POINTS ABOUT PONEKE.

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 141, 17 June 1922, Page 12

POINTS ABOUT PONEKE.

Poneke neve been regarded for some time now as a team hard to beat. The reason probably lies in the fact that there-is a big percentage of old heads in the team, old in the knowledge of football they possess, and well tried. Often they do not make much of an impression, but they get therein the same. Ir> many instances Poneke's success is attributed to luck; they are often spoken of as the lucky team of the competition. But a close survey of their players and their methods reveals the plain facts that they have some of the best material on the football field to-day, and that they have a very fair idea of how to use it to suit occasions. They were caught by Berhampore, a well-trained side, early in the season, but since then they have reproduced their happy" knack of rising to the occasion, particularly when confronted with what appeared to be their most difieult task of tho season, to defeat 'Varsity. The match against Petone is not taken into consideration in these references to Poneke's progress, as the day on v/hich it was played was not fit for football. One of the most effective means Poneke used against their opponents has been goal-kicking. In King they have probably the best place-kick in Wellington, and it is quite reasonable to expect them to make the best use of that asset. To win a game by goalkicks may be regarded as lucky, but accurate kicking, even apart from efforts to goal, is.an essential of the game, and if a team beats another in that respect it is up to the other side to improve its slaudard in that important branch of the game. Then Poneke have another effective means o! combating their opponents—a well-balanced pack of forwards. Apart from their scrum work, they can show points in following up, one of their number, Caleinai, being a, past master in that type of play, which has gained for Poneke many points. The .work of the backs, in attack, has not been a patch on that shown by Poneke's rearguard of former days, but it may bo due to a good deal of shuffling of positions which has been made since the start of the season.

The latest good point shown by Poneke is tackling. It was brought out in good light against 'Varsity, and it had the effect of completely upsetting a fast combination. The wise heads who are looking after the Red and Blacks evidently realised that sound tackling would be probably more essential than anything else against 'Varsity, and it was evident that tho players had had the matter thoroughly impressed upon them. It turned out to be a principal factor in achieving success. Certainly it lessened the attractiveness of the game from the spectators' point of view, but it was necessary to Poneko if they, wanted to ,win. The forwards were left to do most of the attacking, and they did their job yell, though some of the scoring was jrriiat might be termed " flukey."