ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 62, 10 September 1921, Page 12

ASSOCIATION

WELLINGTON LOSES THE SHIELD '

WAS THE BEST TEAM PICKED?

(By "-Vanguard.")

Auckland beat- Wellington, and the ■great majority of local players were not "surprised; they expooted that result. Unsatisfactory teams had been picked in the past, but on© oan generally find opinion divided as to the merits of any team. As to this selection, however, I did not coma across one person, before the matoh or after, who thought \that the best team Wellington could hfive put in the field had been selected. The forwards as a whole, to put it mildly, were very weak. They showed their weakness against Canterbury, and yet no effort was made to improve the front line. It is of little use to ory over spilt milk, and I am sure that nobody begrudged Auckland the win, but the majority of local players would have been more satisfied if they felt that their team was the best possible. Auckland would probably have won in any oaser-I for one think that they would have done so—as the ground suited them and their style of play. It has been said that Daore won the match for Auckland by his superb play and knowledge of the local playere. By the way, how did he come to play for Auckland in this matoh? The only serious football he has played this seuon has been in Wellington, for. the Institute Club. The rules must be very stack to allow this sort of thing. «To get baok to the game: Dacre, by playing right half, had to face Campbell and Ballard, the only dangerous forwards, and it was noticeable that every time they obtained the ball Dacre wasted no time, but tackled one and motioned to a' com-, rade to take the other. The result was that the front lino_ was stifled, as the other forwards were quite outclassed. There is no question that the better team won. There was no " fluke " about it, for they were superior in every department of the 'game, except perhaps in goal-keeping. The shield has gone to Auckland, and in my opinion it will be some time before the Wellington supporters see it a^ain, as the holders have, or should have, a big advantage. . Cusacfc, quite overlooked for the .Wellington team, has been selected for the North Island team ogainst the South Is-' land. A Btrang© difference of opinion, indeed. Hospital and Thistle, the leading teams in the league this season, have scored 87 goals between' them, 47 and 40, yet only one forward, Campbell (Thistle), wan selectefl for fthe Wellington reps. It appears unusual that the two teams with the betf. scoring forwards in the league have only one forward between them good enough for representative honours. it must havo baen extremely pleasing to the officials of the W.F.A. to see the record crowd at the match last Saturday, and it is some compensation to them for the hard work and worry entailed. The committee, particularly the hon. secretary, Mr. A. Williams, put in an unusual amount of work during a season, and received many hard knocks in doing it. and, generally speaking, not a greit deal of thanks. It is easy of course to criticise, and when it is constructive it is helpful, and should be welcome. The average player likes a growl at wfiat he calls the heads, and sometimes it is justified, but at the bottom of his heart he knows the members of the W.F.A. are'out for the good of tho game and are sincere in their endeavours to promote Association football A correspondent, "M.J.H.," waxes indignant, not without some reason over the match. He states that he heard more than one. spectator ask if Wellington wished to retain the shield, and continues: • Though I do.not wish to criticise in the 'I to'ljj' you so' strain I am of the opinion that the selectors havo failed miserably. Porteous was safe enough in goal, and the two goals scored were almost impossible to stop. M'Kenzie at right fifcl-back was a, failure. He finds touch well but that is'not Soccer football. Taylor did a lot of good work, but kicked wiWly^at times. Tho half-backs were off, and it was hard to pick which was tho worse. M'Arthur is nos a half-back, he has no idea ot trapping a ball, and, instead of drawing his man and pushing the ball on to his forwards, he kicks hard, and nine times out of ten on to the opposing full-back's toes. Brownies was not the Brownlee of the Canterbury match by any means, and Rowlands appeared to be nervous. Smith, M'Elligott, and M'Kee, after t their performance* against Canterbury, should never have been picked. Cusack, Dick, and Thomas (Marist), are much- superior to Smith, arid Trott, Edgar, Phillips,, or the Porirua man could have filled M'EHigott's place better. Why has Dave Purgesson been left out lately ? Cap anyone explain the fact that though {he Hospital team won tho championship and has a, grand goal average, not one of their forwards are in he reps. ? Campbell and Ballard played up to form and as well as ever. Hooper was the best man on the field. Mr. Thornley was a. fair referee, but to my mind could have stopped a lot of foul play. In the first half Bttllard was brought down very heavily; it may have been fair, but it came under the rule of dangerous play. A team from England is soon to visit New Zealand, and unless our referee*., alter their tactics and put down dangerous and dirty play, it will be the first and the last toam that will ever visit these shores. During one Charity Cup match the play was rather vigorous, and at the conclusion two players boasted that though they had lost the matoh they 'got' the player they were after. That player has been laid ,up for two-weeks, getting £1 a week insurance. Is it worth while playing the game to take those risks?" The' total receipts for the Brown Shield match totalled £268 176, of which the Auckland Association takes £104 Is 3d, the City Council £56 5s 6d, the New Zealand Council £13 8s 9d, Wellington expenses £25 14s, and the balance (£69 7s 6d) will ro to the local association. A medioal man, in a. recent lecture in Wellington, dealt with exercise, and compared football with garden work a« a. means to fitness, but he doubted whether the spade would ever find general favour with the man in search of recreation. The W.F.A. agrees with him ip that view, for time and time again it has endeavoured to gather together * working bee to better the iplaying area* of Association Park, and just as often has been disappointed. It may be that the spado is not fast enough, but whatever tho reason, it has few attractions to the a.vorage Soccer player. A few enthusiasts have turned to right, willingly, and none so willingly as Mr. C. Webster, and for his work the association returned hearty thanks at its last meeting. There is still a small debit upon the work of top-dressing the ground, and there is still a large amount of work to bo done. ; Mr. Webster has done bis whack and more, »nd it is up to quite a number of others to do their part. School and junior football has suffered a bip loss indeed through the transfer of Brother Donatus from Wellington- to Melbourne. Brother Donatus always took a vory keen part in Soccer coaching, and, •moreover, he took the ' bi:oad view that other teams besides those in which he had an immediate interest should receive the benefit of any advice ho had to offer. An enjoyable gathering was held at Dustin's Hall on the occasion of the first smoke concert of tho WeUgasco Football Club, about 100 employees, being present. The chair was taken by Mr. M. j. Kennedy, the president of th« club. Others present included Mr. W. Auld, president .of tho Wellington Football Association, and Mr. A. Williama, the secretary, of that body. Various toasts were honoured ■-.during the evening. Musical items were contributed by tho following .--^Messrs. B. Shardlow, W. Walden, W. Houchen, A. Thomson, and A. Smith. The supper tables were decorated in the colours of the club.