LEAGUE.

Grey River Argus, 8 May 1926, Page 4 (Supplement)

LEAGUE.

(By

" Spectator. " )

This afternoon at the Kec the Blackball and Marist Seniors will try and decide who is thq best team, having made a draw of it in their last encounter. Both teams will field strong back teams and can be relied upon io make the game open, Marist defeated Kunanga and Kunanga defeated Blackball in their last games, but the greens will find Blackball a different team /now with the inclusion of Ban do, the burly forward and {Skinner who showed out on Sunday at Blackball. No doubt a large crowd will avail themselves of witnessing this match which promises to ecliuse any previous contests.

There will\ be another game prior to the big game 1 that between Runanga and Brunner school boys which should keep early patrons interested.

At Dunollie on Sunday the Runanga and Greymouth seniors will meet ioi the second time. The Greys are confident that they will put up a better fight this time than last, and Runanga are advised not to treat the green and blacks too cheaply.

In the junior section Rovers and Runanga will, meet at Dunollio prior to the big game and this game should decide quite a lot of arguments as to which is the better team. The Grey juniors will journey to Nelson Creek where they will get a hard game, but should the ball be dry then the Nelson Creek folk will see some good football as both sides have winning form.

The two Blackball teams will try conclusions at Blackball and a good game is anticipated there.

Marist and Brunner will meet at Omoto where there should bo a large crowd to witness them. This game is very open as both teams are about the same quality.

In the third grade, Athletic will meet Runanga at Rapahoe and an ininteresting game should eventuate. Grey will meet Brunner at Omoto prior to the Marist-Brunner junior fixture. The Blackball Club are to be congratulated on the improvements to its ground. The strong fence around the playing field has a good effect on keeping the crowd back, whilst two line stewards are there also to see that nobody encroaches on the ground at half time. This Club placed four teams in the field on Sunday for four wins, a very good performance. Bob Williams of Blackball Club, can show a good many of the other players what it means to play up to the whistle. No stopping is Bob’s motto. Le Vert (Brunner) was the best back on the ground in tin' game against Blackball B on ’Sunday and would be a big acquisition to some of the senior teams. The Marist Club will have to pay [some attention to their juniors or the\ ■will lose them. There seems to I"* a lack of a leader in this team. The Inangahua players, Clegg and Lynsky are playing in (’an!erlmry this season, the forrler for Sydenhai’i ' 1 the latter for Waimari, whore they are upholding their rejmtations. The former has behn elected Captain of the senior tcaifi. “Warrior” Kells, who injured his ankle in the initial game vl the season is just about right. All League fans will welcome a return of this game nitle player who will materially strengthen tin Blackball backs. A first-class player—coach must get a high salary in Aussie. Frank Burge has returned to Grenfell at a higher remuneration than last year’s figures which were 113 per week and board. No wonder turned down an offer to assist his old club in the Metropolitan area, Glebe. Hughic Mears, the hard working Muribt's forward now stationed in Canterbury, is not playing football at 'all this season, having! to work every ►Saturday afternoon. A rattling goou forward going to waste there.

Hornby bscks have boon considerably strengthened by the N.Z. rep half, Wclson Hal.' and F. Warr who played in the Canterbury reps v. the Coast with the 11/24 team. Warr is a young player of a nuggety build and is spoken of as on»e. of. Canterbury’s most promising backs seen for years past.

The scrummage seems to be the bone of contention in all centres where League is played. The referee in the England—Other Nationalities called the two skippers together before the match with a view of making some special arrangement, but. after a discussion it was decided to play under the rules as they stood. A suggestion had been made that the first man of each front rank should cross their outside the halfJsyk to put the ball in over the crossed legs. This would stop the ball coming out of the tunnel in -which it went in. Something will have to be done, for as long as human nature is what it is, one hooker will try to take advantage of tho other, by feet up or some other illegal method.

Some of our local forwards say that one prominent hooker in a senior team here l ,, puts his feet right across the scrum so that the only tunnel left is belund his heels. Hooking simplified certainly, but where is the referee. A'.alloy, the Marist five-eight, is still nursing the injured knee received during the Runanga-Marist game three weeks ago. His absence is keenly felt by the green rearguard.

Docgan will be the cynosure of all eves when the Marists meet Blackball Against other teams he has easily proved' tho best inside back, both on defence and attack.

ju.«.-Dall juniors miss Mac Smith, tho connecting link in many well thought-out passing rushes. Whe* available the red and bind' -muior ‘‘A’ team will pile up the points,