LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 10 September 1935, Page 6

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Auckland Team’s Visit TO-MORROW’S BIG GAME. The major attraction of Went Coast League for the present season, and in fact, for several seasons, will be staged at Victoria Park to-morrow, when the Auckland touring representatives will meet the West Coast. The Auckland team is a brilliant’ combination, including such stars as the famous A. E. Cooke. Lou Brown, Hutt and Satherly, and can be depended upon to provide football of a high standard. There need be no fear, however, that the West Coast, will not provide adequate opposition. The Coast pack includes four of the South Island forwards, who gave such a m< morable display in the recent Inter-ls':»nd game and it would not be surpr - ng to see them dominate the game, as they 41 d in the second spell in Auckland. There is no gainsaying that the Coast team is a strong one, and if the backs can hold the visitors, a Coast victory is even possib e Only solid tackling and keen anticipation will counter the sparkling back movements of Brown and Co., who have an uncanny knack of exert ing every movement with a precision that ensures that every man who breaks through is supported. Unless the unforeseen occurs, the game will resolve itself into a duel between the Coast forwards and the visiting backs, a duel, which under good conditions, promises to be a memorable une in < (oast League. There is not a weakness in the visiting team, who opened their tour by defeating Wellington by 31) points to 27 on Saturday, and with Bert Cooke as the last H ne of defence, they will be a hard team to score against. Apart from 'the full-back, C. Crowe, a young player of promise, the Coast team is a well-tried, solid .coin bination, and after the display of J. Dodds on Sunday, keen followers of the code are even more hopeful of the game that the backs will put up. There need be no fear as far as the forwards are concerned, especially as the game is in the nature of a triad for the selection of the New Zealand team, and as at least five of the Coast' for wards hold chances of selection.

The Auckland 'team, with Mr G. Grey Campbell,, Chairman of the Auckland .Rugby League Control Board, in charge, and Mr 11. Avery, an Auckland selector as team manager, will arrive from Christchurch by this afternoon’s express, and will stay at the Club Hotel, There being 2.3 in the official party.

Mr A. Fielding has been appointed as referee for to-morrow’s match, and Messrs I. Scott and A. Mason us touch judges. Mr C. Restieaux will referee the curtain-raiser between Runanga and the Combined third grade team. The West Coast will assemble at the Club Hotel The teams are as follows: Auckland (Blue and White): A. E. Cooke, Hal!, Riley. Brown, Kay, Brimble, Fletcher, Simpson, Hutt, Laird. Sat her ley, Herring. Tetley. Emerg.: Dempsey, Hassan, Keane. West Coast (Red and Wh te): Crowe, Williams, Roberts McLennan, Dodds, Scott O ’Connor* Calder, Airey, McNeight, Glynn, August, Anderson. Egerg.: Weir, Ritchie, G. Scott. The following is a short review of the Auckland team: — A. E. Cook will need no introduction, i suflice it is to say that he is playing as ' brilliantly as ever and admits that be was never better in his great career. Lou Brown has a reputation approaching that of Cooke and is now back to the form which placed him in a class among world three-quarters. Smail, neat and clean in with the speed of a greyhound, Brown will prove to be a thorn in the side of Coast.

Kay and Ri-.'ey are two young Pon-. Son by backs whose magnificent plav ip the Ponsonby team, captained by Lou Hutt, has made them very popu Jar. Both are fast and elusive, and Kay is as well qualified for the wing position as he is for the five-eighth. The speed, dash and physique of the other winger, Hall, is something to be marvelled at. He is likely to prove a star in big football, being a similar type of determined player to Boy Hines the famous Western Suburbs (Sydney) winger. The other backs are Eric Fletcher (tho ißichmond five-eighth or half) who has blossomed out as a high class exponent since he took up Rugby League two years ago. and E. Brimble the Newton five-eighth, a brilliant and :ast player, who is a personality in Auckland football. His speed off the mark will be an eye-opener, and will keep the Coast inside backs busy. The seven forwards with the party are a n impressive lot, with weight, pace and proven cleverness. Lou Hutt, backed by experience of scrum work on many fields at’ home and abroad, will undertake hooking duty, with supports in J. Laird (Marist) and Simp son (Devonport). The whole pack is composed of big strong men, with a ready knowledge of positiona' play in the ruck or loose and dangerous once they open up in short passing.

The team will trai n at Victoria Park after the arrival of the express to-day, and this evening Messrs Campbell and A. E. Cooke will speak over Station 3ZR. INANGAHUA MATCHES. At the Reef ton Racecourse on Sunday. the Reefton seniors defeated Ahaura by 20 points to 17, in a match for -the Flannigan Cup and Knock-Out. The Reefton team were definitely on top in the first spell., when the backs threw the ball about in great style. In the second half, however, Ahaura made up the leeway and were pressing Reefton right throughout the spell. For Ahaura, Stenhouse, Kirk and McNaughton were the best' backs and Goodall in the forwards. Goodyer, Me El wee, Dutton and Orsbourn were the pick of Reefton. In t'he junior game, the final for the Mystery Cup, Waratahs and Waiuta drew, after a fine game. Waratah’s best players were: Cu-tbush, Honey. Matherson, Scott and Blom, and for Waiuta, Cooper, Hempseed, Walker and Hall. The result of this game gives Waiuta the Cup, and hearty congratulations are extended to them, this being t'he second competition won by the Waiuta juniors. At Mawheraiti, the Reefton and Ma-

v/hcraiti juniors met ’ n the first round of the Coekerill Chip Knock-Out Reefiton were suceessfu. 1 by 24 points to 5. FALSE REPORTS. LONDON. September 8. English Rugby League officia's scout the reported offers nf £lOO plus a bonus t'o players in New Zealand They declare that no club would offer such sums even if they could afford them. The current fees are £2 to £6 a match. The New Zealander French, who made his debut as full-back, for Warrington {.on Saturday, was sent to (hospital, suffering from concussion, as the result of tack’ing a Wigan player.