LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 September 1934, Page 9

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

PLAY AND PLAYERS Blackball having won the Bradshaw Cup, the only match remaining for competition, is the Challenge game between Marist and Pirates, which takes place next Sunday. Blackball have definitely decided not to challenge, ft is likely, therefore, that League will finish the season early, unless the remaining few' week-ends are filled in with Challenge Shield matches from Inangahua teams against the holders. Well Done. West Coasters scored all the tries for the South Island team, and each man played well. McKenzie was mentioned in Press reports as being weak, but the manager of the team, Mr. A. C. Hall, in describing the game to the Centre meeting last evening, said that McKenzie, apart from a little overeagerness to carry out a line of attack previously decided upon, and for which he selected the wrong time, played his usual sound game.

A Trip to Australia. It is the ambition of Mr. Grey Campbell, chairman of the New Zealand Council, to have a New Zealand team visit Australia during his term of office, but he wants it to be a team that can beat Australia. After witnessing last Saturday’s match, between North and South, Mr. Campbell told Mr. A. C. Hall- that the realisation of his hopes appeared to be nearer than he had thought. He was agreeably surprised at the cleverness, youth, and speed of the South Island team.' It is not unlikely that 1936 will be the year for the tour.

Norman Cox Cup Match. The play handed out by the schoolboy team from Canterbury on Monday was the best seen on the Coast this season. These youngsters especially in the back line, displayed a knowledge of the code that greatly impressed the large number of spectators. West Cqast had shown similar ability in training efforts, but when it came to the match, the boys were unable to act against their more speedy and clever opponents. Canterbury were too fast, and too sure in their handling for West Coast, and in the second spell, it was • a very one-sided contest. Best of the Backs.

Although he did not score a try, the Canterbury five-eighth, T. Bench, was the cleverest back on the field. This lad repeatedly drew'the defence, and often tricked them with the “dummy.” He had that down to a fine art, and never failed with it. Rutledge, and the wingers did the scoring, but it was the early good work by Bench that left the try-getters with, practically no opposition to face. Retired Hurt.

Had the other West Coast backs played as well as the tiny half-back McGirr, then the Norman Cox Cup would have had a chance of staying on the West Coast. This midget playei* was outstanding in the home team. He did not see much of the ball from behind the scrum, but his anticipation in other play, was remarkable. He took a hand in almost everything, while his handling and tackling was a feature of the play. It was most unfortunate that he should be injured, and forced to retire, after he had scooped up the ball from near halfway, dodged past three tacklers, only to be brought down as he was about to go across the line. This lad has football brains, and also, a stout heart. He tackled the biggest of the Canterbury' boys, with an excellent low dive at them, and would then come smartly to his feet, and look for more work.

Should be Encouraged: Canterbury had matters very much their own way, in the Norman Cox Cup contest, yet the game was one of the most interesting seen this season, in any grade. It was disheartening to the Coast boys that they were outclassed by the opposition, yet more disheartening, and unfair, was some of the commeiit from the side-line. Older boys than those playing, and some young men, instead of extending encouragement to the beaten team, could think only of disparaging remarks, such as, “call yourselves reps.”, or “take off that jersey,” and “who told you that you could play this game.” This was disheartening to the schoolboys, who were doing their best, and a discredit to young men who should have known better than to discourage youngsters on the field of sport.

Not on Sundays: The Christchurch City Council has decided against any further League matches being played within the area of the Municipality on Sundays. For that reason, the intended match with Canterbury and Otago, had to be put off. Permission was secured from the police, but the City Council, which had readily granted permission for the earlier match with Inangahua, later advised the police to withdraw the license to play. It is probable that future Sunday matches in Canterbury will be played at Addington.

Presentations: Prior to the South Island team disbanding, at Christchurch, on Tuesday morning, the players presented the manager and selector, Mr A. C. Hall, with a travelling rug, and the captain. Mr J. Amos, with a silver cigarette case, as a tribute to their services to the team.

Canterbury Decisions: At Monday evening’s meeting of the Canterbury League Centre, il was decided that the Canterbury team should play West Coast and Otago, before entertaining a return match with Inangahua. It was also decided to write to the New Zealand Council asking for a ruling on the financial question governing Thacker Shield contests.