RUGBY LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 22

RUGBY LEAGUE

SATURDAY'S MATCHES (By "Selector.")The 'Albiou-Nowtown game provided good football. Newtown relied on keeping the ball at their feet, and whilst that style of play had much to commend iit oil a level ground, there isno doubt that the passing game as exhibited by the Albion backs is superior on a ground such as League Park. M'Kenzie, the Albion five-eighths, repeatedly took the ball from an opponent's kick and started passing movements that should have shown results, but which failed owing to lack of finish. Denmson, who has previously played fullback, was tried out on the wing, and proved an unqualified success.. Running with good pace, ,and drawing the opposition well, lie was always dangerous, and had ho received the ball mdre there possibly would have been-a different result. Elder, who has recently returned to the gaino, proved a hard-working, clever player, his try being a good piece of work. Albion are to be congratulated on the staunch battle they put up. With' combination they are going to be hard' to'beat. Tor Newtown the veteran Green was constantly in the picture. Playing with dash, he got Newtown out of many a nasty corner,.and his goal and two tries were the means of putting his side in the lead. Keys again proved worth his place, his dribbling efforts being pretty to watch. M'Kewen played a useful game, as also did Walsh and M'Canibridge.- That old stalwart Hedges shone, with some good low tackles —' something that is more the exception than the rule with most players. Murphy was there with his pace when needed, and is rapidly learning the finer points of the League code. His only fault is a tendency to over-kick. If he would only rely more on his pace, do a little more infield passing, and try "selling the dummy," then he would be the most prolific sCorer playing here, as he possesses a pair .of hands that rarely miss a pass., Phillips and Davis, light-weight players, show spirit in going for players far heavier than themselves, but on a tricky'ground like League Park they take a big risk of being knocked out. That nothing more serious than .a displaced knee-cap happened is fortunate. Newtown were without the services of Jelley, CGrajtly, and Crummer which considerably weakened tji'e team. - Hutt v. Petone. ' .With tho better ground, these teams showed more ■ finished football. Tho game was more even than the score 16-8 would indicate, tho Hutt superiority being in the passing, of Bowon, Leslie, and Collins, and the snappy passing out of Pnketapu. Love, perhaps, owing to his size,-.was the outstanding forward in a sot of forwards who were all playing good football. They well deserved'their, win.' Tor Potone Soorringe, Grcer, and Slavin were again tho pick, but-they appeared to lack leadership. The tackling was also weak on more than ono'occasion. Collins scored after three Pctono players Had clung round his neck. Petono require tho assistance of Nunn to instil cohesion, as they start a promising movement and "flop" owing,to forward passing, overeagerness, or some other failing. With tho material they possess they should be well nigh unbeatable. No ' reflections can be cast individually. It is simply that they have no collective understanding. Notes. The League game in Wellington has sustained a serious loss as the result of Crewthcr having left for Auckland. We want more of his keep-at-it style of play. He applied for his clearance this week, so all. talk of his defection is just. talk. Crummer was an absenteo from Newtown ranks, having crushed two toes whilst working. It will be some time before he takes the field again. , Sharrock, Petone's diminutive halfback, is showing good form. There are a lot of rumoui'S about, regarding changes in the Management Committee. League players will be sorry to hear' that W. C. ("Mick") Hunt is in hospital as the result of an accident. Judging, from the goals missed, goalVicking does not appear to bo practised very much.