NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 129, 3 June 1922, Page 12

NOTES.

From Saturday next all early games' are to be commenced at 1.15 p.m., and all others at 2.45 p.m. Club officials uml-players are reminded of the W..R.U. decisions regarding the wearing of correct uniforms and the fovwarding of results of matches. A review of Wellington's matches with other provinces during the past seven or eight years shows a long run of successes with few interruptions. One man who has particularly good reason to fjel proud of the. fine record of Wellington's representatives is Mr. A. J. Griffiths, .who until this season acted continuously as a selector since Wellington secured the Ranfurly Shield from Taranaki in 1914. Among those with whom he was associated in selecting the ieams wore: Messrs. J. Lyiiskey, 0. Kembeiy J. ■N. Millard, J. Donovan, E. Perry, and G. Ramsden. Adverse comment has not infrequently been created by the choice oi' certain players and the omission of otheis, but when all is said and done, All Griffiths and his colleagues have been able to produce the goods. " The proof of the pudding is in the eating," and the well-known selector holds sufficient proof in Wellington's many wills. There'is still to be heard a good deal of'talk about an incident which occurred, in the Poneke-Marist match. A wrong, impression of the affair seems to havegained ground, and in view of this it rciay be of interest to those who are inclined to cast blame on a certain player to learn that he was in no way responsible for the injury sustained by another player. Nor did anyone else deliberately cause the injury. The man* who actually came into'contact with tlia opposing player who was compelled; to ; leave the field also received a bump on j the head, indicating that the incident was an unfortunate collision. As the season advances players beginlo single themselves-out more aiid more j for special mention on account of their! display in the field. One of these play-., •era is JRiggs, of Oriontai,...b.ui two .gossans.]

High School team of Moascar Cup fame. Riggs played his first season's senior football last year, and early attracted attention for his workmanlike way of handling and kicking the ball. It is not hard to detect a footballer who had learnt the game -in a good school, and Riggs has shown a further advance this season. He is Oriental's most useful allround player, capable of taking any position among the backs, and at a pinch, as he_ did once against Petone last year, quite eqnal to a turn in the scrum and the loose with the forwards. Probably he is best in the three-quarter line, and, in the dearth of good wingers, should not be overlooked by selectors.

Matthews, of Oriental, is playing an ideal loose forward game this season, leading rushes, and making the most of them, when the time comes to make a dive for the line. The nasty cut about the eye he received in the OrientalPoneke game Saturday week was re-*> opened in strenuous work against Oltf Boys, and Matthews had to retire to get the wound attended, but he soon resumed play. He is a distinct asset to, the Oriental side. j

Carroll, the ex-Hawkes Bay back, playing with Oriental, is striking form, and shows a happy knack of making openings. The Oriental back line is much strengthened by the play of " Snowy " Adams, formerly an Athletic star, but now shining quite brightly with the old opponents of the Blues. Adarrf jooks like supplying the gap in placekicking left by Armstrong, who was with Cries last year.

All-round improvement was shown by the M«risfc_ backs against Athletic. Their passing movements were frequently good to watch, the conceited1 efforts o£ Mavkham and M'Oleaxy (ike new half-back) in. particular. The latter quickly fell into Maikham's way of working 'the b^cks, and his play was sufficiently good to suggest that not only will he prove a capable link between the Marisb-forwards and; backs, but lie may also have to be considered for a place in representative teams. The first indication of his form, points to this halfback taking a hand in raising the standard; of play in that .particular position in local club football.

At the end of last season there was no better forward in New Zealand than M. Brownlie (writes " Old Timer " in the Napier Daily Telegraph]. In head work, knowledge of the Jjame,. and an earnest endeavour at all times to open up the play, he was streets abov« anything we saw, even including the Springboks. He has every virtue and few vices. He has been (brought up in the hard school of boxing, and understands, as few of us do, the value of self-control and the futility of vindictiveness. I have watched him very closely, and have never yet seen any trace of temper, no matter what the provocation. His fitness last season was superb, and I notice that this season he is fast approaching last year's condition. New Zealand is the home of good forwards, and at one stage there was nothing in the world that could touch 'em. To ,say that Brownlie is ecjualto the best of them is no exaggeration ..

U. P. Calcinai continues to serve Ponoke well. He scored three tries last Saturday. There is no doubt that his present form entitles him to be considered as a representative. ....

D. Algar, who has been ill, was' to be with his team to-day. His brother, ifc is reported, may not be available again this season.

The report that de Clifton had decid-. Ed to retire to the bank was a. little premature. He was back with the Selwyn pack last week, having shaken off •the, effects of a collision with another player a couple of weeks ago.

A very unusual incident during tho 'Varsity-Berhamporo match was a mark in goal. The ball was punted 'by Berhampore high over the goal-line, the idea being for;a .follow-up in the hope of a score resulting. A 'Varsity player fielded the ball well inside the goal area, and instead of forcing he called " mark." Berhampore stood on the mark; the ball was kicked against them; and rebounded into the dead-ball area. '

O'Callagban, the professional sprint champion, is an outstanding figure in football on the West Coast, and there are some who believe that he is every bit as good as Jack Steel. When these players opposed each other in a recent match Steel, it is reported, played the game of his life. His team (Star) won easily. • ', .

"Billy" Fea and Perry are doing great things for 'Varsity A in Dunedin this year. Sinclair, full-back in the same team, is regarded as a player likely to make a name for himself.

Said a referee in reporting a second grade player at last Monday night's meeting of the O.R.F.U. Executive-: "The language was something terrible. I cautioned both sides about it half a dozen times. I was sick of it, and then I ordered off, and he went off." Result : This player, the only one reported, was suspended for one playing' Saturday. Some of the others must have been extremely lucky to escape even a caution (comments "Referee" in> the Bunedin Star).

The average football public here is apt to applaud a pot at goal only when it succeeds, but really it is an essential part of the game, "well deserving to be better practised. Years ago it was usual bot.ii in New Zealand and in English football for backs- to work up for a pot and have their most skilful exponent of the drop-kick lying off in a favourable position to shoot. The ball would bo whipped into him quickly, and ho would in a flash let drive for the goal, often with striking success. . The potted goal then used to figure frequently in the scores, arid there were men whose season's total of points for potting would run into the thirties. Alas! today a potted goal seems oftener a piece of good luck than of good management. This all is apropos of a well-judged attempt by Harris, of Old Boys, in the second spell against Oriental. ; Harris was in a perfect position in/front of goal, and there was little hope in sending the ball on. to the wing, so he wisely let loose a drop at goal. -• Urn fortunately, an incipient tackle shook him, and he failed by a small margin. All the same, it was the correct thing to do, and assiduous field practice by teams in front of goal would assuredly bear fruit in the long run. AVhen a team is three points behind, a pot is better than a try- . ■ ! A gathering which represented nearly every phase o£ athletic and other sports in Greymouth met. recently under the auspices of the West Coast Rugby Union for the- purpose of presenting to Mr. J. Steel the cup which the West Coaster won as being the bes£ " All Black" in the three Tests against the Springboks. The cup was donated to the New Zealand /Rugby Union by Jenkins and f imm, Ltd. (Sheffield), through Oswald M. Smith and Co., of Dunedin. Mr. F. Wade, in proposing the toast of "Our Three New Zealand Champions," said it was a remarkable fact that they, had in the room with them that evening three Greymouth residents who were the present champions of New Zealand in three classes of sport in which there was very keen competition. Mr. Steel was xeaily a triple champion (football and 100_yds and 220 yds champion); Mi1. L. O'Neill, amateur welter boxing champion ; and Mr. A. ' Sime, amateur golf champion. The sporting community of the Coast had good cause to feel pleased at such a remarkable achievement, and ,it was doubly pleasing that the three champions were line, clean-living, modest .spprtsjuen, wlio were a credit to the' .ap'orUs at Stefe &1W jJHfcL: H'.SSM -MS6.il' ,ju4«ni.R.j/" ■ ' ■ - •-•' ..-I