full-back I saw worth anything was Cocker, a Porirua boy. As a right back he was in opposition >to O'Halloran, and I think he was alniost as good as Bognuda. He "placed" the ball to his forwards, and did not mercl} deliver a hard kick downfield without auy object (the style moat common among boys), but Bognuda tackled bettei ■ . ,

Prominent among the halves were Herlihy, of Porirua, and Reid, of Marist (T.). They did all the work that came their way, and kept their positions properly. In contrast to these was Fitzgerald, of Marist (N.). When he should have been playing at centre-half he was right ahead of his own forwards^ and was pulled up several times for offside. This is inexcusable. II a boy wants to be a player in any game the first thing he must learn is to keep his position. Yet on Saturdays I have seen Fitzgerald play some good games. The halves chosen were Harris, of Wadestown, Herlihv, of Porirua, and Reid, of Marist (T.). " The best and headiest of the forwards was Hutchings, of Worser Bay. He was picked for centre-forward, and the next best was, in my opinion, Harding, of Marist (T.). He plays on the left wing and does his work well, both in centreing and shooting. Ching, the heaviest of the team, plays inside left. He is fast, but shoots too wildly. Of the halves and forwards who did not get into the team, Knight' (Marist, T.), James (South Wellington), Minoguo. (Marist, N.), Raines (Hataitai), Garrod (South Wellington), Parsloe (Ngaio), and M'Kenzie (Porirua) are all good players who show promise of something better next year.