HOCKEY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 23 June 1937, Page 8

HOCKEY

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS FEDERAL IN UNASSAILABLE POSITION UNITED IMPROVE THEIR PLACE As a result of Federal‘s further win on Saturday, in the first game of the last round of the senior championship, and the defeat of Stoke by United, Federal are in an unassailable position at the head of the senior championship, six points ahead of Stoke, with two games to play. The bottom team, United, have advanced to a position level with Waimai, and it will be interesting to see who will be runners-up to Federal. In the junior championship Stoke suffered their first reverse last Saturday being defeated by Waimai. They are still in a strong position however. Rewa are still unbeaten in the women’s championship. The championship tables are as follows: Senior

Wellington Invitation. The Wellington Hockey Association has decided to invite the Canterbury and Nelson associations to send senior 10-ms to play Wellington at Wellington on 17th July. Form of Junior Players In the recent junior trial match neither of the goalkeepers was called upon to do much, but Collier seemed to have a better idea of the game than Schofield. Highet and Thorn combined well at full-back. Goodwin and Canning played with the ball too much. It might be worth trying Canning at half. Gribble, Schofield and Lamb were tha best halves. Schofield placed the ball well and had a lot to do with his forwards keeping position better than the other forward line. Whiting, Hargreaves and Highet are good young players but rather young yet, though they have the right idea and should benefit by the try-out. I. Boyes did'not seem strong enough to stand up to hard work. The two Batchelors played well together after.No.el changed, over from left to right. Hv.Crooks played well with a good line of forwards. E. Crooks did not seem to make the best of his chances. Jury did quite well at left wing. Heath played better than he has done lately. Gibbs played a good individual game and toiled hard but did hot combine well with the rest of the forwards. Haase seemed to miss O’Connor who was on the sick list. Ching did not have many chances on Saturday but he has played some good games. Hill was given a try-out at fullback but he did not seem to take it seriously enough. Women’s Tournament The New Zealand Ladies’ Hockey Association is holding its annual tournament at Invercargill this year. According to the rules this tournament is to be held in the North and South Island each year but owing to no applications from the North and one from Southland the ruling body has decided to hold it there.. These tournaments are of great value to the game and all associations should send teams there. Is Nelson going to send a team this year? Watching the women’s game in Nelson this year one can pick out players who attended the tournament at Blenheim. They show by their play that they have learnt something about the game. In Nelson the game is not of a high standard because players do not meet many outside teams, and it is by attending these tournaments that they are going to improve their game. It takes years to build up a team to win a tournament. For example Marlborough and Eastern Southland at the tournament held in Nelson in 1924 or 1925 were the lowest teams in the competition, but by attending the tournaments year after year and studying the play they are now at the top of the ladder. Nelson at that time were well up but until last year no teams were sent away and the game here has suffered through this. Money is the problem but if the Association want to improve the game it must tackle this question, because Nelson has the material for a first-class team. NEW ZEALAND TEAM CAPTAIN’S FINE RECORD l.lahohey, the captain of the New Zealand team, has been one of the great stalwarts of the game in Hawkes Bay since his arrival in Hastings just after the earthquake period in 1931, states the “Herald-Tribune.” In more recent years he has taken a leading part on the administration side; indeed, before coming to this district he was also prominent in the administrative affairs of the hockey associations in Christchurch and Wellington. As a player, few in New Zealand have a record of service equal to his. This will be his second visit to Australia as a member of a New Zealand side, for it was just ten years ago that he made the first journey across the Tasman. He first gained national honours in 1926, and followed this up by finding places in the 1927 and 1929 New Zeala’- ’ teams. He has the distinction of having captained both a North Island and a South Island team, and has the further record of having played for three different provinces and representing each of those three provinces in a national team. PLAYERS REVIEWED The -vice-captain, S. Robertson, is Woods Great Peppermint Cure For Coughs and Coids never fails

new to international hockey, though he was emergency in the third test against the India team in 1935. He is tireless in his efforts both on attack and defence. He is a sound tactician, frequently changing the line of attack with well-directed passes to his forwards. He will be an able aide to the skipper, says the “Star-Sun.”

W. Smillie. the Waikato goalkeeper, has been close to New Zealand honours on several occasions and is a reliable keeper. He meets the attack with good judgment, using his feel to advantage. The backs are a sound lot. F. S. Clark has had a long experience as left back and is a clever player with a wonderful eye. He played for New Zealand in 1934 and for Auckland every year since 1931. His brother, Trevor, was a member of the 1932 team to Australia. D. Pountney is a sound defensive player. D. S. Wilson, the Wellington man, has represented his province on many occasions, and can fill either the right or left back positions. D. Loader and T. Burlt have forced their way to the front in the last two years. Loader is a product of the Trinity Club (Christchurch), and has the ability to improve still further. He is a tireless worker, particularly brilliant on attack and unselfish. T. Burtt is a rugged type, able to last the hardest game and a determined tackier, never far from the ball. Both these players first represented the province last year. L. H. Watson is a left half and has worked his way up from primary school and was first capped for Auckland in 1935.

The forwards are a' likely lot, with plenty of potential goals among them. O. B. Dey is the only player with test experience, and the rangy Otago man is capable of doing a tradesmanlike job on the right wing. B, D. Duffield is another Canterbury lad who learnt his game at school. Remarkably clever with the stick, he promises to be another Tom Turbitt, and in good company should do remarkably well. He ’as played some fine games for the province, notably against the 1935 India team. He has played for the New Zealand University team on several occasions.

R. H. Roughton started playing in Auckland in 1928 at the age of eleven years and represented Waikato in 1934 and Auckland in 1936. A player of the Eric Watts type, he has plenty of

thrust and can fill any inside position. With him will be L. H. Monteith, a dashing all-round athlete, who combines well with the rest of the line, with an occasional solo burst.

R. Brown is a useful all-round forward from Wellington, who can play on either wing, but who will probably fill the left wing berth. He has played for Wellinglon in two Shield games. After a spell last year, W. Browne has been showing the form that gained him Wellington representative honours against the Indians and is another useful allround forward. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY Hockey fixtures for Saturday are as follows: — Senior Federal v. United, Reserve No. 1, at 3 p.m. Stoke v. Waimai. Stoke, at 2.30 p.m. Junior Federal v. Tahuna, Reserve No. 2, at 2 p.m. Waimai v. Wakatu, Reserve No. 1, at 2 p.m. Stoke v. Boys’ Brigade, Reserve No. 2. at 3 p.m. Women’s Rewa v. Kia Ora, Pioneer Park, at 3 p.m. I-luia v. Wakatu, Pioneer Park, at 2 p.m. Schools Stoke v. Hampden Street, Stoke, 1.30 p.m. Central v. Auckland Point, Reserve No. 1, at 1 p.m.

Goals P. W. L. D. F. A. Pt Federal 7 6 0 1 17 5 13 Stoke 7 3 3 1 27 13 7 Waimai 7 2 5 0 12 18 4 United 7 2 5 0 8 28 4 Junior , Goals P. W. L. D. F. A. Pt Stoke 8 G 1 1 41 9 13 Federal 8 5 3 0 23 14 10 Waimai 7 5 2 0 31 14 10 Wakatu 7 3 3 1 20 16 7 Tahuna 7 1 5 1 15 38 3 Boys’ Brig. 7 0 6 1 2 44 1 Women's Goals P. W. L. D. F. A. Pt Eewa 6 6 0 0 21 6 12 Huia 6 4 1 1 20 15 9 Kia Ora 6 2 4 0 15 15 4 Wakatu 6 0 5 1 5 ' 14 1