HOCKEY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 143, 20 June 1925, Page 18

HOCKEY

BY "STICKS"

TOURNAMENT TEAMS

COMING EVXSTS.

July 15—Australians v. Manawatu.jtt Palmerston North. Jnly IS—Australians v. Auckland, at Auckland. July IS—Zanol Cup Match (Wellington v. Auck-

land), at Auckland. July 22—Australians v. Waikato. July 25—Australians v. Nelson, at Nelson. July 28—Australians v. Buller, at Westport. .August I—Australians v. Canterbury, at Christ-

church. Angnst i —Australians v. South Canterbury, at

Geraldine. August 1 to 6—New Zealand Tournament," at

Wellington. August. B—Australia v. New Zealand Test, at

Wellington. August IS—Australians v. Wairarapa, at Car-

terton. August—Norton Cup Tournament, at Auckland.

The Wellington Hockey Association should consider itself fortunate that after last year's experience Saturday last was only the second occasion this year that local hockey has had to be postponed. Though, almost without exception, the days preceding the end of the week have been wet and unpromising, grounds have generally been dry enough to play on when the Saturday came along. It is a pity that such postponements should have to take place, as the season is drawn out to such an extent that players lose their first enthusiasm and become "stale," but it is certainly unwise to carry on with the fixtures when wet grounds are likely to cause illness and accidents.

Tournament Teams At a recent meeting of tlie Manage merit Committee it was decided that the senior selector (Mr. H. M'Gregor) he requested to pick two teams to play in the tournament to ba held at Wellington during the first week in August. A correspondent has fo~rwarded the following notes and suggestions for the picking of two good teams :—On the play so far this season, both Guy (Wellington) and Brennan (Karori) are the pick of the goalkeepers, but Gny is probably the better. Of the full-backs, undoubtedly Perrin (Karori) (although he usually plays centre-half m club matches) is the pick, with Martis (Wellington), MarI tin (Petone), and O'Callaghan (Wesley) the best of the others. There is an abundance of fairly good halves, among them being Free (Wesley), Trott (Wakatu), Thorpe (Hutt), Adams (Wakatu), Francis (Petone), and Fraser ('Varsity). In choosing the forwards the selector will encounter most trouble, as there are in Wellington at present quite a number of players who can play a fair game as individualists, but are hopeless when asked to combine with 6trange players. The following forwards have all shown good form this season, and would fill the positions as allotted to them : Dee (Wakatu), or Jacobsen (Wellington) would both make first-class right-wings, but the Wellington man is probably the best of the two mentioned. Cooper (Karori) and Freethy (Wesley) arc much ahead of the other inside-rights, and have both done good work- for their respective teams this year. Freethy, although an individualist, is a dangerous man when he reaches the circle, and this will probably tell in his favour when the final selection is made. The selector can hardly go past Stratton (Wakatu) when selecting the bully. This player showed to advantage against Hutt, and it was owing to his fine judgment and quick stickwork that Hutt were kept on the defence almost the whole of the second spell against Wakatn. The only other centre-forward that has shown form is Hoare (Hutt). This player is just the opposite to Stratton in so much that he is weak in the field, but good in the circle. This should not entitle him to the place before Stratton. The inside-left position can only be filled by either D. Hood (Wa- | katu) or E. Lusty (Hutt). The former has shown to much better advantage than the latter, especially in the game : that Hutt had against Wakatu. Lusty 1 would make a good inside-right as his tendency is to hit the ball to the left, especially when approaching the circle. The left-wing position will be between Smith (Huttj and W. Hood (Wakatu). Hood is undoubtedly the better of the two, and. has shown the best form so far this season. Smith has the com- ■ mDii fault of most left-wings, in talcing the ball too far down tho left wing juntil he finds himself cramped up in the corner. The following are sugI gested - teams : —Goal, Gny (Wellington) : full-backs, Martis "(Wellington) and Perrm (Karori) ; right-half, Adams (Wakatu);. centre-half. Trott (Wakatu) ; left-hatf, Thorpe (Hutt); right-wins, Jacobsen (Wellington); iuside-right, E. Lusty (Hutt); bully, Stratton . (Wakatu) ; inside-right, D*. Hood (Wakatu); left-wing, W. Hood (Wakatu). Goal, Brennan (Karon) ; full-backs, Martin (Petone) and O'Callaghan (Wesley); right-half, Fraser ('Varsity); centrehalf, Free (Wesley) ; left-half, Francis (Potone.); rightrwing, Dee (Wakatu); inside-right, Cooper (Karori); bully, Hoare (Hutt); inside-left, Freethv (Weslov); left-wing, Smith (Hutt).

Hockey in tne Schools.

A Match and a Ground

"Whenever the members of the Wellington Hockey Association are on the look-out for grounds they /would be well advised to steer clear of the one at Lyall Bay Park, on which the match between Victoria College and Otago University College was played. The ground spoken of is marked out foe Rugby, and while in its present state it may serve admirably for that game, it is no class for hookey, as the students found out. The ground is covered with little tufts of grass, and it certainly called for more than ordinary skill on the part of the players to control the ball decently. The game originally was to have been played on the Basin Reserve, but' the turf was too sodden there to permit play, and this oilier playing areas in town were in the same condition. The only other ground available- was at Lyall Bay Park, and, lather than postpone the match, which would have, been di£-ficulfe-ift- <|o^ .the. .students- ££*,

TWO FINE ELEVENS ARE AVAILABLE

AUSTRALIANS' ITINERARY FINALLY ARRANGED

cepted the Director of Reserve's kind

offer of the of the ground, la spite of the 'unfavourable conditions, the players provided an interesting contest. True, there were not many com-, bined forward rushes which always make for spectacular play, bnt still there

were several dashing individual efforts at times to hold those who had come expecting to see a brilliant exposition of hockey. There was very little difference between the two vanguards, but in the back division Otago were superior and they deserved their win by four goals to two. The Wellington backs, although clearing some very difficult sit-

uations, were not up to form, and did not give their forwards the necessary support. As was the case with the team from Auckland University College, which played here recently, it was very noticeable the variety of crisp strokes the Otago players possessed. They were able always to hit the ball accurately, no matter whereabouts on the field they happened to be, with a neat • smart stroke, and they hardly ever gave "sticks," whereas the local men, especially the backs, were constant offenders. The two goalies had an unenviable task to fulfil. Rugby* goal posts were used, and these are. set much wider apart than hockey posts, so it can well be imagined how difficult it was to dash across and stop the hard little leather ball in time to prevent a goal being scored. When a player had only the goalkeeper to beat it was ten to one he would score. Among the Otago. men who showed up prominently Bridgman, the skipper grid centre-for-ward, first caught, the eye. Bridgman played a great game, and notched three goals. Otago's centre was well supported by Elifie, a heady player/ Miller, on the left wing, was also conspicuous amongst a hard-working team. For Victoria College, Allan Cousins stood out prominently; Ham did all required of him in a capable manner; Simpson played a good, hard, dashing game; and Paul and Lewis distingTSshed themselves on the wings.

. The increase in popularity of hockey in the primary schools was noticeable "last season. This season the stick game has found ■ favour in several more schools, and if the enthusiasm displayed by the boys now playing the game is any criterion it seems that the time is not very far distant when practically every school in the Wellington province will boast one or more hockey teams. The boys are being well looked after, and the management of school hockey is in eery capable hands. This year seven teams are competing in the senior grade and eleven in the junior, making a total of eighteen in all. In the senior grade, particularly, some keen contests have been fought. There are several lads who display a good knowledge of the game. At present there are one or two teams which are more fortunate than others in that they have at their disposal the services of a teacher who has played hockey himself. This makes a great deal of difference to a team, as has been shown on more than one occasion fchig year.

The Management Committee of the Wellington Primary Schools' Hockey Association has always been keen to try oat the local boys against teams outside Wellington. Last year there were no primary schoolboy representatives games in Wellington, nor did any of our boys travel officially to play teams in other centres. This season a Wellington representative team will in all probability be sent to Auckland to compete in the tournament to be held there to decide the first holders of the Norton SJemorial

Cup, a handsome trophy presented by Mr. L. H. Norton, in memory of his brother, Lieutenant R. BL I. Norton. A fine spirit of friendly rivalry exists between the Hataitai School, Wellington, and the Dalefield School, Carterton. For the last three years annual. hockey matches have been played between teams from these two schools. With a view to more firmly establishing this happy stato of affairs, two members of the Hataitai School Committee, Messrs. D. Kean and A. B. Croker, have prepared a fine trophy hockey stick, covered with sOver-plated scrolls, on each of which will be recorded the resnlt of the con- : tests from year to year. This stick is to be held by the successful school until such time as they are beaten for it by their opponents. Recently the members of the Hataitai School senior hockey team paid a. visit to their country friends - with the object in view ■' of winning back this mnch-coyeted trophy. The boys were accompanied by their coach. Mr. A. A. Kirk, and the members of the Hataitai School Committee who were to play a friendly game against a team from the combined committees of the Dalefield and Matarawa Schools. The schoolboys had a somewhat easy win over their country friends, but their paternal relations did not lind things quite so easy, as they were defeated by the country committee team by 5 goals to 2. It is understood that' a similar contest will be-played, in Wellington during the Winter Show Week, when the Dalefield boys and committee will be the guests of their Hataitai friends.

Notes. In Mr. Percy Atkinson, the Wellington Hockey Association has a new chairman who can be depended upon to give of his best at all times and under all circumstances. He has been an enthusiastic follower ■ and player of the game for twenty years. and in that time has gained an experience which should stand him in good stead when knotty problems come up for consideration. His personality is most genial and he has a forceful manner of dealing with matters which invariably commands respect.

In tho senior grade of the primary schools' competition, Hataitai arc lead-/ ing with eight points. Northland and KhiincUilUh vure equal in the junior -A division with four points each, and Newtowii lead Uic senior. Jj.'gfads>. ■■!»* Jft yffi^ |our..|raiiits.