NEW SOUTH WALES TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 29, 3 August 1925, Page 6

NEW SOUTH WALES TOUR

THE TEAM FOR NEW ZEALAND.

(Special to "The Press.") SYDNEY, 29th July. ■ Before choosing the team to tour New Zealand, the selectors circularised the leading players pf the State with a view to finding out who were available for selection. Of those approached only five were unavailable, but after the team was,selected four of those chosen were compelled to drop out, so that nine of the supposed best will not be members of the party. The two absentees whose services would have been of much assistance to the team are Nothling and Boss—both full-backs. The former will be remembered as a member of the teams which toured the Dominion in 1921 and 1923, while the latter got his cap this season, and played very ably against the All Blacks. In the absence of these two players, E. J. Eeid has been chosen as one of the full-backs, but in the opinion of many a mistake has been made in changing him from the position of cenire •three-quarter. Against the All Blacks he showed very good form both in attack and defence, and in the second match scored three tries. He was the only player in the home back division who endeavoured to beat an opposing player, and was always trying to make openings. As most of his colleagues generally ran from the side of the field, his absence will probably weaken the attacking power of the backs a great deal. Morrissey, the other centre, is heavy and fast, and, being a product of one of the local colleges, has a good knowledge of the game, but is more • stereotyped than Reid, and will probably be less effective through the absence of the latter, OUTSTANDING BACKS. The most outstanding wing threequarter is Grossman, who has a great turn of speed, and is a prolific scorer in local matches. Given room to use his pace, he is likely to score, but in this season's big games he was consistently jammed on the touch line by his fellows, and was not at all effective. Ho is a useful place kick, and with Thorn will probably take most of the attempts at goal. The main weakness of the team will probably be the half-back position. Snell, of Newcastle, who played in four matches against the New Zealand team, is too crude to have much success in the Dominion. He is inclined to lob his passes, and >do far too much kicking. Although the first half-back chosen, he will probably have to play second fiddle to Meagher, who is much crisper in his movements.

Lawtou is much the better of the two five-eighths selected, and is playing extremely well at present. If he can get plenty of the ball, he will be a thorn in the side of his opponents. The forwards are a very even lot, and will be well led by Thorn. Theii 1 scrumming is good, though the back row forwards are too prone to break away, too soon, and in the New Zealand matches they were frequently penalised for ofi-side play. Their moat notabl<>, weakness, however, was their habit of getting in front of the kicker at kick out and free-kicks, and it was the rule rather than the exception for the ball to be brought back* and scrummaged. PARTICULARS OF PLAYERS. Morrissey, Snell, and Laycock are the only country players in the team. The former has also represented his State at cricket; T. Smith toured the Dominion with the New South Wales team in 1921, and W. C. Smith, Thorn,' Bowers, George, Meagher, Blackwood, and Greatorex in 1923. \ Thorn has been appointed captain and Lawton vice-captain of the team. The team as finally chosen is as fol- ■ lows:—

Height. Weight. Name. Club. ft in ntlb Full-backs. A. E. Toby—Y.M.C.A S 9 10 6 B. J. Reid—Glebe Balmain ; 5 11 12 7 Three-quarters. 0. C. Crossman—Randwick .... 5 6 9 4 A. J. Bowers—East Suburbs .. 611 13 7 N. C. Smith—Manly 5 10 12 0 R. H. Foote—University 6 9 12 10 C. V. Morrisey—Newcastle 5 10 13 6 3. King—West Suburbs 5 8 ,10 0 F. G. Doran—Glebo Balmain ... 6 8 11 0 P. A. Mulligan—Randwick _ 6 6 10 12 Five-eighths. W. J. George—Y.M.C.A 5 9 10 6 L Lawton-?West Suburbs 6 1 12 12 Halves. H. Snell-Newcastle 6 6 10 4 F. Meagher—Randwick 6 7 10 i Forwards. Front row— K. Tarleton—North Sydney .... 6 10 12 0 J. T. Blackwood—East Suburbs 6 10 11 30 T. Smith—Manly 5 10 12 11 11. Woods-Y.M.C.A. .... 6 9 12 7 L. Palmer—West Suburbs 5 10 12 12 . Second row— C. Shaw—North Sydney' 5 8 13 3 J. Ford—Glebe Balmain CO MS H. Judd—West Suburbs 6 10 12 8 Back row— ♦ D. Telford—Manly 0 0 13 6 H. Bryant—West Suburbs 5 9 12 8 W. Laycock—Walcha 6 10 12 7 E. J. Thorn-Manly 5 11 13 4 E. W. Greatorex-Y.M.C.A CO 12 4 W. Rigney—East Suburbs 5 11 12 0