POLO NOTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 29 January 1913, Page 2

POLO NOTES

(By "Crawl.") As these will probably be my last notes before the team leaves, for Wangariui, 1 am talcing the opportunity of emphasising a few rules which, if not strictly observed, may be fatal to all prospects of success : . 1. A goal shall not be scored after starting or re-starting until the ball has been 4 «handled by. two members .of' one •■ team, in which case the scorer shall be within half distancju of the goal attacked, or by one player of each team. 2. It shall be a foul (a) to touch the ball with "both hands at tlie saine time ; (b) toehold the rail or side during any part of .the game; (c) to stand on or touch the bottom- during-any part of the ! game , unless for the : .purpose of resting; (d) and. (e) are most important, and.the average 1 jplayer is apparently unaware of their-existence —(d) to duck or interfere with any opponent or impede him. in any way, unless he is actually holding ' 'the ball:; (e) to hold the ball under 'water .when'tackled.; —(f) to jump 'torn or push off from the side in" order--to play';.the ball or duck an opponent; (g)'to ; -throw the ball at the goal-keeper from, a free throw. ...... Plavers should note the following definition : Dribbling or striking the ball is not holding,'but lifting, carrying or pressing under water or placing the-hand . under, or over, the ball actually touching, is holding. •• Dribbling the ball up and "through- the posts is permissible: ;A wilful foul is^a■ -thing;-to be avoided as a pestilence.. . The player committing it is at bnee ordered out of the water; and must stay out. untilla goal has been - scored;,;while if the foul occurs within five vards of the defenders', goal, the attackiriE side (presuming one of the attackincr'side has,:beeh fouled), has a .free, throw '/at .goal. Wilful fouls are enumerated as follows : To start before the .word go, to*deliberately waste.time, or for a player.to take up a position within two vards of his opponents' goal. . To. deliberately change position 'after"-'-the' whistle has gone, to deliberately splash in the face of an opponent, to strike ..at the ball with closed fist. / , Now that the team .lias been selected,. nerhaDs r a ..few notes' as to their, indi-vidual.-merits may be of interest: — A. ; Horton (goal) cool, steady, abso-lutely-reliable in a tight corner, in- fact, * •nrobably the" best goal-keeper in New Zealand. . « ' 1 H. iClark (back) is. a plucky and determined .player,. marks his '.'-man : well, ' but. should use his hand' more, and should -never give v wil# ' passes; -which, in all probability, land nicely til' tlie' hands - of. an opponent. ;. N. Oldershaw (back) is cool 'and re,-' spurceful, places his passes, well, and gets the'ball up'to his forwards.' G. Bush (half)'-,a.- vertible tower of strength, to any team,' is' : particularly . good at robbing the opposing side of the ball, and has a thorough knowledge of the .game. ,„"''. E. Pfahku'ch; a Blenheim Club (Nelson centre) man,.anold Taranaki representative player, captain of the Blenheim Glub. very powebful in the wateT, and a first-class polo inanv ; : ; J. - Emerson (centre forward) with Pfankuch in,, the .team, will probably nlay wing, has had a good deal of [ experience at the game and shoots very enable, /the team to set a fa?r."share of the ball. "'"' ' i R. ,Batchelor (-wing forward) a powerful shot, just;the man for wing forward, and "very hard to beat for tKe, ball. ■' . In conclusion,' I w'ish the team- all success, may each man do his best, both in the water sand out to uphold the fair j name ,and-.reputation -of ,liis.Glub,. play - I iip'and play, the game ,for all. lie is worth, keep cool,, determined, stick to the fight-to .his, very: .last gasp, and go'j | right-out to win. ' ')■ .}