FOOTBALL NOTES

Northern Advocate, 23 June 1925, Page 2

FOOTBALL NOTES

THE GAME IN WHANGAREI. (By "Rugby.") Football grounds were in. splendid order for Saturday's games, much of the play was really good—close and exciting —yet the attendance at Kensington Park was disappointingly small. The fact that the old No. 1 ground is not available and the stand not able to be used account for the poor support to a certain extent, but our football supporters will require to turn out in bigger numbers if they wish players to put any enthusiasm into their games, especially wth representative matches in sight.

The senior competition so far shows Hikurangi with a commanding lead, but they have had to play their hardest to avert defeat. Kamo on Saturday came nearest to beating them, and it would come as no surprise to find Hora Hora actually do so this weekend.

As prophesied in earlier notes, Hora Hora are proving themselves a team to be reckoned with, and it is to be hoped that the players in last week's game wll be available for the rest of the seaaory It seems that Cha'ney will I be an absentee —a pity, for he was , quite in the running for representative ] honours. I

The Hora Hora forwards are a j hefty, fast lot and, led by Tom and Frank O'Sliea, take a lot of stopping. White, too, is not far behind and these forwards will severely tax Hikurangi's defence when they meet. Behind the scrum the Yellows are not so well served, but what they lack in brilliancy they make up for in solid play. Kerr is an exception and is the making of a first-class full-back, for he lias pace, can tackle and has a powerful j kick. Old Boys played an in and out game. The forwards were good at times, but they were very slow in getting down in the scrums, and so I nullified their hooking superiority. Dunn was the outstanding forward on his side. The backs, of whom great things were expected earlier in the season, were very disorganised, and, although good individually, showed no combination. They seemed, however, to be differently placed in every match. J. Collins (who lias played fiveeighths, three-quarter and half in the last three games) gave the best exhibition, but the inside understanding was not there. Hidings at full did all that was asked of him, but would do better still as first five-eighths. This might strengthen the chain, if the links would stand deeper and not too close together. C. Collins played well on the wing, and his last try was one of his best efforts.

Kensington will again have two .senior matches on Saturday, when Hikurangi play Hora Hora and Old Boys meet Kamo. Both should be extremely close contests, and if Kamo and Hora Hora win the championship will wear a more open appearance.

Among the juniors High School seem likely to win their section, but the other is much more open with four teams whose chances are equal.

;As the High School boys are playing Mount Albert and are going further afield to try to bring home the Moascar Cup their form is being eagerly watched. They are playing good football against much heavier opponents, and this should serve them in good stead in their important outside engagements. The team as now playing is the best available, and. barring accidents, will doubtless represent the school. The third graders have Y.M.C..A. leading in one section and High School B and Old Boys unbeaten in the other. The two latter teams play off on Saturday, and it would not cause much surprise if the schoolboys won. Hora Ilora have the making of a team that, with a little more practice, will be capable of beating the best in the grade. The Y.M.C.A. combination continues its meritorious way, and provided the team keeps together and trains hard the championship scalp should hang from its belt at the end of the season.

Richards, the Y.M. second fiveeighths, would do better for his side if he anticipated Dyer more. The lastmentioned player is a quick mover and requires playing up to. .Peterson's method of finding the line might be copied by his fellowbacks wth advantage. The Y.M. backs are a good combination all round, and the same can safely be said of the forwards. Hora Hora is a team which is capable of great improvement. The material is in its ranks, but training, combination and backing up methods are lacking. Redwood and Greenlialgh did good service for the forwards. Haynes, Storey and Clarke are the best of the backs and Jones would do better if he played the ball more and not the man.