Excellent Full-Back Play

Northern Advocate, 31 May 1939, Page 2

Excellent FullBack Play

Pomfrett. Hikurangi full-back, apparently takes a lot of bustling and he played a sound safe game against City. However he does not make as much use of the ball as he could do. On several occasions he had only time to find the line in a hurry, but on others he might well have watched his vis-a-vis Tapper.

The City full-back showed excellent defence and when occasion offered he made full use of the ground in which he had to work and relied on pace as well as line-kicking to gain ground for his team. His touch-finding was excellent and he showed knowledge of the proper full-back game when, with room and time in which to move, he ran his backs into position and by making an extra man started a movement which deserved a better fate. It was a pleasing performance.

MORE THRUST NEEDED Like Hikurangi, City’s back line did not produce the football of which it is capable. Green was sound behind the scrum, but his deliveries could have shown more direction. Roos, at first five-eighths, did not try too much on his own and the outside men should have benefited more than they did. Both Roos and PI. Abbott could have infused more thrust into their work, although the opportunity had to be awaited as T. Abbott, the centre, discovered. The centre made several efforts to get through before making his transfer and deserves commendation for his efforts, but he could have timed his bids a little more carefully.

PROMISING WINGER Taylor did not get much opportunity on the right wing. Making his debut in senior football. Power turned in a good performance on the left wing. He handled fairly well and made several good attempts to break through after receiving from his centre. He may have done better with more room. To differentiate among the packmen of either team would be difficult. Soundly and solidly both packs put in a hard afternoon’s work and little criticism can be made of their efforts. Callanan and Cunliffe were perhaps the best of the City vanguard, while Brydon and Martin were most prominent in the Hikurangi pack.

DELIGHT EXPRESSED IN SONG At the conclusion of the game the City team trooped off the ground, tired but pleased, to be greeted by joyous supporters with the female element much to the fore. So delighted were the fair supporters that they gave voice to triumphant song, and spectators were entertained to a parody on a popular song extolling the virtues of the City team in no uncertain manner.