THE FOOTBALL SEASON.

Evening Star, Issue 11725, 7 April 1902, Page 3

THE FOOTBALL SEASON.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—Now that ihe football clubs of Ihmedin arc holding their practice matches ;md getting into form for the coming seaRon, may I suggest, that the Flag Committer of the O.R.F.U. should start the senior games at an earlier period than previous sermons. Tn Lost year's second round of these series of matches two games only were played. Of course, the O.R.F.iJ. have to get ready for intefprovincial fixtures, but if club games were started earlier (here would be no cause to restrict the latter part of the season. Last season was unavoidably cut short, at an interesting stage, and if two or three more matches had been played the contest, for the flag would have been a memorable event.. I do not mean by this to cast any slight upon last year's winners of the flag, nor to insinuate that if tho season had been extended they would aivc been elsewhere than at the top. The fll'rlier, no doubt, accounted for two or more of last season's games jn the eyes of the ever-watcl»ful Flag Committee, who perhaps thought the players would catch some serious ailment through playing on the wet ground. Look at the sorry plight Otago were in in last year's game against Southland at, Oarisbrook.whcnit was wet and muddy; nor is this the only occasion. For years past it has Imen the same. Football being a winter game, why not, play in winter weather? Otago is the only province in New Zealand (unless I am mistaken) that plays the tine-weather game—an entirely new game, compared with the old winter jw*tifne—which reminds <we of lawn tennis or ping-pong. The cause of the downfall of Otago last year may be traced to these reasons more than the actual deterioration of the players, who did their best under the circumstances. In my mind, the continual postponement of matches until the weather bo more favorable is the anti-climax of Otago's football.—l am, etc., E.J.L. April 7.