FOOTBALLERS OF THE YEAR

Evening Star, Issue 23092, 19 October 1938, Page 4

FOOTBALLERS OF THE YEAR

AUSTRALIAN CRITICS SELECTION FIVE PLAYERS CHOSEN N. A. MITCHELL'S CLEVERNESS Once again the curtain has fallen ui the Rugby football season in Australia. This week one follows' the practice initiated in 1937 and selects the five Rugby Union footballers of the year. These five can be of any country, provided they play in Australia during the season. They must have turned out for a first class team—viz., an interstate or international team, They are the five players who have made the greatest impression in quality of play, in iron determination, in despising foul methods, in sinking their individuality for the sake of the team.

In a word they are to be regarded as models, each in his own position, for young and aspiring players to look up to and emulate (says V. C. Davis, in the Sydney ‘Referee’). A preliminary survey of the position narrows the field down to the following 17:—N. A. Mitchell (N.Z.), outer centre; J. L. Sullivan (X.Z.), inner centre; C. K. Saxton (N.Z.), halfback; J. Dick (X.Z.), winger; A. W. Bowman (X.Z.), breakaway,; J. Taylor (N.Z.), full-back; 11. M'Kenzie (X.Z.), lock; H. Milliken (N.Z.), second row; T. Berghan (X.Z.), fiveeighth; T. C. Morrison (X.Z.), winger; 11. Rankin (N.S.W.), full-back; C. Ramalli (N.S.W.), half-back; M. Carpenter (Victoria), winger; K. Windon (I'J.S.W.), breakaway; C. H. Towers (N.S.W.), outer centre; K, M. Ramsay (N.S.W.), second row forward; V. Richards (X.S.W.), fiveeighth; and A. J. Hodgson (N.S.W.), lock.

Whittling down one's selection to five from this array of talent is by no means easy.

Each man mentioned is a footballer worthy of the name, a man who has proved in one way or another a fit subject for hero-worship. With due deliberation and recognising the difference his absence made to the All Blacks when he was unable to play in the last test, we nominate N. A. Mitchell, the New Zealand captain and outside centre, as one. of the “ five.” Mitchell portrayed everything that is good in outside centre play. He instinctively knew the strength or weakness of each set of circumstances as ; they; unfolded. , 7 • ■■ ■ BRAIN EVIDENT IN MITCHELL’S PLAY. The brain was always functioning brightly to direct things in Mitchell’s play, and it is fitting to pay this tribute to him—that all his efforts were devoid of undue individualism and were consistently aimed at cooperating with his men. That quality, so much to be desired in a captain, was of great value to the wearers of the silver fern in their programme of matches in Australia.

One valuable ®eanS of penetrating that was brought home to us by Mit-

ehell was “ fending. The value of this fend was shown in the way Mitchell treated a courageous, if not experienced, tackier in V. Miller during the New South Wales match. Mitchell’s oivn defence has been questioned in some quarters, and, indeed, before coming to a conclusion about it, one would like to see more of it. Suffice it to say that Mitchell’s defence in the cases where this writer saw it functioning Was no' worse than international standard. In other respects, such as handling, passing, following up to anticipate a valuable pass, and .in quick thinking, Mitchell was the really, first-class footballer. SULLIVAN’S ELUSIVE QUALITY, Second of the “ five ” in our eyes is J. L. Sullivan, the New Zealand inside centre. Sullivan had an elusive quality that made him really magnetic whenever he got the ball. v This elusiveness sprang from, first, his great speed, second, a facility of swerving that must have been tantalising to the Australian tacklers. A great pair of hands for taking or giving a pass made Sullivan the ideal link in the New Zealand three-quarter line. But he was more than a mere link. Quick thought and precision execution of:the plan was seen from Sullivan on the occasions when he centre-kicked so well to his forwards. Sullivan always had a spectacular dash up his sleeve when the occasion warranted it.

Third player of the quintet is C. K. Saxton, the New Zealand half-back. Saxton, from the inception of the tour, was exemplary in his work from the rear of the forwards. Faced with desperate efforts on the part of the Australians to hold his backs in check. Saxton varied the play, to catch them unawares, making full use of his forwards and his winger on the blind side. He ran brilliantly himself when he saw his backs faced with piiticipating Australian tacklers. The movement in which Saxton and Morrison crisscrossed behind one another in bringing. about a try in the first test will remain as an example for any coach who wishes to illustrate what backing up can, do. Just to show that in no respect is he anything but a really masterful half-back, Saxton turned out trumjw as a defender, the manner in which lie up-ended big forwards showing what' a little man who knows how to time,' a tackle can do.

RAMALLI’S CLAIMS TO GREATNESS. Our fourth choice as one of the players of the year is another halfback. young Cecil ißamalli, of New Soutii Wales, who left no room for doubting his claims as a really great half-back, despite his extreme youth Ramalli was great, not only in play,; but in red-blooded courage. He took the father ari'd'the mother of a Hiding.? and came through, it 1 all as cheerful, as he went into it. His colour schenfo with two : glowering black eyes, and a battered nose was something that had to be seen to be appreciated. Ramalli’s attributes make quite a, short story in narrating. Most prominent of these are—pluck, speed of thought and action,' capability to pass the ball in a split second and over a great range of distance. In tackling, Ramalli has the same gift as Saxton: in fact, the two men are very much on a par in ability to run, pass, and tackle. Ramalli has a great future in football given an ordinary chattce. He may make a name for himself on a par with the reputation achieved by Syd. Malcolm. . CARPENTER TOOK THE POPULAR . FANCY. The fifth and final selection in the 1938 “ Rest Five ” is Max Carpenter, the Victorian winger, whose form both as a winger and gbal-kicker improved to the point where he took the fancy of all who saw him in action. •In the first test Carpenter played well generally but for one or two enors. But It was in the second test at Brisbane that he captivated the popular fancy. speed along touch ,in two tries and Sterling defence closed the Brisbane crowd to single Jjim out for special acclamation after the gaihb. All sections of the Press spoke warmly of his deeds. Carpenter, who scored 2C points in the first and second tests, was prevented Jby- injury from playing m the third test. But it is not the last we shall see of this sparkling player in the international sphere.

THE BEST FORWARDS. It will be noticed that all five of the footballers of the year are backs. This is due to the 'fact that a forward has to be outstanding indeed to take the eye before a slashing back. Hut to give the forwards a modicum of recognition is only fair, and one would' name K. Windon (N.S.W.) V A Bowman (N.Z.), R. M'Kenzie (N.Z.V. K. ißamsav (N.S.W.), and H. Milhken (N.Z.)‘ as the five greatest forwards, seen in action 'here this season. Snooker’s Origin? Billiards officials are trying to trace the origin of snooker. This interests me. because the other day I heard it stated that the first, snooker game played in Britain took place oO years ago in Doijglas, Isle of Man (sftys a writer in an exchange). , . Joe Mack was manager of an hotel there when in walked a stranger, a rich Australian. “ I’d like some snooker, announced the rich stranger. . . “What kind of a drink is that? asked Mack. . Explanations followed, and Mack, producing pyramid balls and life pool balls, made up the snooker set as directed. , ' , They played, and though the stranger was beaten at, hi® own game he departed happily, blissfully unaware that he had started a craze Which in later years was to keep thousands, of worthy citizens away ifom domestic firesides. Cricket Test Arrangements. At a meeting of the British AdyisOrv Council Cricket Committee at Lord s recently arrangements for. the test matches to be played between, England and South* Africa in 1940 were discussed. It was decided that five tour da vs’ tests should be played, one each at' Trent Bridge. Lord’s, Old Trafford, Leeds, and the Oval.