PICKING OF REPS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4709, 20 June 1935, Page 5

PICKING OF REPS.

SELECTORS' HARD TASK. MANY FORWARDS AND FEW BACKS. The picking of the Maniapoto team to play Ohura on Saturday week will be performed after next week-end's games, and the selectors will have no light task. They will be faced with a superabundance of good forwards and a paucity of good backs.' A glance at last year's Peace Cup team will perhaps prove interesting. This team was:—McLeod; Griff en, Dowie, Brainsby; J. Evans, J. Barlow; R. Barlow; Hartwell; Kawe, Trust, Coffin, Mark; McKenzie, Monteith, Peterson. In the game with Ohura a few Saturdays before, Davis and Taylor were included in the forwards, while Riddle, a King Country player, was not then available. Of these players Dowie is unlikely to be in the running, Brainsby, Hartwell and Monteith no longer are players, and Mark has taken the position of winger. Taking the forwards of this year's teams we find that Davis and Gault have been playing very well for Hangatiki, and Hislop and Koroheke have also shown fair form. (The writer has not seen this team in action for some' time.)

From the Waitete ranks Kawe would appear to be a certainty, but, though it is possible Tuki and Neilson may be considered, their chances are not bright. Pio Pio has a very formidable quartet in Coffin, McKenzie*,. Trust and Riddle—the last two King Country players' and the first two Maniapoto representatives who have deserved their place in the past and should secure them in the future. Craig, of Waitanguru, is undoubtedly one of the best forwards in the SubUnion, and it will take very strong opposition to oust Pickrang out of a place. Had Hasselburg more weight he" might also have to be and Sunnex is a bare possibility. The Te Kuiti forwards are probably headed by Brown, who could hardly be overlooked as hooker. Taylor and Peterson have both worn Maniapoto colours, but will be hard put to it in view of the greater forward talent to retain their places. "Darky" Turner, Gruebner and Wallis have played good football this season. The Otorohanga team has been seen in action once by the writer. Then Smith and Kempthorne appeared capable, but on one game no opinion can be advanced. It will be seen from this list, which-is not by any means claimed to be complete, that the selectors have no enviable task.

Those with good chances Would appear to be Trust, Kawe, Brown, Craig, Pickrang, Riddle, probably Coffin and McKenzie, with players from Hangatiki and Oto. sides, whom the writer has not seen so much of recently. The backs are just as difficult a problem. There is some talk of shifting R. Barlow out to the five-eighths, in which case P. White appears to have chances for the halfback position. It is not known whether J. Barlow will be able to play owing to an injury, but if he is playing, probably an endeavour should be made for him and his brother to play together. White, J. Barlow, R. Barlow, and H. McLeod would be a strong combination. Though J. Evans more than earned his place in the reps, last year, it is quite on the cards he may be dropped for this grame at least, especially if J. Barlow can take the field. The Cameron brothers, the writer has not seen sufficient of, but it is reported they have been playing good football. Philps, of Waitanguru, looks as if he might be capable in good company. Three-quarters are scarce. H. McLeod played as centre last Saturday, and it is not unlikely that he will renounce his position of fullback to take this place in the reps. N. Griffen appears likely to be placed on the wing, and Mark, Casey, Rawlins, and if he plays up to last Saturday's form, E. Evans are probably also in the running for the three-quarter line.

If McLeod is taken from fullback, then who is to replace him? Buckley has been mentioned.. Coffin could fill the pqsition to advantage, while, though some points in his play need his close attention, Weo Wetere has very sure hands and a good boot. All the same, sudden change of position never brings out the best in players, and to put B. Barlow at half, with J. Barlow, Philps, K. Cameron or J. Evans as five-eighths, employing only threequarters as threequarters, and making sure of thefullback position with McLeod, would appear to be a wise course until B. Barlow has experience in the outside position he will take with P. White, halfback for Te Kuiti.

Next Saturday's games will therefore be watched with close interest. Otorohanga and Waitanguru will meet at Te Kuiti. These two teams drew, 9 all, in the first round. The old rivals, Te Kuiti and Pio Pio, will meet on the latter's ground. This game will practically decide the championship. The junior match will be between Te Kuiti and United (Mangapehi).