LEAGUE FOOTBALL Possible Sydney Tour For Players Outside Kiwi Selection

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1947, Page 6

LEAGUE FOOTBALL Possible Sydney Tour For Players Outside Kiwi Selection

<( lt is just possible that one or two o£ the West Coast players that have been omitted in the selection of the Kiwi side to tour abroad will be invited to go to Sydney with the Wellington Premiers, if it is approved by all,” writes the noted League supporter, Mr R. 0. Courtenay, in a special communication to the "Argus.. “I hope to see the unlucky player who misses the trip be recognised in the Sydney trip, as he will deserve this, and I have proposed this at the Wellington Rugby League annual meeting.”

Mi’ Courtenay, donor of the £lOO9 world goodwill Rugby League trophy bearing his name, and one of the code’s most ardent supporters, says a great fillip would be given to Rugby League in Wellington if the winners of this year’s premiership visited Australia to play matches against Sydney club teams. Hi& business activities taking him to Australia every winter, Mr Courtenay has in the past received overtures from secretaries of some of the leading clubs there regarding the possibility of such a frip.

One of the interested teams is St. George .runners-up to Balmain for the Sydney championship last year (they were beaten by one point in the final). There would be no financial risks involved,” declared Mr Courtenay. “Even competition matches draw, on average, from 30,000 to 40,000 Sydney people. And although considerable doubt has been expressed as to whether the Wellington Rugby League would have a team strong enough to be pitted against any Sydney club, in my opinion this is an unjustifiably modest way of looking at the position. Apart from the incentive it would provide for the Wellington club teams, it would be a goodwill visit of inestimable value. “Nor is the standard of the Sydney club so terrifyingly formidable, as has been proved in the past. When Ray Stehr, former international, brought Eastern Suburbs over to Auckland some years back the Auckland championship winners Richmond lowered their colours. And history repeated itself last season when Balmain, Sydney’s Rugby League premiership winners, went down to the Richmond giant-killers by the convincing score of 17 points to 9. “Moreover New Zealand’s triumph over the Englishmen in the only Test last year made this country’s name respected in League circles- in Australia.” For these reasons there is not a modicum of doubt in Mr Courtenay’s mind that his suggested visit would prove a great attraction to the Sydney public and consequently of considerable financial benefit to Wellington' Rugby League. Wellington’s meagre financial resources would probably obviate air travel, he opined. The most practicable way would be to leave direct from Wellington by ship. Fifteen players would be required for the trip—thirteen of the team and two all-rounders in case of injuries. A coach and manager would also have to be included. EVIDENCE OF ANTIPATHY Discussing the status of League in Australian sport, Mr Courtenay said the code had a tremendous following in N.S.W. and Queensland. Yet despite League’s firm hold on these two States no antipathy existed towards the Union code. In New Zealand, where the position was reversed, this antipathy was in strong evidence. Mr Courtenay mentioned that whenever an All Black Rugby Union side visited Sydney, provided due notification was given, the Rugby League authorities gave up the Sydney Cricket Ground, over which they have a rease, for the big occasion.