THE LEAGUE GAME

Evening Star, Issue 19375, 8 October 1926, Page 10

THE LEAGUE GAME

NOTES AND COMMENTS

[By Dp.op Kick.]

A great opportunity was presented on Saturday for the code to advance itself in the estimation of Dunedin football fans, who were nresent in good force at tho “Calc.” Unfortunately everyone was let down with a wallop, and the game, instead of getting a much-needed boost, got rather a poor advertisement. The contest was a travesty of League football, and was one ot the least exhilarating affairs of tho season. Tho prestige lost will take a lot of regaining, but those controlling the code hero are far from being despondent, and a reverse or two will merely stir them on to fresh efforts to place the game on a satisfactory footing. New players will have to be obtained, as well as a playing coach, it is obvious that the game being played in Dunedin by several clubs at the present time is not League football, though it masquerades under that name. City have not condescended to play League all the season, though there was a different story to tell last year, when they gave some sparkling exhibitions. The tight gam© favored by them might be useful in winning them cups and other trophies, but it is tho game itself that should be the first consideration when the code is only in its inlancy. Failure on tho part of players to appreciate this has nearly been fatal to the new game here. The style of play adopted by Citv and several of the other clubs is the very antithesis to League football, and the game can hardlv he expected to advance when the players themse’.ves are presenting the public with a spurious article that is neither League nor Rugby. There might have been a few excuses for City’s poor performance, but absolutely none for tho tamo exhibition served up by Hornby, who gave rather an inglorious display for a champion team. Their efforts further emphasised what tho writer said in this column about the Otago-Oanterbury game, when he pointed out that League was not now being played in Canterbury—a judgment, by tho way, that was concurred in by many old League players. The big influx of Rugby players a few years ago evidently settled tho code there. Five or sis years ago tho writer .ioquently saw from 4,000 to 5,000 vildly excited spectators at League lub games at Sydenham Park, senior lugby matches on an adjoining ground oing watched by tho line umpires, hose halcvon days have apparently dearted, and the explanation is not diffiult to discover after seeing th© Hornby earn in action on Saturday. They

•ertainly looked a likely lot as they .rooped out, but it was soon evident .tint they were hopelessly out of condition to engage in serious football. Only tho full-hack and one or two of the forwards showed anything like their Christchurch form. The City “ rake ” (Tait) was wonderfully successful in getting tho ball in the scrums; but the backs made father poor use of tho fine opportunities that presented themselves, Eckhoff particularly being very disappointing. Tho City skipper is obviously not a, fiveeighth, though everyone believed that ho was the making or a champion a few months ago. Ho is an invaluable man to have in any team, hut his place is in tho forwards.

The player who impressed most was F, Warr. the visitors’ full-back, who frequently got his side out of difficulties—in fact, ho saved them from an utter rout in tho last fifteen minutes. W. Stewart, one of Hornby’s wing men, gave a poor exhibition. He was badly hurt early in the season, and should not have been in tbo team at all. R. Mackio was another of the disappointments, his trouble being a chronic inability to gather in tho ball cleanly. N. Vivian gave the impression that he was tired of football for tho season, and perhaps this was the explanation for tho tame exhibition by both sides. Cameron was easily tho host forward on the ground. The visitors bad nothing to equal either the City’s breakaway or Brien. both of them acting as extra backs when tho occasion demanded it. Hunt, who has been experimented with in various positions during the season, has never let his club down once, and on Saturday ho played another good, honest game on tho wing. On the other flank was Percy Hickey, but one hardly ever saw him in action at all. He was certainly badly starved in tho second half, but his display was mediocre in tbo first. Clydesdale, the winners’ full-back, made one bad mistake, _ but otherwise his performance was fairish. Christian Brothers will meet Hornby at Christchurch to-morrow, and tho local side should have an easy win. On Saturday’s performance tbo Greens are a good‘3o points better side than Hornby. They are tho one team playing real League here to-day. Tbo New Zealanders made a splendid showing against the strong English team at Wigan, and incidentally showed that the alleged “critics” were all wrong again. Followers of Rugby football in Wales are watching very closely the activities of the newly-formed Rugby League Club at Pontypridd, fearing that it will have tho effect of luring some of the best Welsh Rugby players to professionalism. The latest capture is Tommy James, who last season played at inside half for Pontypool. He is twenty-six years of ago, and gamed his football experience with Talywain and Blacnavon. Prior to tho_coal stoppage he worked in the mine. It is thought that many other players who worked at collieries may also succumb to tbo temptation to leave tbo amateur code. _ The younger players in tho English Rugby League are to bo catered for this season by a new scheme. _ The League has started a junior section of the competitions in which all the players will he amateurs. This should take away a lot of young Rugby players in the northern districts of the Old Country. __ THE SEASON IN REVIEW. The season just ended can hardly he described as a very successful one, chiefly owing to the fact that many of the players have not taken as kindly to the rules ns was naturally ( expected they would. League, when played ns it should bo, is one of the most inspiring games that tho ingenuity of man has ever devised, but unfortunately the exponents of it here have failed as yet to do the code full justice. It is, perhaps, only a matter of time before tho players in Otago reach something of the standard attained in Auckland. One thing is certain—that, until they do so, the public can hardly bo expected to support the code here as they are doing elsewhere. The executive, find particularly the secretary

and a few others, have done everything conceivable as far as placing the game on a sound footing is concerned. They have certainly done so in the important department of finance, hut the players remain the problem. .If they refuse to play League there is nothing in the world to compel I hem to do so. Long before the new season comes along the executive will have to boldly face the facts and make a valiant attempt to retrieve the position. A playing coach or two may solve flse ptoblomj this was certainly the method adopted in Queensland, who recruited .some of the host players from New South Wales and gradually | lacod the code on the pinnacle that it is cn today in the banana State. It may prove costly, hut it appears to he the local centre’s only hopo of putting the game on a firm foundation. An effort will also have to bo mqdc before the club competitions commence next year to discover exactly what interpretations are to he placed on some of the rules. At the present time each referee has his own notion about them, and the radically different rulings have naturally created a considerable amount of dissatisfaction with the players and the public. Tho local Referees' Association, after consultation with tho dominion body, should endeavor to lay down definite rulings on tho laws of tho game that have been giving most trouble since the code_ has been 'in existence here. Unless this is done it is not difficult to predict that serious trouble will develop in the near future, as already there have been some exasperating happenings. Only ouo representative game was played in Dunedin this season, owing to the Otago team’s West Coast and northern tours. The one match here, that against Canterbury, provided a fine exposition of the code, tho local side making a draw with a strong team, several members of which are with tho New Zealanders in England. The tour north was not a financial success owing to tho had weather experienced at Auckland, but tho Otago team put up a magnificent showing. They had no difficulty of disposing of tho opposition met with in Hamilton, but Canterbury, at Monica Dark, proved a different proposition than on the “Gale,” and they defeated the visitors for the first time. The most important event of tho year as far as tho game was concerned was tho selection of the team for the English tour. Several trial games were plavcd, one of these being staged here. The finals wore played in Auckland, and created tremendous interest there. As was to be expected, Auckland secured tho biggest representation, hut tho final selection was not altogether kindly received, it being contended by the critics that several better players than some of the chosen had been overlooked, support being given to this point of view by the trouncing administered to the tourists cn tho evo of their departure. Otago had only one representative, Harry Thomas, but at least two other forwards, Cameron and O’Connor, were surely worthy of hotter treatment than they received, from the selectors, or tho rather mysterious Mr Mair, *who appeared to have had a bigger say in the final selection than the gentlemen ostensibly responsible for those important duties. It l as recognised that the New Zealanders were taking on a vorv stiff task, rs practically the' best Rugby talent in England and Wales eventually finds its'way to the League clubs. Under tho circumstances the invaders have done very well, though they have vofc to met the strongest clubs, who will ho at their best by tho time the dominion side meets them. General regret is expressed at the impending departure of the League, coach, Mr M'Grcgor, for Auckland; but his stay would have been much more profitable had many of the players attempted to learn something from one who was particularly well qualified to give thehl a good insight into the finer points of the game. There is im doubt, however, that he has left his impress na tho gfimo here, ainl his work should bear fruit in the near future.

NEW ZEALAND TEAM’S TOUR. Followin' 1, avo the remaining fixtures of the New Zealand League team in England:— October 9—v. Warrington. October 13—v. Fcatlierstonno. October Id—v. Hull. October 20 — v. Bradford iSoruiorn. October 23—v. Oldham. October 27—v. Leeds. October SO—v. St. Helens Recreation. November 3—v. Salford. November 6—v. Huddersfield. November 10—v. Bramlye. IVovcxnbor 13—v. iiinghuid (second test), at HulL ' November 17—v. Wigan Migbncld. November 20—v. Ratify. November 23—v. Keighley. November 27—v. Swiutom November 30—v. Lannsnire County. December 4—v. Wales, at Ronljpridd. _ T , December B—v. St.^ilslens. December 11—v. IVigan. December 14—v. Yorkshire County. December IS —v. Hunslet. December 25—v. R.ontypndd Decomber 27—v. Broughton Rangers. January I—v, Hull Kingston ]lnvcrs. January 3—v. Rochdale Horneis. Rinuarv B—v. Cumberland County. January 15—v. England (third test), at Janunrv 22—v. Wakefield Trinity. January 29—v. England, at Pans.