FOOTBALL NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 May 1928, Page 3

FOOTBALL NOTES

RUGBY UNION. KEEN COMPETITION. (By “Scrum.”) The old rivals, United and Stars, will meet this Saturday. A repetition of the United-Kiwi game will give the crowd something to enthuse over. Despite the loss of H. L. Jamieson, United have been steadily improving, and demonstrated last Saturday that they are more than likely to upset the calculations of the leading teams befor the season is finished. The team has found its legs. Williams fills the bill ideally as full, while Jenkins’ displays at half should bring him every consideration for representative honours. It is in the pack, however, that United’s strength lies. Though light, it is fast and bustling, and is at present of the best packs in the competition. Williams is a cot. lull-back. His kicking is effortless, but contains plenty of power. He is the man United have been looking for in the position.

Griffiths always gave the impression of not being ready for what was coming along. He is inclined to get out of position, but when warmed up, proved a thorn in the Kiwi side, chiefly with his punting. The mantle of Steel appears to have fallen on Mery. Jamieson. He bounded along with huge strides and left the opposition standing to score in the first spell. Jamieson is easily the most proming wing threequarter the writer has seen for some time. He is clumsy in some of,his work, and would go down to resolute tackling. If Jamieson could develop an effective fend and keep going at top, when on the move, he would reach All Black class. On one occasion he ran across field, but stopped to cut in. He is slow in this class of movement and was pulled down without trouble. Richmond played a fine game at fiveeight to which position he is ideally suited. Up to the present, Richmond has figured as reserve three-quarter, but he is as good a five-eight as the team has tried out this season. Bunt is improving with each game. His safe handling makes him a reliable man in any position.

Jenkins is going to take a power of mating for the rep. half position. He ,s easily the best of <the younger halves uid while he may not be up to the istuteness of McCleary, there is lit_le that the Kiwi half can excel him n.

Rathbun looks certain to gain representative honours this season. He played a slashing game on Saturday.

Bell and Dodson, the United hookers, found a worthy pair of opponents in Moynihan and Pfahlert. The latter had the support of a. well balanced scrum. However, the United pair are in the writer’s opinion the best pair in the campetition considering that the United scrum is the lightest and the worst packed in the competition. Fergusson at wing forward and Rogers toiled hard throughout the play. They are a capable pair of hard grafters.

Lou Hahn got a knock in the first spell again the goal posts which took a lot of the sting out of his play. At the same time he was one of the best forwards on the ground and a certainty for the reps.

McCleary is playing fine football at present. The success of the Kiwi team this season has evidently encouraged keen training. The Kiwi skipper looks in great nick. Stevens and Tainui were the pick of the Kiwi rearguard. McGill shaped well, but was slowing up towards the finish. The game should do him the world of good. He is a very solid cut of player. Star seniors had to make up their senior complement on Saturday with junior players.; With Turtill away, Nicholson, Fell, Robinson, Nelson and Clarke on the injured list, it was impossible to field a team of any great strength, and the fifteen representing the Ambers at Hokitika put up a creditable showing.

Dalkie surprised all by his skilful handling and kicking. A little on the light side, this young player will go far in the game in a season or two.

Fong is a young player with an old head. His try was a very tasty piece of football.

Barney Brown helped his side tremendously in the first spell, but fumbled more than once in the second helf. Had he held the pass from Reynolds when near the Excelsior line in the second half, he had the rest of his backs in good position for three points.’ As it was, Barney dropped it and with two forwards and a back coming through, there was trouble sure enough, and the Hokitika team advanced another three points. Stevens showed up well in the loose rushes on Saturday, and brought to light a, good turn of speed. Hughie Steel and Caulton were magnets for the ball in the line outs. Steel should be kept in the team, as he has every requirement towards making a good forward. G. Brown only got in one run on Saturday, but it was a good one. Showing good speed, “Bruiser” made a lino effort up the line, but was pushed into touch when it was almost three points for Stars.

The Ambers should field a strong team next week-end against Uniteds. Clarke, Robinson, Nelson, Fell, Nicholson will all be available for the next match, and should make Stars a formidable fifteen. When it is remembered how good the form is shown by Uniteds, who have only to reproduce last Saturday’s performance, what a game it will be! Star Juniors have not performed with much credit this season. They fell easy victims to Kumara on Saturday, although contrary to reports, they fielded fourteen players, and not eleven. A feature of this match was the goal-kicking by Les. Martin. Although most of the tries were scored in a handy position, Martin converted all seven besides scoring a couple of tries.

Next match should see a strengthened team represent Star second grade. Thompson, Dunshea, who have not yet appeared, Dalkie, who performed so ably with the seniors on Saturday, Tyson and Coleman, will be the means of strengthening the team, which should offer more resistance than on previous occasions this season.

A. G. Turf ill, who was showing good form this season as a. wing-forward, lias thrown in his lot with a Christchurch club.

The practice of open-air training at night, by the means of electric light is now a popular one amongst Napier footballers. McLean Park, in Napier, is illuminated by three powerful electric lamps, under the rays of which players can indulge in passing and dribbling work almost as clearly as

in daylight. One night over 100 players were training on the park, two physical drill instructors being active in putting squads of footballers through the “jerks.” The London “Evening Standard” has recently been having a. discussion about the world’s best Rugby teams. Four teams, including sixty players have been published in its pages. Would it be believed that only one Maoinlander appears in the list, and not a single Australian! Nepia’s name is not mentioned, nor are those of Hunter, Roberts, Gallagher, “Sim” Mynett, Deans, Cooke, Nicholls, ,or Cyril Brownlie. Australians omitted included “Dally” Messenger, Tom Richards, Dr. “Jim” Hughes, S. A. Middleton and “Paddy” Moran.

RUGBY LEAGUE. REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES (By “Half.”) The big clash of the season, Marist v. Blackball at the Recreation Ground on Monday June 4, should be a thriller. Marist are no mud larks and their spotless record for the season was mud besmattered last week end. Their tactics for a wet day were ill judged. The team played as it has been accustomed to play, throwing the ball about. It looked on odd occasions as though they might succeed, but the slippery going gave them no foothald. In any case it is doubtful if Marist would have beaten Creek under the conditions. Creek looked all over a winning team and romped in in the second spell. Tobin played a very determined game for Creek on the three-quarter line and seems certain to receive every consideration for representative honours. There is a dearth of threequarters on the Coast, and Tobin shapes as well as any. Greer and O’Brien were reliable and adopted sound tactics, rarely waiting to pick up the ball, but booting and following through fast.

What a grand pack of forwards the Creek possess. They are grafters from whistle to whistle and infuse enthusiasm and dash into their play. Calder was the best forward on the field, but was closely followed by Brownlie and Bennett, who should have a big chance of inclusion in the reps.

E. Quinn played in great style at full for Marist. He has yet to play a moderate game, and has demonstrated his ability in good and bad going. O’Loughlin was very reliable and made several good runs. O’Malley was as nippy as ever and the manner in which he flung out the heavy ball was a revelation. On his form this season, the selectors should have every confidence in him.

R. Quinn was the pick of the Marist pack. He was very unlucky not to score on one occasion when he dribbled right through the opposition to overrun the ball on the line.

Wright is playing consistently well at full for Grey. He makes no mistake about handling the ball against Blackball and has a sure boot.

Johnston is a good half. He is also one of the finest tacklers in the competition.

Petrie is one of the fittest forwards in the competition. They will have to be lit men who beat him for representative honours.

Grey are still everything but a team. They have the players with the ability, they have the enthusiasm, but still they do not click into their speed and combination as their play at times suggests. Someday they will find their true form and give their opponents a headache.

The all absorbing question at the present moment is the representative team. Keen interest is being taken in the selection and it is pleasing to record that the selectors have this season better material before them than for many years. Whatever may be the final selection, it is certain to be strong.' The selectors have many alternatives. There are good men in several positions. It is either Quinn or Wright for the full back job. Both ■are thoroughly reliable. The writer favours Quinn. His improvement shows that he is a player capable of going far in the game. The only fault to be found with Wright is that he is slow in his movements. In handling and kicking he is equally as good as Quinn and his extra weight in his favour.'

The threequarter line will give the selectors most thought. There are many useful men, J. Mason, O’Loughlin, Tobin, Hawken, Moore, W. Kennedy, Cust. The suggestion put forward by the writer is chiefly with regard to combination, the back line being O’Malley, Dodds, Robins, O’Loughlin with Hawken and J. Mason on the wings and E. Quinn at full.

As far as the forwards are concerned, there is some fine material available. The writer suggests for the front row Hanson, Tallentyre and Hands, Brownlie and Calder as second row and Griffiths in the back. This still leaves a host of others but there are three worthy selectors. It is probable that no two of the public would pick the same team. The difference between the two will be immaterial. The players a/e of even quality. Some will be more fortunate . than others. It is, however, a bright outlook for the Rugby League code on the Coast. League matches in Auckland on Saturday were played in heavy rain. All that was brightest and best in the League code was witnessed at Carlaw Park, when those old district rivals, Richmond and Ponsonby met. Playing the snappy passing game, the western suburbs side gave a bright interpretation of the code. Ponsonby emerged victors 10—6. Showing good form, Marists overwhelmed Ellerslie, 26 —8. The suburban team played brightly in parts, but were outclassed. In the senior game staged on the Domain, the City backs carried their side to a 6—3 victory against Newton.

The prospects are for a big League season. Otago intend touring the Coast. Canterbury are due for a. match. The Englishmen will play at Greymouth and Westport. On June 23 at Westport the Grey representatives will contend with Buller for the White Horse Cup, and there is every probability that the Cup will come back with the Grey team. With a couple of first class threequarters, the Grey team would take a power of beating anywhere. The forwards are made of the right stuff, while the inside backs are the best the Coast has had for some time, and no one is worrying about the full back position. There are two good men for that. The outlook is indeed distinctly bright.