FOOTBALL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3946, 31 May 1913, Page 3

FOOTBALL

(By "Longpot.”)

The Kaiti-City-Y.M.P. Affair.

The match on No. 1 ground lasr Saturday between A.ALP. and KaitiC'ity was certainly the star attraction of the day, and the spectators were unanimous in voting it so, for beyond the two line umpires the game which was fought out on the adjoining ground did not attract any attention. The public are quick in sizing up the merits of the two matches which take place on the Domain, consequently the less favored affair is usually played in such lovely state that it might be happening far from habitation. After the defeat suffered at the hands of United on the previous Saturday, the Kaiti-City team was considerably reorganised, mid the combination which took the field against the Alaoris will prove a particularly hard one to: heat after one or two of its members strike form. Gray should be a useful addition, for on Saturday last he gave a glimpse of what he is capable of doing. He took the ball well and kicked well, but was a little inclined to crowd his wings on the line. Skillerr and Carruthers, who were absent against United, took their places in the team and played really capital games. The placing of Huston at half proved an admirable move, for it cannot be sadi that Jack Nicolas was a success in the position. Besides, the game which Nicolas played in the forward division showed that he was being wanted behind the pack. On the other hand, the Alaoris were unfortunate in having several of-their best men men away on parade, otherwise the score might not have gone against them. True the Kaiti pac-k worked with- a vigor and dash that could hardly be excelled, but it must be remembered that the substitutes in the Alaori team failed lamentably at times. They fumbled the ball badly, and their direction when kicking into touch was not at all good. These mistakes were on several occasions very fatal, arid it is safe to say that had the Blue forwards been -a trifle less keen, at least a couple of tries, Iresides that secured by vStagpoole would have been the result. Taking the day’s play—and, ignoring the what might have been —Kaiti had more of the play than their opponents, and their win was not unmerited. The Blue forwards were superior to the Reds, and had it not been for Kokiri’s great efforts the superiority would have been much more marked. Stogpoole on the wing was in fine form, though he showed a tendency to infringe the off-side rale. Nicolas and AlcGill shone out ahead of their fellows, while of the other members ef the pack Winter, O’Neill and .Doolfey were at times prominent. Stubbs was the chief luminary of the Blue rear division. Time and again he pulled his side out of tight corners, and his line kicking was a particular treat. He has improved wonderfully' since the opening match of the season. Pufflett also showed improved form, and gave glimpses-of his one-time dash. In the Maori; forward division it was nearly all Kokin, though AlcDonald, and Aloses were at times.prominent. Kaipara did most of the work-of the Red reaidi.vision, and was-ably seconded by Wi Friday and AVaiata.

The Garrison-United Match. The Game between United and Garrison was not of a-spectacular nature, the play being confined mostly to the forwards. What little passing was indulged in was done by the United team. Both teams were weakened by player# Being absent. Garrison had the chance of the season to' beat United, but they failed to take advantage of the situation. As the Garrison team are all young players, they should improve as the season goes on, but they sadly miss two such sterling players as McColl and Milter. * Gardiner, and Mcllroy were the pick of the Garrison backs, the former getting his. side out of many tight oorners with his safe defence. The ether backs were very mediocre. All the forwards worked hard, and led by Davis, they gave their opponents many anxious moments; United put up a great fight in the first spell when the odds were against them. Pollock’s defence was superb, but he failed to. benefit by the kindly adtfice I gave him last week of hanging on to the ball. This

lost one, if not two, tries for his side. Sling the ball about "Hori,” and don’t- trouble about the n gallery.” McLean played well, and' his dropkicking will prove dangerous to opposing teams if he makes proper use of it. Murray made some pretty openings, and his cutting in was very nice. The forwards all worked with a will and put in some good concerted rashes.

On Disputin’. A regrettable feature of the UnitedGarrison match was that’some of the players lost no opportunities, to enter into disputes with the line-umpire, and to harass him on. every possible occasion. AVhat was more regrettable was that the worst offender was ,a pTayer who should have known better, as lio holds a fairly responsible position in connection with local football. l lt would doubtless have come as a severe shock to him had the referee been in a position to have severed the barneying by inviting the player to view the nest of the proceedings from the side-line. I think the players can rest assured that the line umpires appointed by the referee can be relied upon to give a fair and square deal. Ido not say that a line-umpire is unlike the rest of us, infallible to mistakes, but as he is generally a member of the Referees’ Association, and has just as good a knowledge of the game as most of the players, I think he ought to be granted the common honesty of being able to act fair. Besides, if he is wrong, it is within the province of the referee to overrule him. All the arguing that could be brought to bear would not make a line-umpire alter his decision, and the sooner a large section of the players realise this the sooner! will a lot of unpleasantness be obviated. Beyond mentioning that the player referred to is n member of the United Club, I do not intend to go further on this occasion, but if he so far forgets himself in the future .as to repeat the offence lie will find his name figuring in these columns. I trust that lie will show us that such a course is noC necessary. On Whisker Crabbing.

The whisker-grabbing style of tackling made its appearance on the Domain last Saturday, particularly in the United-Garrison match. By the amount it was indulged in it seems as though it is likely to become highly popular with local footballers. Of course it has one or two things in its favor—it allows opponents to score tries,, and it creates great merriment among the spectators—but it is poor football. Once I heard an old trainer remark- —in answer to a question as to whether a player was more likely to get hurt by collaring high or low—"that the player who goes low stops his man and usually gets less than the man who is tackled, hut the player who goes out prospecting to find the other player’s whiskers usually gets a lift under the lug for Ins trouble, besides the pleasure of seeing his opponent notch a try.”’ And there is more than a grain of truth in that reply. Then, again, there is nothing more demoralising to a persistent attack than low and accurate collaring. An attacking player, aftey he has had the "tar” shaken out of him a few times by being brought into contact with Alothor Earth good and solid, does not usually look for more of the same medicine. To> be tackled hare; a couple of times at the beginning of a. game often puts a player right off his game, not so much by the physical effect produced, but that it makes him lose confidence in himself. A large ’number of our local players would do well to take note.

NOTES. It was too funny last Saturday in one of the senior matches to see a captain, some yards off-side, appealing against an opponent for the same breach. It came off, too!

There is too much "chipping” going on in the senior games, and the way some of the players go in would bring trouble to them in other centres. In appealing there is too much of the "trying to influence” the referee about it. Players are liable to be put o.n the line for this offence, and we hope they will take heed of this warning note!

E. E. Booth, the well-known All Black, is this season playing for Eastern Suburbs in Sydney.

An effort is being made by the members of the Poneke Club, Wellington, to .induce "Billy” Wallace, New Zealand’s erstwhile brilliant threequarter and full-back, to again coach the team during the present season. Since retiring from football, AVallace has taken an active interest in the Poneke Club, having frequently superintended their training operations, and liis absence from the Club’s gymnasium this season has iriipressed upon Poneke players that the All Black’s services as coach are indispensable.

Jas. Ryan, the crack Petone back, who had decided to retire from football diving to an injured foot, has acceded to the wishes of enthusiastic supporters, and again donned the jersey for his old club.

Frank Alitchinson has made liis appearance in the Poneke rearguard in the AVellinigton Rugby Union’s competition, and with a few games the clever (All Black anticipates getting back to liis old form.