FOOTBALL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 187, 23 July 1912, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

LEAGUE PLAYERS REINSTATED. Sydney, July 22. A stir has been caused in football circles bj’ the Queensland Rugby Union reinstating a number of league players, who becoming dissatisfied, applied for re-enrolment in the amateur ranks. It is stated that the New South Wales Union opposed their reinstatement, but had no voice in the matter as Queensland is under a different constitution. NORTHERN UNION. RETURN OF NEW ZEALAND TEAM. Auckland. July 22 The New Zealand repri sentarives of the Rugbv League game arrived in Auckland this morning by the Wimmera after a successful tour of the Australian Commonwealth. Except for a number of injuries of a minor character the players are m the best or health, and without exception speak cnlhut-iastxcally ci the games and of the unbounded hospitality of the Australian footballers. Mr. W. Dervan, the well-known Auckland players, who was one oi

the party, said the Australians bad assured them that they were the best Northern Union combination that had ever visited the Connnawoalth. “I don’t know about that,” said Mr. Dervan with a! laugh, “but, taking everything into consideration, we came out with a fair proportion of wins. Yi',. c(.’.d.i innr have been expected to get that first match. It was nothing short of murder to take seasick players off the steamer and put us up against a team that has been playing together like a concertina for months,” he added rather expressively. Mr. . Dervan thought . that with a little luck they should have gained the Australian game, but otherwise the teams won on their merits. Question in regard to the trouble that has arisen between the New Zealand Council and the team in regard to the arrngements for players to return to the Dominion, the big forward had nothing to say, it having been decided to make nothing public until the whole question is inquired into by the council. Players express keen annoyance at the fact that in Sydney they were termed strikers without an opportunity having been given them to justify the position they took up in the matter The council of the New Zealand Rugby League held a meeting this afternoon, when the refusal of the New Zealand touring team to return to New. Zealand in the evening after the last match with New South Wales was discussed. An effort was made to locate the ringleaders in the affair, but as the whole team had Signed the paper refusing to play it was decided to inflict a fine of £2 on each player.