SEASONABLE SPORTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 September 1938, Page 4

SEASONABLE SPORTS

LEAGUE FOOTBALL. NOTES AND COMMENTS. .? Unless the unforeseen occurs, the West Coast Rugby League’s 1938 season will conclude well up to time, as it would appear that only two more Sundays will be required to complete the club competitions, apart from special challenge matches. Blackball’s run of successes quickly put the Bradshaw Cup competition out of the way and the senior Knock Out will be commenced next Sunday. With only four teams, this will be concluded the following Sunday, leaving two Sundays clear lor challenge games. In concluding its competitions without difficulty, the League has been assisted by the weather, few postponements having been required throughout the season, and by the clear-cut victories of Runanga and Blackball, in the Championship and Bradshaw Cup competitions respectively. While convenient from a time point of view, the absence of finals in the senior competitions this season has meant a loss of revenue to (lie League. Few Opportunities:

The cancellation of the Rakaia Club’s proposed visit to Greymouth next week-end is to be regretted, as West Coast teams have few opportunities of being opposed to combinations from other centres. Although a new club, Rakaia did well in the Canterbury competitions this season, and' it would have been interesting to see how .Runanga and Marist compared with them, even if only in friendly fixtures. Owing to the lateness of. the season, it is extremely doubtful whether Rakaia will endeavour to secure another date for a trip to the West Coast this season. Apparently their default in the Christchurch competition last Saturday was due to the same thing that compelled the cancellation of their trip, an outbreak of measles among the players.

Final Hep. Game: Although rather late in the year, it appears fairly definite that a West Coast senior team will undertake a short tour towards the end of this month, embracing Westport and Reefton, an indication of this intention being given at last evening’s meeting of the Management Committee in response to an invitation from the Inangahua League. The ambitious project of a comprehensive North Island tour, which was proposed' at the end of last season, was lost sight of this year, partly through the Kiwis’ absence in Australia, and it has been rather a lean year for the representative players as far as tours are concerned. The trip to Buller and Inangahua will be some small compensation to the players who rendered yeoman service in withstanding two challenges for the Northern Union Cup, and it is to be hoped that it eventuates. Judging by their display at Wingham Park right at the beginning of the season, the Buller representatives should not be outclassed, and Inangahua can be relied upon to provide a good game, which would be a fitting finale to the season. Bad Luck:

The knee injury suffered by the Ngahere captain, J. Weir, in the match at Blackball on Sunday, proved more setrious than at first thought, and necessitated his removal to the Grey Hospital yesterday. Occurring so late in the season, this is real, bad luck for both Weir and the Ngahere Club, of which e has. been the mainstay,’ as well as the outstanding player for several seasons. An indication of his value to the team was given on Sunday, when they practically collapsed after his forced retirement from the held. Good Football:

The easy victory of Kuniara juniors over Rapahoe on Sunday was somewhat a surprise, considering Rapahoo s excellent record this season, but Th^ ai ’ a fu .” y deserve <i’ their success. h ! ?n y +i Pr - oVlded SOlne excellent football, their open style of play bringing its own reward. The final of the junior Knock-Out competition next Sunday can be expected to provide “*«**« f ° otbal1 ’ Provided that conditions are favourable.

Shortage of Referees: tow is t0 £ be hoped that the roundSe“ be™ ' asl and the tL? Managmnt Committee bear frirZ 6 e ) ees Association will tory poeiti'o™ i/XJ'j 6 doubtedly the referees th/ i UD ’ have not been *.->+• Grees themselves rent method BotatTn f™ " Prewould nossihhr 1 ’ oni a r °ster. than selection hn? V -+ more ef l«itable be worked o’ ? 11 Wou]d to new and inexneri Pr ° mO^ On sys^eni as not expec?XT’’ o !; l referGG « could games in turn with fh lmportan t men. The t™i- e most Capa ble nlso caused difficulfieJ g .’’ esti °P bas and a more freouent n ref °rees erees between tiL Pt Gxch ange of refthe eendiTg ", Centres ' Greymouth amt v« J reterees doubtedly gif e 2-™ Sa WOll ld unh»th. g a ' n e ? tei -, s ‘‘t ( lstaetlo n to course, the py™, spectators. of -to it, b 6 u tX n^? 0r -nst, come worth the slight a X d pr °bably be Bering the faJge n COSt C()nnent play ers no longed-° f P ’’ Onii " tive part in the <»am P ta nng an a<; - ”1 the district, itfsTVT 0 are st il! stand the shortage o/TjF <0 nndel ’- ‘he ManaXjX Solid Half: Owing to the strength of the whole iT k , L in , e ’ McNaughton’s value to the Blackball team has been somewhat overlooked this season, but there is no doubt that ho is an excellent at' tackling link, and has the makings of a first-class half-back. He scored two excellent tries on Sunday, both as the icsult oi anticipation and 1 Quick movement, and he was deserving O f success. Unusual Incident:

There was an unusual incident in (he Rugby League match between Central ami Petoue at North Park Wellington, on Saturday—- the knocking out of the referee, Mr. A. J, Pelterseii, in the second spell so that he had to be carried from the field of play, and given attention by the St John Ambulance men. Tie" was unable to carry on and his place was taken for the remainder of the match by Mr. W. Simpson. The blow that

struck Mr. Pettersen over the heart, a jolt from an elbow, was purelv accidental. It did not take effect immediately. and he carried on pluckily for a time until he collapsed. The game was fast and Mr. Pettersen was always well up with play. Mr. Simpson said that in the many years of his experience of refereeing he had only known of one other such case, and that was in Auckland.

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

SATURDAY’S SHIELD MATCH. The West Coast representative team’s match of the season will take place on Saturday next at Victoria Square, Westport, when West Coast will endeavour to wrest the Seddon Shield from Buller, in the final challenge match of the season. It will be recalled that the Coasters won the trophy from Marlborough on July 24 last year, at Blenheim, and lost it on August 7, in the next match, their first of last season, in defence of the shield. Buller won with a try right on time by 12 points to 11, and then proceeded to stall off challenges from Golden Bay and Nelson. This season, Buller have built up a fine record with victories over West Coast, Nelson, Marlborough and Golden Bay, a draw with Canterbury, and a loss to West Coast. Past Records:

Eighty-three challenge matches have been played to date in the Seddon Shield’s history, and the holders have had the following success—drawn matches being listed as successes to the holder: Marlborough, 26; Buller, 24,; Nelson, 16; Golden Bay-Motueka, 9; West Coast, 8. Buller have played 41 Seddon Shield matches, for 21 wins, 15 losses and five draws. West Coast’s record is 26 matches for seven wins, 17 losses and two draws. West Coast have played six Seddon Shield matches against Buller, and of these, Buller have won three. West Coast two, and one (in 1923) was drawn, with West Coast holders.

West Coast’s Bid: The two first West Coast teams which played Buller this season, for an unconvincing win. and a decisive [defeat, were woefully weak, and the team which will take the field on Saturday next, despite the absence of K. Marshall and P. Garden, will be much stronger than those fifteens, and more truly representatives of the strength of the province. The forwards, who will be led by R. R. King, an All Black lock forward during the' past five seasons', should. more than hold their own with the redoubtable Buller pack. Innes, Hammond, Bowes, Pascoe, and King, with Olsen, a good hooker, form the basis of a pack that should be hard to beat. Jumping for the ball in line-outs, rush-stopping, and short passing are branches of the game that have not been noticeably strong in Coast forwards this season, i

but no doubt the challengers’ pack will be schooled in these branches before they take the field. The backs are not nearly as imposing as the forwards, and the greatest weakness, judged on recent displays will be in the three-quarters. The Coast chances appear to be good, less so perhaps 'with the absence of Garden and Marshall, but good enough to encourage the hope that the Seddon Shield will return to the province.' Buller are confident, and are by no means underrated by the challengers, who - have only too vivid memories of the strength of the Buller Shield team, and their tenacity on their own ground. Sale of Rosettes:

Stating that people who attended football matches should not be annoyed by canvassers for different organisations, the chairman (Mr A. Colvin) at the meeting of the management committee of the Buller Rugby Union opposed the request of the Greymouth Physical Fitness Centre to sell red rosettes in Victoria Square during the West Coast-Buller match on Saturday. After some discussion, however, the request was granted.

Buller Backs: It is possible that A. Dunn (fullback) and S. Stewart (live-eighths) may not be able to take their places in the Buller team on Saturday. Both were injured in the Canterbury match last Saturday and have not fully recovered. If these players are not available on Saturday, it will be a big blow to Buller, as they have been the most reliable backs this season. F. Powick (full-back) and G. Wyeth (half-back) have been requested to train with the.Buller team. If Wyeth is played R. Butterfield, the usual half-back, may be shifted to the outside position. SOCCER FOOTBALL, NEWS AND NOTES. West Coast retrieved the Emms Shield from Buller at the week-end after a long time. It speaks well for the code here when Buller reluctantly let the Peter Dawson Cup, and the Emms Shield come to Greymouth. However, it was not the poor showing of Buller on each of these occasions, but-the superiority of the Coast team as a whole, which was the decisive factor. Scott, Crowe, Cameron and Coutts kept up an opposing defence, fully occupied throughout the ninety minutes of play, while Lee and Armstrong are two defenders of the finest type. These two long-coveted trophies, the Dawson Cup and the Emms Shield, come to the Coast at an opportune time, as the challenges from Canterbury and Buller next year will give the code here the necessary fillup.

Junior Reps.: The challenge for the Dewar Cup has been somewhat delayed this year, and the W.F.A. will be fortunate if the Canterbury F.A. .accept their chal-

lenge so late in the season. There should be no trouble in selecting a team strong enough to snatch the Dewar Cup from the hands of Canterbury. Unfortunately, the junior competition was discarded this year through lack of interest. However, the junior representatives will have one factor in their favour, as they have had the necessary experience with the seniors this year. Revised Rules:

The opening of the English Soccer season this year holds special interest to all clubs affiliated under the Football Association, as they will be playing under revised rules, which have been re-written to mark the seventyfifth birthday of the‘English Football Association. The revision of the rules has- been( urged for some time naw, and for over a. year a special committee, appointed by the International Football Board, has been working to revise and re-write the rules and laws of the code, which have been changed around so much during the seventyfive years the game has been played. However, it was not so much the amendments, etc., to the rules that made the committee’s lot an arduous ■task, but the numerous footnotes which have been slipped in over a period of seventy-live years. The work has "been admirably'carried out/but the most pleasing feature is the simplicity of the wording, with its plain style and, not coloured or complicated, as has been the vogue of past years. Still, for all 'the fine work the committee have d'one in this respect they have turned a deaf ear to certain rules which, if they were amended, ■or rather, if a common interpretation was propounded and the issue not obscured, as it is at present, international relations would become closer. Especialy does this concern the laws governing the charge and obstruction. Australia and New Zealand will not observe the revised rules until next season. FXTURES FOR SATURDAY. Runanga v. Marist, at Runanga (D. Barnes). Taylorville v. Old Boys, at Taylorville (A. Cowan).