LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 22 August 1934, Page 2

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The weekly, meeting of the Management Committee of the West Coast Rugby League was held last evening, there being present: Messrs A. H. McKane (Chairman), J. Anisy, B. Ramsay, J. Stokes, W. Barlow, J Griffen and R. Harrington (Secretary). Apol ogies for absence were received from Messrs A. Anisy and L. Hunter The report, of the managers of the representative team (Messrs A. C. Hall and L. Hunter) was received and a vote of passed to them. The Secretary was instructed to notify all players concerned of their selection in the South Island team.

The registrations of C’. R Patterson and L. Fauth (Pirates) were approved, the first being subject to his transfer from Richmond Rovers’ (Auckland) being secured. It. was decided to write to Canterbury, Vongratulating them on winning the Northern Union Cup, and on the conduct of -the team, both off and on the field. It was decided that a letter of appreciation be sent to the Civic Band for their services at Saturday’s representative game. FIXTURES. Senior: (Bradshaw Cup):— Pirates v. Marist, at Wingham Park 2.30 p.m. (J. O’Neill). Runanga v Blackball, at Rapahoe, 2.45 p'.m. (C. Currie). Junior: (Final Knock-out Cup):— Brunner v. Ngahere, at Wingham Park, 2.30 p.m. (Stan. Smith). Junior: (One Round Competition):— Pirates v Runanga, at Rapahoe, 1.30 (A. Fielding). Marist A, a bye. Fourth Grade:— Marist v. Brunner at Wingham Park, 1.15 p.m., (C. Restieaux). Runanga v. Pirates, at Wingham Park (Mat Hall.) Owing to the holidays, all school games have been postponed. NOTES AND COMMENTS. Rep. Game Reflections: There is no question that the Coast team did not play up to expectations in Saturday’s representative game against Canterbury. The talent was there, but combination was lacking. The winners were obviously a trained team, while Coast, just as obviously, was not. The Coast backs were not given many attacking opportunities, through the failure of their hooker, but whenever the bull did come out, it rarely got beyond the second fiveeight. Changes will have to be made in these two positions if there are to be any further representative games this season. Still the Best. It appears that Jim Tailentire is still the best rake on the Coast, and a good loose forward will have to be sacrificed to allow of Tallentire’s inclusion, for the ball must be secured from the scrujns by a successful League team.

Change in Backs. W. King, second five-eighth, was somewhat, a surprise inclusion in the rep. team, and it cannot be said that he justified his inclusion. E. O’Brien or .T. Costello would probably have done better, but King cannot be condemned on one game.

Four Unlucky Players. There are at least four West Coast players who are decidedly unlucky not to have been selected in the South Island team. P. Scott, the Inangahu.i, centre, was* little, if any, inferior to Ayres (Canterbury) on Saturday, and in deciding on the last named, the selector was evidently looking to retain the combination of Amos, Ayres and Wellsmore. Also Ayres has stone and a-half advantage in weight over Scott. 11. Bailey, the Inangahua forward, is in a similar position to Scott, and must have missed selection by the narrowest of margins. J. Kennedy, the Coast winger, and G. Newton, Coast forward, were unlucky to lose excellent chances of selection through injuries, putting them temporarily out of the game. Retrieved Himself.

G. Scott, the big Coast forward, jeopardised his chances of selection in the Coast team by several mediocre games earlier in the season, but has returned to form, and on Saturday played a fine game in the Coast pack.

Strong Representation. As was anticipated, the West Coast have secured the majority of the positions in the South Island team, and it cannot be denied that all of the seven players who have gained the honour have justified their inclusion. On paper the team looks a strong one, and although combination *will be. lacking, it should give a good account of itself in the North. Visit to Christchurch.

It is stated, unofficially, that the West Coast League is considering making a trip to Christchurch about the middle of next month, and taking the Anisy Shield with them, to again try conclusions with the Canterbury team. If the trip eventuates, the following team, I would suggest, might be the one to take the field: Full back, T. McKenzie; three-quarters, M. Morris, P. Scott, J. Kennedy; five-eighths, E. O’Brien, J. Dodds; half-back, T. O’Connor; front row, J. Calder, J. Tailentire, G. Scott; second row, W. Glynn, G. Newton; back row, 11. Bailey. Emergencies.- forwards: G. August, E. Kerridge; backs, J. Roberts, W. King. An Abused Rule.

In regard, to some of the rulings given by referees in reference to the distance players should stand away when their opponents kick off, it is interesting to note that the rules distinctly state that in a kick-off, either a dropout, twenty-five, or from half-wav, either placed or dropped, opposing players should stand ten yards out.

Inexperience v. Expedience: In view of the fact, that he had hooked in only four previous matches, E, Kerridge was asked to do a big task

by hooking against Ward, of Canterbury, and it was hardly fair to expect him to succeed. Kerridge is a good loose forward, but he has a lot to learn about hooking. Need for Speed: If he hopes to make a fav<.urab 1 e impression in th e Inter-Island game. T. O’Connor will have to smarten up his play from the base of the scrum A half’s pass from the scrum should be completed in one swinging motion as a second lost or gained by the ha'f makes all the difference to the fiveeighths. Did not Support: M. Morris, the Coast winger, had one fault on Saturday/. He did not bad: up hi« s full-back. On several occasions McKenzie kicked through ami fodowed up, when the following up should have been done by Morris, or else he should have dropped back momentarily into the full-back’s position. Dodds Unavailable: ,T. Dodds (Blackball) has notified th e selector that he is unavailable for the South Island team, but his suc'.-es-sor has not yet been chosen. Schoolboy Reps.: The sixth grade (schoolboy) representative team, to meet Canterbury at Greymouth on September Ist, for the Norman C-ox (’up is as follows:— Downes, Davis, Rogers, NuttaH (Blackball); Penman, McDonald, Maskill, Dalzell (Runanga), Beban (2), McGirr, Brown, Dwyer, Heffernan (Marist); Kearney, Wesley (Cobden). The team will train at Victoria Park, at 1.30 p.m. each day.