FOOTBALL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2384, 23 March 1893, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

- - [TAOKLEE.j ' - TbeiootbaU season will open in Hawera on Saturday next, when a soratoh game, or probably a fancy costume match, will be played. With plenty of practice, and strict attention to training, the Hawera Club wonld give a good account of itself in tbe. fight for the Bugby Union cup of 1893: The manner in which the looal men played against odds last year was a revelation to followers of tbe pastime; and the hard fights they made with tbe best teamß in the union proved that, bad proper practice been engaged in, onr men would have been nearer the' possession of the trophy than they were. The o)ub Will bave a fine ground to play on this

year; and the addition of many new players to tbe ranks of those who have done suoh good service in the past should rejmlt in & splendid team being procured. The club members should put forward their best efforts, and endeavour tq< regain for Hawera the high imputation it poe; eeseed in the days of Messrs. G. T. Bayly, Biddiford & Co. The choice of F. Livingston, as captain of the Hawera Club, is a good one. He bas always been a hard-working, unselfish player, and is most popular. As a forward be has few superiors. D. McGregor (formerly of Kaiapoi), who bas taken P. Giesen's plaoe in the Bank of New Zealand, will play for the local men this season. He is a good three-quarter, and an excellent defensive player. Giesen will be much missed, he having been a most consistent forward and an enthusiast in football matters.

The looal club will also be strengthened

by the servioes of Bobinson, who occupied the position of fall-back last season in the Maoawata representative team ; Boyd, a recent arrival irom the South ; and Hoimwood, late of Wairarapa. Great regret will be felt at the projected departure from Hawera of Mr Alex. Matheson, late seoretary of tbe Hawera Football Club and seoretary of the Taranaki Bugby Football Union. His loss to the clnb as a player will also be severely felt. He is exceedingly popular among footballers, and took a great interest in the game. v

The hon. secretaryship of the Hawera Club is .io good hands, Mr. F. Oliver being a most energetic member, and a

devotee of tbe game. The Taranaki Kugby Football Union will hold, its atinual meeting on Friday,

when arrangements for the coming season will he attended to. Footballers will, regret to bear that " Barlow " Madigan, the Auckland footballer, iB dangerously ill. A. E. Braund, the Auokland footballer, waß the recipient of a French marble clock and a purse of sovereigns from the footballers of Auokland at a very pleasant reunioti, held at the British Hotel, Aupklandt on March Bth. In acknowledging the gift Bvaund said that although married he did not intend to retire from the field. A fancy costume matoh opened the football season in Hunterville on Wednesday last. A procession of those taking part in the matoh was formed at the Argyle Hall, " all sorts and conditions of men " (and women) being represented, from a circus clown to a Circassian youth. On arriving at the football field the match commenoed before a number of spectators, the fair sex predominating, but owing to the mischievous propensities of a colored lady, who would persist in rnnning away with the ball, was brought to rather an

abrupt conclusion. The players then divested themselves of theix nondescript

garments,.sides were picked, and a practice

match was played, when very good form was shown. In the evening a fanoy dress ball took place and dancing was kept up till daylight. The East Ohristohuroh Club will send a team to Wellington at Easter, in order to play their annual match with the Poneke. As each of these clubs won the championBhips of their respective provinces the matoh should prove a very interesting one. Lecturing at South Shields on "Football and how to play it," Mr F. H. B. Alderson, an English Rugby captain, referred to the system of playing four three-quarter backs.

He said in the alteration of tbe style of play whioh had been brought about there was now so much work thrown upon tbe oentre man that he was run off his legs, and he had to have another man in the centre to help him. He bad played in the centre now for several years, and be found

that each year be got more work, and he

could not do without the assistance which * the four three-quarter system supplied. There was also a proposal to rednce the number of players to 13, but he did not think that that was a good system at all, because if they reduced the number to 13, it wonld reduce the game to those who were runners. Now they did not want merely sprinters or runners ; they wanted pluck in going for a man, and determination in pushing. Stick to 15, and play four three-quarter hacks, was in his opinion the best metbod of playing the game.