NOTES ON THE GAME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 195, 19 July 1939, Page 15

NOTES ON THE GAME.

PORTER OUT IN FRONT. PARS ABOUT .PLAYERS. (Bv "Front Row.") Tt was fitting that AV. Porter, one of the young and very promising torwords of the Old Boys' Club, should provide one of his most spectacular performances of his senior grade career to date when in opposition to the old.rivals of his club, Kin Too, on the Showgrounds oval on Saturday. This is his first season in senior football at this centre- Two years ago he played for Horowhenna and last year was a Manawatu iunior representative. _He is onlv 21 vears of ago and weighs IJfet Gib and on Saturday showed that he will bo of great value to lu« side, and to Manawatu in future years.

Former Gisborne Player. Hughes, the young United iullbnek is having his first season in senior football. Last year he played for the United junior team and gained a place in the Alanawatu representatives of this grade. Previous to appearing in this centre he was a junior player in Gisborne, and gamed the reputation of living one of the best of the East Coast juniors.

Nearly Unlucky. Kia Toa went very close on batimlav to losing the services of R. A ■ AlcKenzie for their game against O Bovs. When he went on the field he'was doubtful if he would carry on throughout the game because of bavin" hurt his groin at practice earhet iiTthe week and there was a distinct possibility that any wrench Mould force his retirement, Returfing Operations. Arrangements are now well advanced for the returfing of the two sections of the Showgrounds ova which have been liable to cut up ami become muddy. The turf is five years obi and has been used at the Boys High School for plot experiments, so that it should have plenty of bod> and should stand up well to■ the de mauds made on it in the latter partof the season.

Dons Jersey Again. Playing his first game after lour or five vears, Noel B ram well was a wing three-quarter for Feilding Old Boys juniors in their match against Km Toa at Rugby Park on Saturday. He did not have much chance to show Jus old ability, and appeared to tire towards the end of the _ game. These (lavs, Bramwell is coaching the junior team, and a very good job he is making of it.

Hunt Regaining Form. Rack again in the St. Patrick's front row after an absence,'J. Hunt was one of the forwards who played well on Saturday. He turned out the previous week against- Old Boys, and on Saturday against United was beginii'ug to show a glimpse of the iorin which gained for him a place m tiie Canterbury representative team a row years ago. lie has also represented Alanawatu.

The Rear Ground. Steadv progress is being made witn the levelling of the ground at the rear of the main grandstand by tie Manawat.u and West Coast • and P. Association, there bcing now another strip about two chains wide levelled off. It is expected that, the whole will be completed. in about another month. Airaiigements have been made by the A. ami P. Association for the more recently completed part to be sown down early in August.

Five-Eighths Brotherhood. Two brothers were associated in the five-eighths positions in the St. Patrick's team for a part ol their match against United on the oval. C. Heliir for long one of the stalwarts ol the side, had with him his younger brother .1. Ilehir. and the display the latter gave was very good considering that he has played only some games in the junior grade„this season. In tile second half the younger brother was forced to retire from the field wi.h a strained muscle in a leg. M. F. Henry’s Return. Saturday must have been a pleasurable one for AU F. Henry, the former Old Bovs senior captain and captain of the Manawatu side, this being his first visit to the Showgrounds since

his transfer from Raetilii to Ilalcombe, where lie is now engaged in the teaching profession. Ho renewed several acquaintanceships and his return must have brought luck to his old club, their efforts meeting with success. Henry has played senior Rugby in the King Country in tho past three years and was vice-captain of the representatives. He is now seriously thinking of retiring from the game. Buick Impresses. Usually Buick’s weakest point is his defence, hut on Saturday lie showed that it was his strongest. He was faced oii several occasions with situations which called for defensive play of a high order and in every case he acquitted himself well. Olio of the brightest spots in his performance was that in which R. AL AlcKenzie went hard for the line from 15 yards out with the hall under his arm; normally AlcKenzic’s hurtling dashes require two men to stop him, hut Buick brought him down without any hesitation or fumbling. It was a grand tackle. Referee’s Gesture.

Not long ago added incentive was provided the members of. the _ United tilth grade team to cross their opponents’ line, a feat none of them had performed to that date, by ail offer of two shillings’ worth of oranges for the first player to do so. One lad scored what he thought was a certain try. and was considerably disappointed to find the roferee ruled against him. The referee learned of the circumstances surrounding the eagerness for the first try and the next Saturday lie was at Rugby Park lie brought- with him the two shillings’ worth of oranges—and presented them to the player concerned. High-Scoring Clubs. The clear-cut superiority of the Kia Toa junior team is fully in evidence when one glances at the junior table. The side is at the head of tho table with 20 points, and this shows that they have played 11 games, won 0, drawn 2, and lost none. They have scored 158 points and only 23 have been registered against them. Heavy scorers in the third grade competition and first to exceed the century mark are High School who, in nine games have recorded 140 points, and have had only 39 against them. ' Considering that they have only won five of their nine games this reveals record high scoring in the other encounters. High School have obtained ten points and lie third in the competition. Strong Running. Old Boys wore fortunate on Saturday in having two strong-running will"- three-quarters to draw on, Beid and Howell. The latter hud the pleasure of scoring one of the two tries, and allhough the other was scored by Turnbull, the credit lor making the way for it must go to Reid. This 25-vcar-old player is one ol the strongest running wingers in tiie Alanawatu Union, and his fend has given him a greatly enhanced value, lie played senior football when 1" years ot age, entering this grade at Cambridge when lie went there from the Auckland Grammar ■School. In the AYaikato ho was a representative and the year before last was opposed to tho Alanawatu touring side. Gained League Honours.

A Jormer Alanawatu Rugby player lias climbed to tho top of tho ladder since lie turned to the League code, and has recently been selected as a member of the Kiwi team to tour Lugland shortly. Ho is G. Alitchell, who went north in 1937. Alitchell represented Alanawatu first in 1932 and again in the' following season, after which lie suffered an injury and was out of the game for some time, At the time lie played lor Alanawatu. Alitchell was rivalling AlcKenzie for the honour of being the best forward in the district. He was horn at Rarotonga, Cook Islands: and was educated at the Feilding Agricultural High School. In the Centres.

The following arc the championship points in the main centres, those for Auckland having been published on Alouday :—- Dunedin.—Southern 20. Kaikorai 18, Pirates 17, Alhambra 13, Dunedin 13. University A G, Taieri G, ZinguriRiehniond 5, University B 4. Christchurch. —University 10. Sunnyside 8), Athletic 8, Old Boys 8, Southern 74, Alcrivale 6. Linwood 4, Technical 4. Air Force 3), Christchurch 3. Albion 2). Wellington.—Wellington 21. Athletic IG, Petono 16. Johnsoiivillo IG, Poneke 15, Alarist Bros. 0.8. 14.