FOOTBALL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 10 April 1908, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONALS.

ARRIVE IN SYDNEY.

I.PKESS ASSOCIATION.]

SYDNEY,

April 9.

The New Zealand football team arrived in good health. Ihe, New South Wales League welcomed the players, who were not inclined to talk of the financial aspects and certain incidents which happened during the tour. They had a fine trip and were most hospitably treated. Generally things went well in England.

Johnston thought he never saw or played football till he played the Northern Union game. It was largely built upon giving spectacular displays at all times, and the game was necessarily so open and fast that it was attractive at all stages. The greatest difficulty the New Zealanders experienced was not in learning the new but forgetting the ,old rules. It was hard at the outset to grasp the opposing tactics. The games 5 were all exceedingly fast. The back divisions at Home 00* casionally gave glimpses of phenomenal form. Some of the most important games were played on sloppy and dirty gro'ands. On the whole the playing areas were rather rough. Johnston understands that the idea of the New South Wales League is to play ten matches against New Zealand, including three at Sydney, three at Newcastle, and three at Brisbane. The team maintained exercise during tho voyage, and are now in their best form and able to do themselves justice.