LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 July 1927, Page 11

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

WEST COAST CENTRE. The West Coast League Centre’s weekly meeting, held last evening was attended by Messrs S. Thomas, White. Walters, Patterson, Buckley, J. Thomas, Armstrong and Kiely. In the absence of Mr AV. S. Clarke, Mr Thomas was voted to the chair. The Buller Centre wrote stating that they had been granted the us of Victoria Square for August 13, the proposed date of the Canterbury visit, and asking what negotiations the Centre had .entered into with the Otago Centre in connection w’ith the southern tour, as there was under consideration a proposal to send a team from Buller also. It was decided that the Secretary should reply, giving full details. It was also decided that the Canterbury Centre be advised of the arrangement, and asking them for a definite reply as to their coming on that date. The Ex-West Coasters’ Club (Christchurch) wrote asking what, terms the Centre would offer in the event of their Club playing a couple of games on the Coast. It was decided to reply that a visit could not be entertained at this juncture, owing to club fixtures being behind, but the Centre would notify them later as to 'a visit near the end of the season. The New Zealand Council wrote stating that correspondence had been received showing no Australian team or N.S.W. team would be visiting New Zealand this season, but it had been decided to get into touch with the Australian Board of Control regarding a tea:m from New Zealand visiting Australia. The Council also acknowledged receipt of the Centre’s balance sheet and affiliation fee. congratulating the Centre on its satisfactory position. The Canterbury League wrote accepting a visit of the Centre’s junior team, but stating that no date had been arranged for same. It was decided that the visit be arranged, if possible, for the same time as the school hoys’ representative team’s visit to that city. Nelson Creek wrote in reference to the junior cup final set down for Cobden, pointing out that the fixture was a second round one, and should be played at Nelson Creek. It was decided to adhere to a previous resolution, and advise Nelson Creek of Rules 27 and 28 in the Centre’s constitution. The Inangahua Centre wired accepting Saturday next as the most suitable; date for the return game with the Coast representatives at Greymouth, and also accepting the game with Runanga on Sunday. In view of the above acceptance, it was decided to instruct the Selection Committee to choose the Coast team at 7.30 o’clock to-night. It was decided to grant the Inangahua Centre sixty per cent, of the gross gates in both matches. Mr C. Hall was appointed referee for Saturday’s game and Mr V. Armstrong for Sunday’s game against Runanga The Secretary was appointed manager of the Coast team. It was decided to assemble the Coast team at the Club Hotel at 2 p.m. R. Steel was granted a transfer to the Grey Club, subject to the latter’s approval. The Brunner Club forwarded six new registrations. The Marist Club having won the third grade competition, it was decided to inaugurate another competition to extend over two rounds.

Arising out of a request from the Advisory Board regarding a trial game with a view to selecting the schoolboys’ r.ep. team to tour Canterbury, it was decided to arrange for the trial game as a curtain raiser to the game between Inangahua. and Coast on Saturday next. At the Advisory Board meeting last .evening, Mr H. Moore donated a cup for competition among the various schools, to be competed for along lines similar to those of the Norman Cox Memorial Cup in Canterbury. Mr Moore was thanked for his donation. The Board also advised that they had decided to take over control of the fourth grade. This was agreed to.

FIXTURES. Fixtures for the week-end were arranged as follow: — Inangahua v. West Coast reps at Recreation Ground, Saturday 3 p.m. (Mr C. Hall); Inangahua v. Runanga at Dunollie, Sunday 3 p.m. (Mr V. Armstrong) Juniors: —Blackball v. Nelson Creek Cobden, Sunday, 3 p.m., cup final (Mr W. Ryan). Third Grade. —Runanga v. Kotuku. Dunollie. Sunday 1.30 p.m. (Mr G. Topp); Blackball v Marist, at Blackball, Sunday 3 p.m. (Mr H. Neilson); Grey a bye. Fourth Grade. —Brunner v. Grey, Cobden. 1.30 p.m. (Mr Stan Smith); Marist and Runanga byes. School Trial Game, Possibles v. Probables, Recreation Ground, Saturday, 1.30 p.m. (Mr A. Fielding.) INTER-STATE MATCHES. SYDNEY, July 19. The’ N.S.W. Rugby League Council has agreed with a view to promoting more regular visits between New Zealand and Australia, to a proposal that the Queensland. New South Wales and New Zealand League should be asked of a delegate from New Zealand to discuss the matter, and that a letter should be sent to the Queensland League to that effect. THE SCRUMMAGE PROBLEM. (By jTv. B.) There are many things which require attending to, and it is evident there will have to be an alteration in the scrummage rule. The infringements, if anything, are greater than ever, and it is pleasing to note that the

English Rugby League have shown that they will have some improvement if at all possible. They have suspended two players for dropping their knees down and preventing the ball from entering the tunnel accurately, and they have issued an instruction to Clubs that this practice on the part of “hookers” must cease. All manner of tricks are being resorted to in the scrums, and ttie sooner they are stopped the better. Surely there should be no need to drop dowm on one knee to help them in gaining possession of the ball. More often than not, it gives an opposing set of forwards the advantage. There is nothing in my judgment to beat straight “striking.” The outside men, too, are repeatedly infringing the rule, and the feet are being worked so cleverly that the officials in charge are being somewhat deceived.

Half-backs are being blamed for the nuisance, but no one can deny that they do not do their best to get the ball into the tunnel. The great thing that should be insisted on by referees, is a straight pack. The ball should never be delivered until the forwards get out of the screw, and if the pack is straight there is something radically wrong if the ball comes back. It is either knees down or else the end man blocking the ball badly. One cannot prevent “hookers” employing different methods in their efforts to get the ball so long as they are legitimate, still Ido think a lot are faulty. I have never been able to understand a “hooker” striking with the foot nearest the half-back delivering the ball. He cannot possibly get a natural hook. It sounds to sense that he must strike the ball with his foot, and four times out of six, it will come out again. He cannot have proper control, whereas with the far foot he can hook the ball right into the second row. The knee business will have to be eliminated altogether, and it is to be hoped that referees in future will take drastic action.

There wants to be also settled once and for all the way in which the ball is put into the tunnel. It has been proved without a shadow of doubt that rolling the ball in is not a success. It has led to long delays in the game and has also roused the tempers of the spectators. The game will have to be speeded up, and this can never happen so long as there is such bad scrummaging. The clubs will have to decide to revert to the downward throw. With this method the ball is sure to get into the scrum and referees can always see that it is fairly delivered by the half-back. Players have told me on more than one occasion this season that even with rolling the ball into the tunnel some half-backs have actually hit the “hookers” in the face with the ball. The downward throw would stop this. Of course, when the downward throw was in operation seasons ago, even this method was abused. Half-backs resorted to all manner of tactics. Still, despite its faults it is better than the present system. No matter what methods are employed there will always be some scrummage nuisance. Scrummaging has always been a bugbear, and so it will continue. The idea is -to remedy the defects as far as possible, and the Council will have to take a firm stand. They know they have players who are always out to beat the referee, and also have men who are thinking out fresh tactics. It is those men who are “going back” who want watching more than any other. If a player is clever enough to do his work he has no need to resort to infringements. With better scrummaging the “League” game, in my judgment, will always be well worth seeing.