LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 9 May 1936, Page 3

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

NOTES AND COMMENTS. The feature of last week’s games »was undoubtedly the great fight between Runanga and Marist at Victoria Park on Saturday. Both teams had been unbeaten, Runanga having won their games easily, whilst Marist were fortunate to get home by two points from Ngahere. It was therefore keenly anticipated that the. match would be a titanic struggle between two evenly matched teams. Some expected really spectacular play, but the evenness of the teams prevented the realisation of that hope. The game was featured by solid tackling on both sidis, brilliant defence by Marist and hard work on the part of both packs of forwards. ****** Dropped Passes: The inportanee of the game certainly had its bearing on the r>lay. both sides starting off rather nervously. Im the early stages both sets of backs handled weakly, many passes beingdropped. However, few players had the opportunity of making good clean passes, the tackling being in most in-.-lances little to doubt. ******* Outstanding Backs: Neither back division had sufficient free play to be able to develop any really noteworthy combination. On the run of play, however, the most successful back was A. Behan, the 'Marist winger. He did not secure the hall very often, but he had plenty of speed in reserve and was a trifle unluckv not- Io score more tries. As it was. it would seem that on one occasion (he line umpire was rather early in flying his flag. If Behan can retain his form ho will he a hard man to boat for rep selection.

Manderson played a splendid game for Runanga. ably assisting Hopkins who gave a dashing display at fullback. However the latter, wth his speed an good knowledge of the game is still wasted nt full-back. His prowess ought to put him into centre, where ho could become a potential rep. Hopkins overshadowed Pollock, the Marist full-back, but his line kicking was not quite equal to Pollock's. ****** Well Marked:

Tj. Masters Rnnanga-’s youthful “star” five-eighth. was likely to do great damage to the Marist opposition which however, had him well and truly marked. Nevertheless one did see dashes of the brillance that has put Masters so suddenly into th.e limilight. and those bright patches, indicating the quickness and accurateness of a plover who has football brains, were sufficient to show what ti great player this boy is. ******* A Scrum Improvement: '['he looseness of the Marist scrum at Ngahere was completely mastered after a week of thorough training, and on Saturday, they secured the ball most in the first' half. Although the referee repeatedly pulled O’Conner m>for not putting the ball into the serum properly, a very reasonable decision too —a little more attention on his part to flagrant breaches of the offside rule before scrums break up would have varued approbation. ******* Runanga Half: W : th Marist hooking well, Morris, •he Runanga. half was not overworked in the first half. Tie put in some splendid work in the second spell and the passing movement he initiated and in which the whole of his pack lino participated was the best work of th., day. A heady player he lost no opportunities. ******* Pick of the Forwards: W. Glynn and W. McNeight mu«' share honours for great le-adershm in the forwards, with any slight advantage go'ng to Glvnn. but the Marist breakaway. Walsh. also deserves a word for being in the thick ot the fight all the time. J. Rohan was prominently assoe/ated with most of Mar isl’s efforts and had the support of cverv man with him. Similarly the Runanga forwards gave a splendid exhildl'on of playing as one unit. ****** Not Individualistic: Perhaps the most, pleasing impression one could get of the game wa.a lack- of individual effort, and th? concentration of both sides on team tactics. One or two must be exempt from this, Roberts in particular failing to pass out when required. O’Brien, who had an injured hand, also clung to the ball longer than necessary. ****** A Hectic Straggle: For the last quarter of an hour the game was in the hands of either team, onlv superior tackling and rucking by Marist keeping 'Runanga back. The game was for sonfo minutes concentrated right on Marist's I.no and Runanga seemed certain to score —until deadly tackling told its tale. ******* All Good Gani'es: Saturday’s fixture was by no means the only good game last week-end for both matches on Sunday revealed considerable improvement in the four teams engaged. ****** Pirates v. Blackball: Pirates made the. trip to Blackball am] although beaten they put up a splendid showing. Calder, as usual led h's pack, as only Calder can. Fisher Pirate’s breakaway btrok't up many Blackball rushes an,] in fact was mainly responsible for the respectable dimensions of the score. ****** Reliable : Sound, and reliable, Stewart played a splendid game in the Pirate rearguard. He is a fit player of whom most will be heard this season. ******* Hard Working Pack: In the Blackball pack, Perrin, and Phinlater were the pick of a hard working, and solid set. ******* The Brightest Patch: (>’Bonnell's try proved Io be the gem of a game not lacking brilliancy, lie had few opportunit'es but he took a great chance when he raced from half wav to score the neatest try of the day.' Sf * * * ' * * * N.Z. League: The optimistic view of the future taken by Mr. W. O'. A. Sncdden, the re-elected President of the New Zealand League Council, will be rc-cchoed-in these parts. It was hardly necessarv for Mr. Snedden’s words to be s .. tl f out from Auckland—almndant proof of the great progress being made in the North Island is already well known. The game is going ahead by leaps and bounds in Wellington, Taranaki, and Hawke’s Bay, and it is onlv a matter of time before it can

extend to other parts of the North and South' Islands, ******* Wiest Coast Remits: The fact that West Coast was directly represented at the Council meeting must have contributed to the success of this League’s remits. 'The remit dealing with the South .Island team, met with the expected opposition of Northern interests, and it says much for Air. A. 11. MeKane’s diplomacy that the opposition did not maintain its ground. ***** X Broadcast&ig: It may be a coincidence that, whilst the New Zealand League should carry a West Coast Remit urging a request to the Broadcasting Board to allow League matches on the air, the other code should decide also by deputation to request £5OO instead of £250 as the Broadcasting Board's payment for the right Io broadcast their games in the main centres. It will be interesting to see the ultimate result of the two deputations, ****** Victoria Park: If League games are to be controlled efficiently without the interference or spectators some method should be airanged whereby spectators are kept back some yards from the line. On Saturday the line umpires were powerless to keep the lino free. A substantial rope seems to be the only solution of a perplexing problem so far as players and the referee are concerned. INANGAHUA NOTES.

The competitions were continued last week end, the weather being fine and good games resulted. Tn the senior grade the results were surprises. A pleasing feature was that all teams had full musters. At Inangahua .function, the home team plaved a draw with Waiuta, the present leaders in the grade. Junction gave a vastly improved showing and will be a force to be reckoned with before long. Garth Button led the forwards and played a solid game. It is bad luck that his services are to be lost, he having been transferred to Gisborne. Walker, a new plaver, is a fine losoe forward and worked hard. Stone. Drummond. McManus and Raynor complete a fine pack, all hard grafters. Wade at half. Jackson. Luff. Goodyer and Whitehead were the nick of a very even back line. For Waiuta, Churstain was the pick of the forwards and is up to ren. class. Ketridge Chandler and Porter being the best of the remainder. The laHer is a valuable acquisition and a fine type. .In the backs McCarthy was outstanding, he js one of the best inside backs in the competition. Kiely. White ami Woolhouse gave him excellent support. At Nelson Crock, Ahaura boat the home team, fitness placing a big part in their w : n. For Ahaura. Goodall. Clark. Kirk ami Savage were the pick, and in the home team. Taafe, 0 Brien. Weinburg. Walker and Tuck stood out. Tn the junior games. Junction filded a heftv team, but lacking in exper'fenee, onlv four or five having place'll football before. However they have the material and when they learn the game will give their opponents a headache.

Beefton had a good bank line, ably supported bv the forwards, and they threw the ball about in great style. Sent, McKenzie, Barrow, Gilroy and Matheson combining well. Blom. Harwood. Bari and Bourke nlayed well. Waiuta had a close call at Mawheraiti where the reorganised Mawheraiti team gave a good display. Tn the home team E. Tonn made his reappearance and played a fine game. S. Topp. Chandler, Robinson. Longman and Tlillyer were the pick of the rest. Robinson. Rodden were outstanding in a very even Waiuta team. Mr. Charlie MeElwee will make his reappearance with the whistle this week. Garth Button will be given a farewell bv his Reefton friends this evening. The Inangahua League now possesses two life members of the Now Zealand League, Messrs J. McElwee and Tonv Ainsy. Congratulations are due to both for the wonderful interest they have taken in the modern code. Prosperity is at hand again, judging by the excellent gate takings being received. This year the total for three weeks is above that recorded for six weeks of last year. The SubCentre is in for a wonderful season. Attempt are being made to secure a player-coach from Auckland, a move -in the right direction. Converts to the code are numerous, far ahead of last year’s figures. New rule books are to hand, players are asked for their co-operation in carrying them out, they will make the game faster than ever. Remember the Rep match West Coast' v. Inangahua til Reefton on the King’s' Birthday. A wonderful game is assn red. The Suh-Centre will hold a ball in the evening when the event of the year will take place. Mr. C. Coxall took a turn with the whistle last week, and made a good job of it too. Two fine matches will be played at Reefton Racecourse this week, where the unbeaten Waiuta senior team will try conclusions with Waratahs, and Mawheraiti and Reefton Juniors will meet. Junction seniors play at Ahaura and the Waiuta juniors will meet Junction at Waiuta. JOTTINGS. The Petone Club at Wellington did not have winger R. 0. Jones for verylong as he re-appHired for Ponsonby at Auckland on Saturday. Mr. J, Melting, Auckland’s new Town Clerk, who has gone abroad on leave, is a keen follower of the code and for a short period a few years ago sat as a delegate on the national council. Erie Harris, Australian th-ee quarter with Leeds, has scored 61 tries this season. Albert Rosenfeld, another Australian, beat that total twice for Huddersfield in 1910-11, when he crossed tho line S 9 times and again the following season. The All-Blacks, Jack Hem.t ('fullback) and Kawe (forward) played well in their first run for Mamakau at Carlaw Park on Saturday'. Il emi. who came to Auckland accompanied by hib fellow-team' player (Broughton of th< Gladstone club, .Masterton, was later followed by another Waiarapa rep. Mason, a winger, proved himself quite a good footballer. Broughton, former Ilorowhonua and Mnnawbenua rep, has possibilities. Because Rugby Union referees in the Northern Wairoa, district have preferred to give their time to golf, a Dargaville official recently became indignant and declared that golf was a big-

ger menace than Rugby League football. Patrons of the Royal and Ancient game in many parts of New Zealand may be expected to rejoice with progressive football modernists at such vocal evidence from the “ diehards. To attend the meting of the New Zealand Council on Saturday the Canterbury delegate, Mr L. G. Amos travelled by air from (,'hristchureh to Palmerston North and caught the express. Returning by the same route, he was back in Canterbury Monday evening, having left. Auckland on Sunday evening. Under the coldest and most unpleasant weather experienced for years the Auckland Rugby League held its official opening on Saturday. Nevertheless, the attendance was good and ii.s estimated thiat there werd four times the number of people at Carlaw Park .than at Eden Park. In spite of heavy grounds, the win.l. rain and hail, the four matches provided high-cless football .for the conditions. Air. Albert beat Newton Rangers 6-5 in a harr. and keen clash. Richmond disposed of Ponsonby 21-10, Alarists beat CLy Rovers in the last stride by 12-11 and Devunp.ort accounted for the debutants of the grade. Alamakau, by 27-2 in a game that attracted much attention bv reason of the first appearance iu the code of ten 'Rugby Union players drawn from Wairarapa, King Country and other districts, including Aucitland. The new team, which has not. had a practice together, performed with credit, for newcomers. The pack included the tall Alaori All Black, Kawe. I’ickring of 'l' 1 ’ Kuril and formerly of the Selwyn e.lub at Wellington and Gault, also a King Country rep. Ilemi who starred in Australia in the team captained by George Nepia. stepped out in attractive vein. The side will be augmented during the week and one of the newcomers will be Tom Trevathan of the Southern club Dunedin. With good coaching • k nd practice in the modern code, Alainiikau should do well in the championship. Air. G. A. J. McNeill, who has been appointed to a special position in connection with the Wellington Rugby League organisation, is a Queenslander with a sound knowledge of the requirements of the code. He was born in Brisbane and educated at the Christian Brothers' schools at Warwick and Brisbane and was a primary school representative player and captain, being a member of the Queensland thirteen ■which beat New South Wales in 1922. About the 1927 period he entered grade football as a member of the Old Boys’ team at Nambour on the North Coast and became, captain, lecturer and coach. Then a school teaehoi he rose to president of the club and a delegate to the Wide Bay and Burnett League which includes centres like Maryborough. Bundaberg n nd Gym'pm. At 21 years of age lu< was appointed manager of the North Coast representative team. In 1929-3(1 he tvent inland and laid the foundation of the Upper Burnett League and held several offices including that of selector. Coming to New Zealand in 1931, Air. McNeill took charge of the Celtic Rugby League team in 1932 and the next year the side were undefeated premiers, the side including E. T. Alincham. of Richmond Rovers. Air. McNeill has given splendid service to the game in Wellington’and has helped the revival in every way possible JI is great knowledge as a leader —organiser, in addition to his practical appreciation of field tecliniipu', should he invaluable to the code in Wellington in his new responsible capacity.

ENGLISH CUP FINAL. Alany football enthusiasts with radio facilities listened in per short-wave to the splendid account of the English Rugby League Cup final played at Wembley before over .fifty thousand people. The graphic account of the run of a brilliant contest, won convincinglv by Leeds over Warrington bv 18 to 2 was delivered by Air Lance Todd, the well-known New Zealander, who is the manager-coach at Salford. It was plain that Leeds, whose rank.included four of the British team shortly to be seen in New Zealand, held the ascendancy with their rearguard combination against the elect <«t Warrington, with a powerful forward division, comprising two of the tourists and Rex King, the ex-Rugoy Union forward of Canterbury, New Zealand.

No report of this important match appears to have been cabled from Loudon and in that respect the broadcast again emphasised the world value of the broadcast, from Daventry. Two names that frequently flashed over the. air were Harris and Brough. lheie are two of the former cognomen in the Imeds thirteen, one. being the famous Australian winger greyhound, Eric Harris, and F. Harris, the magnificent young cent re t hreequarter, who will lie seen here shortly and who has contributed much to the scoring success of his namesake during the past

season. The president of the English Rugby Leayue, the Rt. Hon, the .Lail of Derby, England’s greatest sportsman, presented the trophy amid a scene of unparalleled enthusiasm. Leeds have now won the Cup four times, and in 1932 they captured it by defeating Swinton, ‘ll to 8, the same scores by which Castleford carried off the honours from Huddersfield m 1935. The present holders, who registered their first victory at the Stadium, do not appear to have the best chances of going on to win the season s championship, owing to the departure of star players at a most important stage near the final. . On the other hand AVarrington aie not in the first thirteen for the championship. They are a great Cupfiuhting club, 'being holders ot the trophv in 1905 and 1907, and runnersup in 1901-04-13-28-33 and again in 1936 It is a wonderfully consistent record. —