HOCKEY NOTES

Manawatu Times, Volume LIX, Issue 7470, 22 May 1934, Page 9

HOCKEY NOTES

(By. "Rep.”) Greasy conditions hampered Wednesday's games somewhat and players overran the ball too many times. As the ground was so heavy the ball would not travel very fast, and players instead of timing the ball properly, tried to get “length” by using plenty of beef. In doing this many of them gave “sticks,” with the consequent penalty. There is an appreciable difference in the taking of the corner hits this season, a most decided improvement. The stopping and the shooting are very much cleaner and quicker. But tho old fault of defenders getting in the road of the defending goalkeeper is stiil with us. (Suggestions for corners appear below.) Teams arc beginning to settle down to an understanding with each other, and we are assured of a season of bright and attractive hockey. Lundy is showing that he is far from a back number and is leading the Phoenix team with great dash. Ho is ably backed up by the rest of his forwards. Findlay shows that he has the makings of a good right wing, and with proper care will be ablo to fill that place for our rep. team. He put in some very fine centres on Wednesday, but if, -when ho gets boxed in the corner, he passed back instead of square in, better results will be obtained. Massey College goalkeeper had a busy time and brought off some very effective saves. The College team have been very unfortunate, in as much as they have struck the two toughest teams to commence with, and so have not boen abi’c to got going at all. There seems to be good material to work with in the team, and their progress will be watched with, interest ns the season progresses. Palmerston North showed that they have the material, and the w r ill to play, in their match with Broadway, this game being quite interesting. Both sets of forwards, however, are ragged, and want- to play to each other more often and to have more confidence in each other. Players who use the cross-over style of holding the stick instead of the right-haudod grip give away a lot of penalties by obstructing. In almost every team there is at least one player who adopts this style of hitting, and it is very detrimental in the long run. Using the stick this way causes a player to obstruct, give sticks, and to get off his balance. Some more of the older players were seen playing on Wednesday, among them being F.; Puilyn, T. Inkpen and K. Burne. It. is very pleasing to sec these somi-retired players turning out regularly once again. I am informed that a Fcilding team will be playing in our competitions, which will fill up the bye in the senior section. It is believed that the team will be able to hold its own with most of the others. Drinkwater is a 3trong pillar of defence for P.D.C., but he has tho fault of obstructing. Given freedom of this fault, he would be one of the best fullbacks here. One fine feature with him is that he does not hit the ball over the goal line, thus conceding a penalty corner, to get out of a tight position. He just worries the ball through. McGonigal is showing up among the P.D.C. forwards, and given support would mako a name for himself. He is a decided improvement, on last year. At present his support is young and timid, so he has to be all. over the place to keep the attack alive. This leads to his being out of position at times. M. Hart ia playing a steady game for Combined Services, and is proving a stumbling block to his attacking opponents. He is another player who has greatly improved. N. Quigan is playing on the right wing, a new position for him, but he is doing very well. The same applies to Honey.

Corners (a) Defence. —Your goalkeeper may prefer to have the whole goal’ to himself, or he may ask the backs to stand against the goal posts absolutely still 1 o narrow the goal-mouth, on the understanding that any shot is the job of the goalkeeper only. The other eight players should go out in two waves and not all crowd together. Tho first-wave players each take on an opposite number’s forehand, not- bothering too much about where the ball has gone. As soon as the first wave is well out, the second moves in support, in case the first has not been able to clear tho circle. Whichever wave you are in, stick to your opposite number like glue until the circle is cleared. (b) Attack. —Each team should have three specialists. One to hit the ball properly, one to stop the ball, and the third to hit the goal. Instead of practising aimless slogging at goal before a match, get your specialists out for a practise hit or two. I am convinced that t.hc old-fashioned method of one player stopping and another hitting the ball is the best. (How well this fact was demonstrated by tho Auckland team last year.) This requires lots of practice, as also does the hitting of the corner itsel'f. The corner hitter must strike the ball as in a long putt at golf—left arm straight, head down, and eye on the ball, with the ball and the feet forming roughly an equilateral triangle. It does not require a very hard hit, but it must be dead straignt, with a follow-through and a slight top spin. General Positions. —The centre-half, or some other player, should position himself just behind tho player to whom the ball is to bo hit. The wing-halves should position themselves about the intersection of the 25 yards and the 7yards lines. The rear back should be about the centre mark, and the forward back about half-way between the wing-half and the rear back. This should cover most points to which the defence will clear, which is more likely to be to their left than to their right. When your goal-hitter takes his shot, the other forwards must not stand by and admire his play, but must, get on to the goalkeeper at once. Many a goal is scored this way—picking the ball off the goalkeeper’s pads, as it were. Lundy and Monteith are excellent at this.