SEASONABLE SPORTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1938, Page 9

SEASONABLE SPORTS

RUGBY FOOTBALL I THE NEW SEASON With a total of 26 teams under its direct control in grade football, the West Coast Rugby Union will open the 1938 season on Saturday next, with bright prospects for a successful term. Nine senior, eight junior, six third grade, and three fourth grade learns have been nominated, with prospects of one or two more teams in the latter grade. Two new clubs, Kotuku and Magpies have put in an appearance in the Junior grade. There is not a large number of new players to the district, this season, but several of the clubs will have decided assets in this category. Several are known as useful players in senior' football in other centres, but, as usual, there are others who have to be taken on trust, until they are seen “on the paddock.” The new season opens with the Seddon Shield in the care of the Buller Union. West Coast will have the last challenge for the trophy this year. The first representative match of the season will take place on the King’s Birthday, when West Coast will meet Canterbury. Endeavours are being made by the Canterbury Union to have this match played at Christchurch, this season, but the West Coast Union decided, last evening, to oppose any move in this direction. Star Club: Last year’s champions Stars, will this season have the services of J. Steel, of 1924 All Black fame, as coach. Most of last year’s senior fifteen will be seen in action again, with W. Mann, M. Connelly, A. Murphy, Reggie, Bailey, Learmont, Stewart. while A. Bowes, former Canterbury and West Coast representative, will be seen out again in the Star forwards after an absence of a season or two. Blaketown Club: i Blaketown will again field senior, junior and third grade teams, and an endeavour is being made to secure a fourth grade team. The Club will have most of last year’s best seniors, but A. Scandrett (now in Westport) will be a loss, while M. Scandrett has not yet signified his intention of playing. The club will have several players from Otira, and with the addition of one or two of last year’s best juniors, should bo able to field a useful side.

Cobden Club’s Prospects: Senior, junior and third grade teams will definitely be fielded by the Cobden Club, and an endeavour is being made to get a fourth grade team in the field. The club has plenty of players for its senior and junior teams, and though the third graders have been struggling a little they are now assured of a full fifteen of young and keen, if rather small players. Cobden seniors of last year who will not be seen out this season are: P.’ Allsopp and Matterson (a more than useful forward), but the club will have recruits in L. Williams, a half-back who played senior football for Linwood (Christchurch) last season; Hegarty (a forward from Canterbury), and E. Collins, who will make a reappearance in the Cobden rearguard. Last year’s seniors who will be out again include: A. and F. Lindbom, R. Gilmour, A. Vaughan, T. Kiely, D. Eggleton (backs), H. Spencer, R. Thompson, R. Kirkwood, R. Birchfield, W. Moss, AV. Manning, and A. King (forwards). C. Newton, a promising junior forward, will probably find a place in the senior pack. Cobden are confident of fielding a strong senior team.

United Club: The United Club has probably lost more star players of last yeaa* than any of the other clubs, but several newcomers should assist in building up a strong side. G. Gilbert, E. Kibble, D. Calwell, S. Hendry, N. Adams and W. Vincent will be notable absentees from the blue and white back line this season. L. Ellis, who played with Christchurch Varsity last year, will bo first live-eighth, with J. Costello as his partner. R. Cox, a promising youngster, will be the half-back. W. Blair, a good loose forward, is mentioned as centre three-quarter, with I’. Garde as one of the wingers. Forwards will include Hopkinson, L. Daly, A. Glen, and Rose (of last year’s seniors), with the addition of C. Smith (a promoted junior),. F. Moon (a Christchurch player, who has been out of the game for a couple of. seasons), 11. Sinclair and P. Sinclair (two promising Kumara forwards), J. Rathbun (who has been out of the game for a season), and C. Sorenson (a Taranaki player). The full-back position is not definite, but R. Hamilton (a junior last year) is mentioned as the likely custodian. The extent to which United have suffered by the number of losses will not be known until the competitions open, but it is certain that the newcomers have responsible positions to fill, there will be no back approaching Gilbert s class in this year’s first fifteen. Junior, third and fourth grade teams will also be fielded by United, who are particularly strong, numerically at least, in lower grade players.

Few New-Comers: Celtic have few new players this season, but they have lost few, and the new-comej'S-who will sport the green jersey are expected to add to (he strength of this improving young dub. Last year, in their first season among the seniors, Celtic played a splendid type of football, and downed more than one of the better teams. As they are all young players, an improvement can be expected this season. The club will field senior, junior and third grade teams as last season. This year’s senior backs will include D. Heaphy, C. McGinley, S. McDonnell, N. Collins, and W. Clancy, of last’ season’s team, and M. Lynch, , a promising young centre from Taianaki. Some difficulty has been experienced in finding a half-back to replace D. James, but J. Keddie is a probability. D. Griffen, a useful forward, who played with Kiwis last season, and Byrne (a Westport senior lust season), and O’Neill will be new men in the Celtic pack, which will also comprise J. O’Connell, C. Dudley, J. Cullen, Hansby (a promoted junior), C. McLellan, Beechley, and probably W. McKenzie, who was one of the stars of the pack last season.

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. The West Coast Rugby League’s season was opened at the week-end. under much more favourable circumstances than were the case at the beginning of last year. The indecision regarding the day of play was 1 absent, and all teams took the field at full strength, resulting in even matches. A good season is indicated, with the same number of teams participating in the principal grades as at last year, and an extra team, Ngahere. in the jthird grade. All of the country teams have retained their best players, iwhile Runanga. and Blackball have made notable gains. Marist seniors are at much the same strength as last year. • Another Team Necessary: If the code is to hold its> own and make progress, the energies- of those responsible for the management must be concentrated in the direction of establishing another strong club in Greymouth, to take the place of the now defunct Pirates. With three teams in the country and only one in town, senior games at Wingham Park must necessarily be irregular and it is impossible to maintain interest unless spectators can be assured of a senior game at Wingham. Park every Sunday. Apart from that aspect, it is regrettable to see the League’s own ground, and the best appointed ground available, practically unused for a large part of the season. Vital Factor:

Ballot papers for the election of this year’s Management Committee will be opened at to-night’s meeting, and it is to be hoped that the clubs have viewed this aspect of the game as importantly as they should do. Upon the management depends the success 1 of the League, and it is remarkable how year after year clubs continue to nominate men who, while their heart may be in the game, take practically no active part in its organisation. Although the services of W. Barlow and W. O’Neill, who declined nomination for this year’s Management Committee will be greatly missed, as will those of the past secretary, Mr R. J. Harrington, some good men have offered themselves, and the clubs can only blame themselves if a strong Management Committee is not elected. A Gain: The most notable gain as far as players is concerned appears to haic been made by Runanga,' who have secured the ex-Inangahua, West Coast and South Island representative Norman Kiely. Hi® presence in the Runanga team on Sunday came somewhat as a surprise, and’ an unpleasant one for Marist. Three-quarters of Kiely’s calibre are rare and: he is sure to make the world of difference to the Runanga attack this season, especially- as they have two other good threesuarters to make openings for him. When settled down, the combination of Crow-e, Kiely and Williams will give the other senior teams something to think about. Runanga appear to have plenty of players 1 available and fit for senior ranks as evidenced by the fact that R. Glynn was oil the side line on Sunday. Many teams would be thankful for his services, and it would appear that Runanga will field consistently strong teams'. The fact that N. Speakman and D. Manderson have again turned out, coupled with the presence of N. Kiely, has enabled a- re-arrangement of the hacks, and 1 M. O’Connell was tried in the forwards on Sunday. He made mistakes, but gave an indication that he will make a success of the breakaway s position, if allowed to persevere.

Much the Same: The Marist team, as it took the field nn Sunday, is much the same combination as last season. Two new players Were included, Rochford, a foimei Kumara junior, who was one of the best of thef backs, and Hutchinson, who did not greatly impress, in the forwards. In addition, E. O’Brien is back' again in the three-quarter line. Taking last season’s form as a guide, it does not appear that the team will be much more formidable than it. was then, uuless one or two new players' can be found. The material is there, . but there are too many young and inexperienced players to expect success against Runanga and Blackball at, least. The forwards worked hard on Sunday, but were beaten for the ball in the set scrums, so the for a good hooker is indicated. Incidentally, it was noted that the decision as to whom was 1 to do the hooking was apparently made on the groundI—a 1 —a weakness indicating a lack of training, even allowing for the earliness of the season. For Australia:

It is yet too early to forecast possibilities for the New Zealand team to tour Australia, even although it is to leave at the end of next month. On last year’s performances, however, W. Glynn, the Runanga forward must be given an excellent chance. If he is not yet properly fit, it should not be Jong before he reaches' top form, judging by the energy that he put into liis play on Sunday. He made hard work of it all the way, and has evidently set his mind on being able to go hard at it for the full 80 minutes when the trials are held in Auckland.

Blackball Strong: The Blackball senior team carried all before it last season, and indications are that it will have a big sayin the competitions again this year. It has suffered a loss in the transferring of J. Roberts to Auckland, but it lias made an important gain in securing the services' of W. Vincent, cxSouth Island representative half-back who has returned to the tliirteen-a-side game. The inside back combination of Vincent, Dodds l and Pascoe will undoubtedly trouble all teams, and this trio can be expected to provide some good football.

Ngahere Team: Although they were convincingly beaten by Blackball on Sunday, Ngahere have a strong team, with several newcomers, and they can be expected to do better as the season progresses. The biggest difficulty that Ngahere has to face is that their players are scattered over a wide area, making organisedl training practically an impossibility. They have the individualists, but lack the combination of the, other teams that they have to meet. Judging by his play’ on Sunday, J. Weir will again be the mainstay of the blacks, who also possess a set of hard working forwards. ■ Old Faults:

Two players who have been out, of tile game for some time made their reappearance in tlie Runanga-Marist

game on Sunday, E. O’Brien (Marist) and! D. Manderson (Runanga). Loth played quite good games, but “’ej both displayed old faults. The speed} Runanga three-quarter line "as nered by Manderson’s over-indulgence in short punts while O’Brien was inclined to hang on too long, and his handling was not sure. r l hey are both worthy of their places in the respective teams, but should endeavour to eradicate these faults.

SOCCER FOOTBALL NEWS AND NOTES The coming Saturday will see the opening of the Soccer season. It is pleasing to note returning interest in the code in Waiuta. If some of the old plavers of two seasons ago have decided to lend their aid, then Waiuta should field a strong team. Taylorville arc also to be commended for their fine effort in getting together a team, as this was considered doubtful. Soccer players are apparently plentiful in Runanga, since they are consideiing fielding two teams. It would be a gieat help to the code if their was put into effect. Technical Old Boys, having lost some of their most valuable players, will have to encourage some of last sesaon’s juniors, and coach them in the finer points of the game.

Enthusiasm: At the beginning of every football season players are fired with enthusiasm, but, more often than not, this enthusiasm is short-lived. Every player should determine to assist his club to the last game. It has been noticed with regret in past seasons that some players with not only the ability but also the right club spirit have been discarded at the beginning of the season, and solely depended upon towards the end. This sort of thing is detrimental to the code. It behoves selection committees to give every encouragement to these players, and not have any favourites. Fixtures for Saturday: —Old Boys v. Waiuta, Recreation Ground, 2.45. (S. Hewison); Taylorville v. Runanga at Taylorville (J. Cowan).

Transfer Fees! < Footballers are not only demanding •tn increase in wages, but also a share up to 20 per cent, of transfer fees and that benefits should be made compulsory (states the London "Daily Telegraph”). ' . The. Football League received recently the reply of the Association Football flayers’ and Trainers’ Union to. their request for more information in respect of the union’s appeal for increased wages, revision of the transfer system, benefits, insurances, etc. The Union in their letter ask the League Management Committee to meet a. deputation of the players. They adhere to their request for an increase in the maximum wage from £8 to £9, but withdraw the request for an increased minimum wage from £4 to £5. They ask that a player, if not offered the retaining fee of £2OB per j annum, may be given a transfer. ! The Union point out that the suggested increases are intended to ap-| ply to part-time professionals ehgag-1 ed in'other work, if the club permit, J and are not meant to do away with; benefits', bonuses and talent money. ■ Referring to wages offered on a slid-1 ing scale, the Union are prepared to j produce evidence of “disgraceful” cases, and quote instances of footballers being unable to meet their weekly liabilities during the close season owing Io insufficient wages. The U,nion consider that transferred player,s.should receive a fair share of the fee, and suggest. 20 per cent, if the fee amounts to more than £4.000 or £5.000, 18 per cent, if a fee is more than £7,000 or £B,OOO, and so on. Dealing with the many cases of hardship under the rule concerning player’s on the open to transfer list, the Union make an urgent request

that such men'should be paid a retaining fee of £3’ per week if the fee is £5OO, and £2 if under £5OO. The Union desire compulsory benefits for players completing five full seasons with a club, and. request a special agreement covering players outside Lhe Workmen’s Compensation Act.. ••

BOWLING. I . j GREY. CLUB COMPETITIONS. • ' Results ,of the .last two week's’ play I in the Greymouthi Bowling Club’s com- ■ petitions were: — i Handicap Pairs, final: Strongman | and Tennent defeated 1 - Popple and 1 Shannon. 3.0/21. I Leads and Seconds:- Semi-finals: 'Mursell 17 v. S. Smith 14; King 19 v. | Holt 15; Mursell 22 v. King 13: S. 'Smith 28'v. North 20; Parsonage 20 v. ;S. Smith t 5. . Final: Mursell defeated Parsonage 24/6. | The winner was in excellent form, Land gave one of the best displays of itho season. I Colts Final: S. Smith defeated Aijderton 21/8. ,' la a Progressive Tournament play'ed during the week-end. Mercer won the skips’ trophy and S. Smith the - leads.