Changes In Whangarei, Northern Wairoa Teams For Tomorrow’s Game

Northern Advocate, 24 August 1945, Page 4

Changes In Whangarei, Northern Wairoa Teams For Tomorrow’s Game

Neither Whangarei nor Northern Wairoa will be at full strength when they meet in the final Harding Shield contest of the season at Dargaville tomorrow, injuries and illness having made some replacements necessary. Nevertheless both unions will field strong teams, Whangarei in the hope of lifting the shield and Northern Wairoa in the endeavour to withstand the third and last challenge. Whangarei will miss the forward leadership of Ted Griffin who, in representative games this season, has invariably proved to be the outstanding forward. Illness has caused his deflection and his place as lock and leader will be hard to fill.

Another outstanding Whangarei forward. I. Fraser, will not be playing as he is suffering from a leg injury. Also a possible casualty owing to a leg injury is Cunningham, whose N place on the wing will be filled, if he is not available, by Rasmussen.

Three of Northern Wairoa's best forwards are likely to be missing. Neither Flavell nor Wordley have been included in the team owing to injuries and it is reported that Simons, best of all the Northern Wairoa forwards, will not be able to take the field because of leg trouble. Back Line Experiments

The Northern Wairoa selector (Mr B. D. Gould) has carried out considerable experiments with his backs in an endeavour to find a suitable combination and, judging on the display given against Bay of Islands by the’ rearguard he has retained for this match he seems to have overcome his problem. Some interest will attach to the placing of the Whangarei backs Codling" will remain at the base of the scrum with James at first five-eighths and Fraser at second five-eighths. White is likely to play at centre or alternate with Fi'aser while Rasmus-* son (if Cunningham does not play) and Lornie will occupy the wings and Parkes will be full-back. The selector (Mr A. Sowman) is fully alive to White’s value as attacking and scoring' player and, if the Whangarei captain, who will probably be Codling, carries out any instructions concerning switching of players, it is likely that White will play a big part in Whangarei’s tactics. The Whangarei team will be selected from the following players who will assemble at the bus depot in

Water Street at 8.45 a.m. White. Cunningham, Codling, Brydon (Hikurangi), Parkes, Newsori, Taylor (H'ora Hera), Lornie, Broughton. Slater, Pollock (Central), James, Rne. Mclntyre, Russell. Griffin, George, Fraser. Rasmussen (Old Boys), Fraser, McTavish (Uniled). The Northern Wairoa team will be chosen from the following:— Backs: Turnbull, Campbell, Walters, Rewa, Matich, Miller, Nash, Smith, Sloane. Forwards: Murphy, Te Haara, Moorhead. Isaacs. Wilson, Marinovich, Mills. Matthews, Mint, Crawford, Simons, Tito, Thornton. Witiea. Wairoa Junior Reps. The following players have been chosen by Mr P. W. Hayward to represent Northern Wairoa juniors to defend the Brake Shield against Whangarei at Dargaville on Saturday: Fullback, Cates; thr.eequn.vters, Isaacs, Maich, Berridge; five-eighths, Bonner, McEwing; halfback, Corkill; forwards. Todd, Sayer, Baume, Stallworthy, Walden, Marinkovich, Rokella, Davidson, Reserves. —Backs: Glamuzina. Davidson, Rokella. Forwards: Ferguson, McGowan, Burke. Brake Shield Lacks Names Like the Harding Shield, the Brake Shield —Northland’s most coveted trophy for inter-union junior fool hall and won from Mangonui last Saturday by Northern Wairoa —is in urgent need of bringing up-to-date. The absence of shield holders' names on the Harding Shield was pointed out some weeks ago and now tile Brake Shield appears with many gaps. This Brake Shield was donated in 1921 by Mr L. J. Brake, then president of the Whangarei Rugby Union. The gaps appear between 1932 to 1935 (inclusive) and 1938 to 1940 (inclusive), allowing for there being no competition between 1940 and 1944.

Union names appearing on the Brake Shield are: Whangarei. 1921-22-24-2(1; Kaipara, 1923 and 1927; Northern Wairoa, 1921 and 1929; Mangonui, 1928, 1930, 1931 and 1932; Bay of Islands, 1936; Hokianga, 1937.

Whangarei’s 1945 bid for the trophy will be made at Dargaville tomorrow.