Rugby Season Approaches

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 61, 14 March 1938, Page 10

Rugby Season Approaches

CLUBS REVIEW ACTIVITIES. “ Although the 1937 season was a very successful one, the coming season should be even more so as there are many promising young players in the club who will be striving for higher honours/’ states the report of the Old Boys Football Club, to be presented at the annual meeting. “With the example of the football displayed by the South African team which visited us last year, it is hoped that there will be a repetition of bright football for which our club has, in the past, been known. ” “The club entered three teams in the union’s competitions,” continues the report, “and the account of activities, should give complete satisfaction to all interested in the club. The senior fifteen did not have such a successful season in the championship as in former years, but won the ‘sudden death’ competition. A disappointing feature was that we did not see the good combined back play which is usually associated with this team, and it is hoped that we shall sec a return to this type of football during the coming season. The thanks of the club arc due to Mr J. Ryan for his untiring efforts in coaching the team. Representative honours were gained by J. Bctteridge, D. Buick, F. L. Irvine, B. O’Dea, Y. Fleming, P. «T. Louisson, L. Bradley, S. C. Cutler, D. Plank, and J. J. K. Powell.

“The juniors had a very successful year, annexing the junior championship, ‘sudden death’ competition, and also won the Rowlands Cup for the champion team of Mauawatu and Horowhenua Unions. The team put up a good performance and played bright, open football. L. Hills, a member of this team, was selected to play in the senior representative team against King Country, and performed excellently. The club’s thanks are due to Mr H. Palmer, the coach, for his services, and for the line spirit which ho instilled in the team. Representative honours were gained by L. Hills, K. Ward, H. Egdell, N. Waters, K. Thomas and A. McNeile.

“The third fifteen played quite good football, alid after showing great improvement finished well up in the championship. The thanks of the club are due to Mr W. rf. Fox for his interest in this team. Representative honours were gained by D. Bradley, W. Dustin, aud D. Thompson.

“The club showed a loss on the year’s working, but when it is considered that the club provides jerseys for teams playing as the main attraction, provides refreshments at half-time for all teams, and contributes towards the expenses of travelling of third-grade players, the finances can be considered highly satisfactory. KIA TOA CLUB. The annual review of the Kia Toa Football Club’s activities states that in all departments whether field activities, social events or finances, the past season can be recorded as one of the best the club has ever experienced. The report proceeds:—“Team records: In the senior competition the two rounds were treated as separate competitions. The senior team annexed the honours of both rounds and finally the season’s championship. The team also succeeded in reaching the final of the ‘sudden-death’ competition, in which game they were beaten. In the inter-provincial game for the Licensed Victuallers’ Shield the team suffered defeat at the hands of Bulls, the Wanganui champion team. The coach (Mr L. Mullins) has every reason to bo proud of his association with the team during tho season. Juniors: The junior team showed a considerable improvement over performances of recent years and in this connection the thanks of tho club are due to several ‘old timers’ who took the field to assist the team. During the season Mr I. Wasley, who has coached the juniors for many years, retired and his place was taken by Mr T. Doherty. Thirds: The third grade team completed the season occupying third place in the championship. Mr G. Spencer again did good work as coach and has overy hope of turning out a good team in the forthcoming season. Fourths: Our congratulations again go to the fourth grade team for annexing the championship. Much of the credit for their success must go to the energetic coach (Mr T. Doherty). His possible permanent attachment to tho junior team in future will no doubt be regretted by the members in his team. Fifths: For the first time for many years there was a sufficiency of young players to enter a fifth grade team. Our thanks are due to Mr R. Foster for

coming forward to coach the team, whose performance was very satisfactory. Sixths: We saw very little of our sixth grade members, but have no doubt that they keep the name of Kia Toa well to the fore amongst the ranks of primary school footballers. Seven-a-Side: The senior team came within a half minute of repeating their championship win of the previous year, but the final bell found them runners-up. The junior and third grade teams also performed well in this tournament. Abraham Cup: We are proud to have regained possession of this trophy which carries with it the title of being the leading club in tho union. Since the inception of this competition this trophy has been out of our possession for only two seasons.

For the first time in the history of the club we were able to field six teams. There was a healthy spirit of keenness amongst the whole of the membership, and the management committee appreciated the greater degree of co-opera-tion extended by members during this season. In particular we would record a big increase in number of honorary

members, mostly retired active members, keeping up their connectiou with the club.

The net surplus from the season’s activities is a record in the history of the club. The pvo'fit and loss account discloses a net profit of £O7 19s sd, enabling the biUauce-shect to show a credit in the Post Office Savings Bank account of £l5B 18s 7d. The receipts from active iiiembers’ subscriptions aud donations from officers and honorary members were the best yet, although the profit from the Springbok dance was the biggest contributing factor to the substantial increase in our funds. UNITED CLUB’S REPORT “We hold excellent prospects of promoting the junior team to senior status iu the forthcoming season and feel that if they display the same keenness and club spirit in the future ai they have done in the past, they will eventually attain senior championship honours,” states the eighth annual report of the United Football Club, which reviews activities during the 1937 season. It adds: “The club fielded three teams during the past season and each acquitted itself splendidly. The junior team played exceptionally well, finishing third in the championship and run-ners-up in the subsidiary competition: They were the only team to defeat the Old Boys’ junior team, winning by five points to three at their first meeting aud going down after a very keenlycontested game iu the final of the subsidiary by nine points to eleven. “The third grade team also did well in the championship, and were also run-ners-up in the sudden death competition, being defeated in the final by St. Patrick’s by six points to three. There are quite a few promising boys in this grade and, if the club continues to pursue its policy of catering for the lower grades, w T e need entertain no fears for the future. After a lapse of some years, a fourth grade team was fielded once again and although they did not gaiu very many championship points, the;? proved a force to be reckoned with iu the fourth grade competition at the latter end of the season. ’ ’