ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Issue 12, 14 July 1936, Page 13

ASSOCIATION

AUSTRALIAN TOUR

FINAL MATCH

EXHIBITION GAME

Unless the Australian Association football players are unexpectedly opposed to the project, .their final match in Wellington on August 1, their date of departure, will be an exhibition game in which they will be divided equally into two sides, the elevens being completed by Wellington colts. That decision was made by a narrow margin at last night's meeting of the council of the New Zealand Football Association, acting on a suggestion forwarded by the Waterside Club through the Wellington association.

The secretary (Mr. Alf Williams) explained that although the chairman of the council (Mr. J. A. Milbum) was opposed to the suggestion, he favoured it. The Australian manager (Mr. S. A. Storey) was also agreeable to it.

Mr. W. G. Bryce thought that it would be a good game, and a better draw than another contest between Wellington and Australia.

. Opposing the suggestion, Mr. P. McKenzie said that a team of Wellington colts might provide a better game than the Test match had been. The association would get little revenue from a practice match such as had been suggested.

Speaking also against the proposal, Mr. H. L. Godber, who presided, said that if a full team of local players met the Australians eleven of their* would benefit; if they split the visitors and made up the balance locally only seven would have the experience of playing. Mr. J. Y. Walls held the opinion that the suggestion was quite good. It was the right idea to play colts alongside the more experienced men, and such a match would do those who did play s muc'h more good than if they were playing with equals. The general public would realise that the real tour was over and that such a contest would ,be purely an exhibition.

The chairman of the New Zealand! selection committee (Mr. Frank] Sanders) also favoured the idea. "If you I put eleven Wellington colts against; the Australians," he saia, "would they be playing or struggling? They would have the legs run off them for ninety! minutes and would learn nothing." He thought six Australians on each side would be enough. They might not all bt fit, and there was one man who had not yet played in New Zealand. The ten local players who filled the vacancies would learn something instead of being just a dispirited mob. On the motion of Mr. Walls, seconded by Mr. Sanders, it was decided by 3 votes to 2 to accept the suggestion, subject to the consent of Mr. Storey; Two members of the council did not vote.