HOCKEY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 159, 21 June 1935, Page 12

HOCKEY

KAIAPOI CUP GAME Hastings Team Selected PARS ABOUT THE PLAYERS (By “Off-side.”) The HasAtgs Hockey Association’s sole Slector, Mr. R. J, Surgenor, has announced his team to defend the Kaiapoi Cup against Napier, and, on paper, they appear to he a very formidable combination, who should give a good account of themselves.

Ox brow, who has been chosen for goal-keeper, has been acquitting himself with credit in club games and appears to be the best equipped man for the job. Mahoney and Brightwell have played together, and understand each other’s play, and though the former is getting no younger, he still retains a lot of dash, and his brains gets him out of a great deal of trouble. Mahoney will captain the Hastings team, and his knowledge will be a great asset to tho team. Ibo hall-line is the same line that played, against tho Indians—House, I'itmiiaurice and Lynch. House piayeu well lor Hawke s Lay in the big match, but i'ltzmaurice cud not please me, Lus lending 01 Jus forwards is not crisp enough and ho lacks the speed to main a last, centre lorwaid. me is a oauous man when it comes to a corner bit, and has scored several goals irorn such penalties, though in many instances a free hit should have been given against him tor "sticks," he has a bad nabit or dropping his shoulder when he raises his such, to shoot, and umpires should pay a little more attention to this.

Nothing upsets a team more than to see an opponent getting away with a breach m cue circle, They never blame the piayer lor giving it a go, but they uu louii to the uuipae to seo that they get a fair go. lam not quoting fitzmaunce as the omy player guilty of nus breach; it happens in nearly every game with diuerenv players, in fact it Happened twice in the Indian match when tbo Indians were the offenders. 1 Know that an umpire has only one pair of ey es, and that when a corner mt is being taken ho has so many things to watch that it is practically impossible for him to see everything that happens, but 1 do think that the actual snot at goal is of paramount importance, and inerciore deserves at least some notice. Lynch is still the same hard-working man that no has always been, and though he lacks the pace to make him a brilliant hair, his doggedness and pertinacity, combined wim his clever suck work and judicious feeding to his ioi warns, makes it a very difficult matter to suggest anyone better titled for the leit-mut position. “Offside” was hoping to see Jimmy August and Ke.iy in action to-morrow, as reey are, in my opinion, both worthy ot a trial on tills season s form, but tney have both been picked as emergencies, and f am likely to be disappointed, unless some players drop out. itnowing the capabilities ot the old stalwarts so wen, Air. Surgenor might well have tried out some new blood m this match, and it is quite on the cards that a “find ’ would have resulted. Forwards Have Experience. The forward line comprises players with whom we are an nuniliar, and if McKay cun bo made to keep m his position instead ot roaming all over the park as he did m the Indian match, they should develop into a line combination. Fulton will be better suited with the centre position and with Stitt on one side and Mclvay on the other, there should be plenty of thrust and penetration. McNab will have his work cut out, ho will lind McKay a difficult man to combine with until he learns his stylo of play. R. August should shine in this match, he will not bo up against such strong opposition as mi the occasion of the Indian match, when he went very well. Both wings will need to be careful of the off-side rule, as Napier backs are noted for playing well up-field. The Hastings team is not so strong as last year’s team, the loss of Charlie Prior and Cyril Heslop, has considerably weakened the attack, so it is Hip to the new men to rise to the occasion. The curtain-raiser between the possibles and probables, should provide a good game, and it would not surprise me if some of them played themselves into the Nordou Cup team. Cameron and Thompson are two distinct possibilities as forwards, and Kirkman is not far away, whilst Tutaki, Hunt, AlcKerrill and Blumont, are all players who could well fill a place iu the backs if required. A New Team. J!. Huston, a Canterbury representative player of about four years ago, has been out of the game for the past three years, but this season has recommenced, and has also introduced a completely new team, and what ,a team! With one exception not one of the boys playing iu this team can hear a gun fired, but Huston, who, in his capacity ns a teacher at the institute for the Heal’ m Sumner, has taught these boys to play hockey. He had not only taught them to play the game, and their positional work is excellent, but he has also taught them the rules, and when a breach occurs the boys stop playing without any whistle or signal from the umpire. They play a really good game and enjoy it thoroughly, and the introduction of such a team is a great credit to the organiser. If some other players who have the full use of their faculties would play the game in the spirit, these boys do. there would be a big improvement all round.