FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12260, 2 May 1903, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

THE football season, so far as Auckland is concerned, will be opened on Saturday next when a start will be made with the local Eugbv Union cup competitions in the three wades interested, the senior fixtures set ■jown for decision beiug Newton v. City, North Shore v. Suburbs, and Ponsonby v. famuli Of these particular matches more may be said in my notes next week, and in the meantime I will confine myself to giving waders some idea of the personnel— far as can be ascertained at present—and prohahle strength oi the several teams that will take part in the struggle for the senior honours for :;ea?on 1903, commencing with the City District Club's first fifteen, the present holders of the cup. Tho members of the team make no secret of the fact that vhey expect to again take a hand in the. settlement of the championship, and from what I can gather as to the likely constitution of the fifteen to do battle for the central district, it would seem that they have rood reason to view their prospects hopefolly. The only man of note the club has lost sinco last season is Cunningham, the burly pivot man and representative player, who is at present in the Upper Thames district. As he only figured in three or four matches last year he will not be greatly missed, as the club possesses an excellent substitute in AlcGuire, who has proved hirnsalf a good man in the lock. A welcome addition will ba George, who played for Taranaki against Auckland last year, and showed eonsidovablo promise. More than likely he will be the club's centre threequarter back, in which case the rear division will hi as follows:—Fullback, Stevens; threequarters, -■* sher, George, and Stephen son, or W. Tyler; five-eighths, Magee; halfback, Young. Should Stephenson be the choice for the back division then W. Tyler will no doubt find a place as wing forward or in the pack, where Bakewell, who played for North Shore last season, will also be included. Thus, if anything, the team will be & trifle stronger than the side that carried off the cup in 1902. A few week. back the names ticked off by supporters of tho Grafton Club gave the impression that the team to be placed in the field would take a power of beating, and although it is probable that one or two of those mentioned will not don the jersey, the combination will still be a very sound one all round. Taylor (last year's fiveeighths) or lung will no doubt be played fullback, and should "Dick" McGregor decide to don t!i2 jersey again the remaining positions in the rear division will likely be filled as follows.- Threequarters, McKenzie, McGregor, Bond; five-eighths, N. Kelly: halfback, Kioruan. The new five-eighths (Kelly) is the ex-Wellington representative, and undoubtedly one of the best men in the colony for this important post. Laing was expected to play, and may do so later on in the seasor., but will not take part in the earlier matches, as he has not yet sufficiently recovered from a serious attack of rheumatism. Huddlestone has returned from the Thames, and will play in the pack, -which will include Bispham (a last year's " rep."), "Bod" McGregor. lorns. Neville, and MacCormick. Woollor, who went to South Africa with one of the contingents— to that he represented Canterbury— be one of the wing forwards, and although there is some talk of J. Brady retiring owing to difficulty in sparing time to play, the chances are that he will be found on the other side of _ the paok when the season opens. Nevton, for three years runners-up for the senior championship, hope to make a bold bid to reach the top of the tree this season, and from the' names submitted as likely members of the fifteen, it seems pretty clear that the red and whites will win more matches than they lose during 1903. It is expected that one of tho brothers Rowe will be entrusted with the post oi fallback, and that Pillenger, Roberts and Brash will form the threequarter-line, with Rowe at five-eighths and Freeman behind the pack. Last season Pillenger's form was somewhat disappointing, compared with his showing before going to the war, but should he get back to anything like the form be showed before going South with the Auckland touring team, then the Newton rearguard will be rather stronger than during 1902. The Freeman mentioned is a younger brother of the two ex-Newton players of that name, and gains his promotion on the strength of bis play behind the club's junior pack a couple of seasons ago. The brothel's Heath will probably be the tetm's wing forwards, and the pack—always a strong onewill include Long, Eaton (last season at Waihi), Lewis (an exmember of the team), Gardiner (a new arrival with an Australian roputation), and possibly A. Wilson, who is said to be thinking of playing again. Ponsonby have not gone back ; if anything, the team will be slightly improved. A promising threequarter in " Sid." Riley has gone to Sydney, but as a set-off the club gain 3 the services of D. Gallaher and D. Lunlop, bo':h ot whom were in South Africa last year; J. Carder, an old member, who has been away some time; and Cowan, who has in different years played for both Newton and Suburbs." Other new men mentioned as available are Pollock (a threequarter-back from Australia), Mitchell (an cx-Wanganui man), and McCormick (who comes from Covomandel). Matheson will no doubt be played fullback, and the threequarter line may consist of Lendrum, Cowan, and Carlaw, with Saxon (a last year's junior) as fiveeighths, and Poulson, who recently returned hem the South, at halfback. Stephenson and Dorau will again bo en the wings, so that in all probability D. Gallaher will be played in the pack during tho (Hi]) matches. North Shore, while on!; ''kcly to muster a moderate back division, '-ould ajrain havfl » Weighty and powerful pack. They have lost a good forward in Bakewell, who has moved to the City since last season, and I understand that Irvine, of the Permanent Force, «as so much moving about to do now in connection with hr; employment that there is little likelihood of his being found in the front row with MoCluskie. The hitter's place will probablv bo filled bv Barlow, late of the Petono Club, Wellington, and a familiar figure to most followers of the game will be found assisting as forward in the person of •' Bob" Oliphant, who recently returned to Auckland from Napier, after severing his connection with tho police force, porter, who comes from Gisborne, is mentioned as fullback, and P. Gerrard will again be the mainstay of the threcquarter-baok division. Wynyard. who was away in South Africa part of hist season, will resume his old Post as five-eighths, and it is just possible that Meredith may be persuaded to play behind the serum. Should the ex-Welling-ton representative throw in his lot with the club, the back division will be greatly strengthened, as for some two or three seasons the North Shore seniors have been unable to fi:id a suitable man for the important Position of halfback. The other members °f tho fifteen, both back and forward, will be men who assisted the marine suburb last season.

The two remaining teams—Suburbs nd rarnoll—will bo about on a par with last year. Handcock, who has stood bv Parnell in the years of theii adversity, has no intention of retiring, as rumoured, and will Wain le,-id the maroons, who also hope to rr. services of the brothers Mclsaac, W Coromandol, one of whom is a three-quarter-back and the other a forward. Maj.ike, the Suburbs throequarter, is at present hi the Taranaki district, but there is some **»* of his returning suortly. Sutherland will play fullback for this team, and Abso«na will again don the jersey.

HERE AND THERE. Mr. P. S. Murray has been reappointed selector of the Auckland representative teams for 1903. " Tiffy" Laing, who has been undergoing a course of treatment at the Te Aroha baths for rheumatism, returned to town last week. Although greatly benefited it will probably be somo time before he will be able to don the jersey again. George Smith having retired from the running track, it was thought by some that ho would decide to assist his old football club (City) in this season's cup matches, but I have it from Smith himself that he has decided to give the winter game best. The Auckland Public Schools Rugby Union matches will be commenced on Saturday week (May 16). A rumour has been persistently circulated that "Dick" McGregor has decided not to play this season, but a prominent member of the Grafton District Club says it is almost certain that McGregor will be found in the club's threequarter-bnck line when the championship matches commence next Saturday. R. Phelan was the mainstay of the Aratapu team's back division in the match against Ponsonby last Saturday. His defensive work was particularly good, and altogether lie showed capital form for the first match of the season.

Latest from the Empire City is that Tom Cross, the cx-Kaikorai and Canterbury forward, will play for the Wellington Club this season. >

The City and Grafton district clubs' first fifteens meet on May 23, and as both teams should be in good form by that date a keen contest may be looked forward to. It is understood that C. Brady, who ; has been threatening to retire for some time, will again be found doing battle for Grafton this season. It is also on the cards that A. Wilson will be persuaded to assist Newton in the district championships. Competent English critics are strongly advocating the claims of two New Zealanders —Arthur O'Brien and P. McEvedy—-for international honours. One writer, said that MeEvedy and O'Brien wore the two finest threequarter-baeks playing in England. The various provincial unions of the colony approached by the Tarauaki Union have refused to grant the application of that union for a share of tiie gate money in the event of a team from the district being sent on tour this season. The authorities of the North Shore District Club are endeavouring to persuade Meredith, tho ex-Wellington representative player, to assist the club's senior team this season, and are hopeful that their efforts in this direction will meet with success. Tho team stands in need of a good halfback, a position that has not been satisfactorily filled for some two or three seasons. Mr. J. 11. Henderson, who so ably filled the role of manager of the last New South Wales team that toured New Zealand, has been appointed a member of the Selection Committee of this season's representative teams for tho Commonwealth State. Mr. Henderson's knowledge of football in this colony should be of groat service to tho committee in making the selections of the teams to meet the New Zealand touring representatives this season. The annual report of the Sydney University F.C. states that correspondence was opened with the colleges affiliated to the Now Zealand University with the object ol arranging an annual inter-'Varsity football match with that body. The secretaries of the New Zealand colleges and leading Rug by Union officials had approved of the proposal. The main difficulties in the way oi such matches were the questions of finance and time. For a team of 18 men, making a tour of three weeks, at least £300 would be required. It was hoped, however, that the difficulties might bo overcome. In England referees, instead of ordering players off the field altogether, sometimes order them to stand on the boundary for a certain time. In this way the public are informed that the player "has been guilty oi misconduct, and it is said that having to stand in full view of the public has prevented manv a player from again offending. Unless" a man is altogether without shame, the effect of being publicly disgraced is far more beneficial than comes from being ordered off the field altogether. At a special meeting held on Monday last it was unanimously agreed to form an association club for Scotchmen, and that it bear the appropriate name of the "Thistle Club. Tho following office-bearers were elected.—Patrons, Sir J. L. Campbell, Messrs. G.Fowlds, M.H.8., A. Kidd, M.H.R., M. McLean, J. McK. Gecldes, D. Goldie, D. B. McDonald; president, Mr. McDougall; vice-presidents, Messrs. McKay and McLeod; captain, Mr. P. Mel drum; vicecaptain, Mr. W. Ritchie; hon. secretary, Mr. Hugh Colson; delegates to the association Messrs. Meldrum and Ritchie. A practice'game will be played to-day (Saturday), in the Domain at a-quarter to three p.m.