LEAGUE CODE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 142, 16 June 1923, Page 17

LEAGUE CODE

[BY ■HALF BACK"! REPRESENTATIVE GAMES

PERSONAL NOTES.

A. Hawkins, an ex-Union player, turnled out for Central Seniors last Saturday in their match against City, and played ■a. good game as a five-eighth.

Cook. City three-quarter, ha 3 a had practice of hurdling men. On Saturday last ha hurdled a Central player and came off second best. He should do away with that practice. T. Ryan, of the three-quarter line of the Petone seniors, is playing fine foptball. This is hi 3 first year in senior football. He should develop into a really good Leaguer. In- all probability a local team will visit the West Coast this season. The Coast people have written asking for a team to visit that centre this year, and the conditions offered are very generous. The request will be considered by the Management Committee at its next meeting. The local representatives will also' pay a visit to Christehurch this season. Christchurch reps, played in Wellington last year. • These trips, with the prospects of a Sydney Club visiting Wellington, 6hould create a great deal of interest in League circles, especially amongst the players who are desirous of gaining representative honours. Wellington also have a challenge in for the Northern Union Cup, at present held by South Auckland. The matcli will be played at Hamilton.

Mr. A. Withey is the new secretary of the Newtown Club. He has been connected with the club for some time, and is an enthusiastic supporter of the code.

Mr. J. Duske, late secretary of the City Olub, is reported to be on the improve. He has been in hospital for some time, and it will be pleasing to see him about again! He has played in representative League eames, and Jaat season played for Wellington against South Auckland in an- exhibition game flt Palmerston North. Mr. H. A. Hansen is at present secretary of the club.

R. Cudby, Hutt forward, plays a good forward game. Last year he played Rugby for Hutt. He should be heard of in bigger games this season.

T. Balks, Hutt full-back,. and last year's Petone full-back, is still playing his usual sound game. It is said that ho has only scored one try in New Zealand, against Central at Newtown Park, in the 1921 season. He never goes out of the full-back position.

F. Nunn, Petone seniors, is playing up to form at five-eighths, and on Saturday had Hutt players bewildered with his "dummy" movements. He- always plays good football, and has several times gained representative honours.

J. Kruse, Petone half, is undoubtedly the best hajf in the game in Wellington. He is very heady. He has played League for Petone for the past four or five years., and is still showing good form.

W. Taylor has hopes of turning out for his club'again this season. His leg is improving. He has been a big help to the Central juniors, and last year scored the highest number of points in the junior competitions. He was doing well this season when he received a bad knock on the knee.

Waaka, City, is playing good football for his team in the forward line. Ho has plenty of weight, but is not fast.

A letter from the West Coast League states they are doing well. This year they have four senior teams, nine junior, four third grade, three fourth-grade, and four school teams. The public patronage, although the weather has be>.< very wet, has surpassed that of last year.

It is hoped to see G. Pringle, an exRugbyite, turn out for Central in the course of a few weeks. His present occupation compels him to be on duty on Saturday afternoons. He is wellkown in boxing circles.

D. Whittington, Central seniors, is a good forward. He is very keen, and always on the ball.

W. Hedges., skipper of the Newtown senior team, is a good forward.

Doig is plavinj good football for the Newtown forwards.

Hanson. City seniors, is a power of strength in the five-eighth line for his team.

Midhurst ,of the South forwards, is playing good football, and should be heard of in bigger games ere the season closes.

The League ball to be held this month is being looked forward to with great interest by players and supporters of the 'code and their friends, and it is anticipated that the League funds will benefit substantially as a result of the enterprise of the management committee. The arrangements are well in hand and everything noints to an enjoyable evening. There will be six prizes for costumes.

Fqotball in the lower grades locally is very keen_, and each Saturday iho scores at the finish of matches aro almost on a par. no team having a walk-over win. On Saturday Rovers and City juniors played a drawn game, each registering *7 points,' while the match Rovers thirds v. City thirds, played at Emerson street, ended up in a victory for the former team by S points to 3. On the previous Saturday Central and Hutfc juniors fought out a drawn game, each scoring 3 points._ The other gamesl were also exceedingly close. The games are always hard and fast, and are interesting to watch.

Hutt seniors set out to beat Petone last Saturday, but they found the unbeaten team a harder proposition than they imagined. The first spell ended up in favour of Hutt by 2 points to nil, and it Igoked as though the new Hutt team were ?oing to win. Petone, however, came to light in the second half and rattled up 11 points, whilst Hutt could not increase their score, the game ending 11-2. The Hutt team is to be congratulated on its fine record, especially as this is its first season under the jurisdiction of the League rules, and "Half-Back" does not have to look very Tar ahead to the time when this team will be a champion one. The suburbanites have: a splendid following of the public, who. show much interest' in the Le.-jgue same. /

Central have some good friends this year. Mr. H. . Aird, secretary of the club, has donated a silver cup for annual competition for the best all-round player in the club; Mr. C. Snow, chairman of the Wellington Centre, and a staunch supporter of the club, has donated a medal for the mem.ber fo the club enrolling the most new members during the present season; and Messrs. \v\ Wakelin and Joe Ward, two enthusiastic supporters of the code, have donated a medal each for the best forward and back.

C. Smeiiton, the City juniors' skipper, is a great worker.

F. Sage, the City half-back, plays a good same, but he should get the ball oui more often to the back rank.

W. Findlay, the City junior full-back, is as safe as any junior full-back iv \v"ellin!itcm this season, and assuredly will be heard of in representative football

S. Piper, hooker City, is a big asset to his team. He played a very good game last Saturday.

D. M'Alees and R, Nixon are two «o«cj forward* in the Oily juuiur team.