Ten Club Teams Are Guaranteed

Northern Advocate, 8 March 1947, Page 5

Ten Club Teams Are Guaranteed

RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL REVIVAL

RUGBY League football is to function again in Whangarei and district this winter. At a preliminary meeting of enthusiasts last evening, six senior and four junior teams were guaranteed by representatives of clubs which functioned' under the auspices of the Northland Rugbv League prior to its going into war-time recess in 1930.

The senior sides will be City, Hikurangi. Kamo, Takahiwai, Portland and Pipiwni. City. Kamo, Portland and the Maoris will be fielding junior thirteens. There is also a possibility of the old Kensington Club being revived and it was reported that many Maori footballers from Kaikohe in the north to Takahiwai in the south were anxious to throw in their lot with the code. Mr A. Pitman intimated that he intended canvassing the North to test the feling of the Maori players. He believed that there would be little difficulty in forming several Maori clubs.

Mr Payne said there was no doubt the League code would do well in the. North this season.

Many good footballers were transferring their allegiance to the game and Messrs Reg. Hollows and Hogan, representative players before the war, had promised to act as coaches. Hollows played with the Devonport club in Auckland before going to Australia where he represented the North Coast of New South Wales against the last English touring team.

Mr Len Payne, who presided in the absence of Mr J. F. Johnson, said the purpose of the meeting was to ascertain the potentialities of the code in the district in the coming season and to set the ball rolling at an early dale to ensure a successful renaissance.

Hogan was a South Auckland representative.

The meeting wac characterised by a spirit of optimism and eagerness and clubs were instructed to proceed with the arranging of their annual meetings and registration of players. A date for the annual meeting of the Northland Rugby League was fixed. The question of grounds was discussed and a satisfactory state of affairs revealed. MANY OFFER SUPPORT Hot showers are to be installed at Jubilee Park for players and working bees are to be organised to put the playing area into first-class order.

The League intended to aim at a high standard of refereeing. An Auckland official was coming to Whangarei and would coach enthusiasts desiring to become proficient. Businessmen in Auckland and Whangarei have guaranteed assistance to the code. Mr Healy. a member of the City Club in Auckland, had promised a £SO cup for the junior competition and was prepared to assist in financing the visit of a club team to Auckland. Three Whangarei businessmen had also notified their intention of donating cups for the senior and junior competitions.

Mr D. Gibson, of Hikurangi, who leaves the district within a few days to play League in Auckland, was thanked for his work on behalf of the code in the North.