FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13497, 25 May 1907, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

' NOTES AND COMMENTS.': " - 1 ~ THE CUP MATCHES. AtL interest in the cup championship, contests last. Saturday .Suras'- centred in tlic< •struggle between tho City and Ponsonby representatives. Tlie game was one of the most closely contested soon at Alexandra Park in cup contests for some considerable time. Tho Parnell Club are doing a good ' deal better this season than last, and if tho team keeps together they will not be the bottom of the list at tho end of the season. Their defeat of Grafton by 18 points to 3 was decisive. The North Shore team's display so far this season does not approach the form shown last year, and they have • rather disappointed some of their supporters. They just succeeded in defeating Newton last week by six points to nil. The outstanding feature of Rugby this season has been the rough play indulged 1 in, arid it is time sonic strong measures were adopted to put this down, as, if it. . • continues, the public cannot be expected to attend. While fully admitting that football is not - a game for "weaklings and hard • knocks are inevitable, I am fully convinced that many of the hard knock's which have been .inflicted could very well ' have been avoided.. Although only three' games have been :' played " this season, quite a considerable number of players have been incapacitated, and in the case of some of the teams several, changes havo had to be made for to-day's matches, principally owing to injuries received. This state of affairs is neither desirable from a player's point of view, nor satisfactory to the public, while it ,prevents a number, of very excellent players from partaking in the game. It is to bo hoped the Rugby Union and Referees* * Association will, combine to take some strong 'preventive measures at once. . j > : Tho . matches - to-day • will probably ,be rather of a one-sided nature, with the ex- ; ception of Parnell and North Shore, who should play an even game. The match will 'ho on No. 1. ground. Parriell's play has. 'V;, pleased • its' supporters so far, and if they f./i ' play a similar game this, afternoon to that i Against' Grafton," they should leave the field victorious. North Shore has been■ greatly . weakened by players being injured. If the marine suburb representatives can play as v i well as .in the match against Ponsonby then ~ tho tables will; probably be reversed, but ; such a contingency, I am afraid, ,is not pos- >■; sible. * The. Ponsonby team will'prove sua perior to Newton, and City will have "no ( J ■ difficulty t in' proving victorious over Graf- . • toe. ' . Tho following are the arrangements for ; ■ . to-day's cup matches: — j • , First Fifteens.—No. 1 ground: Parnell v. ' North Shore: referee.. Mr. J. , Sutherland. No. 2: Ponsonby v.'Newton ;~ referee, Mr. • , C. W. Oram. - No.'3:* City v., Grafton; referee, Mr, J. Laing. Vv >'}' ■-■•f' ■ v " ! Second Fifteens.—At 1 Kingsland : iPainell v.' North Shore; referee, Mr. H. Frost. No. 4- ground: Ponsonby v. Newton; referee, Mr. H. Williams. No. s:' City v. Grafton; t referee, Mr. A- Jaggsl ■ . " <. Third Fifteens.At North' Shore:' North. . Shore v.' Parnell; referee, Mr. N. McLean. : No. 6 ground: IPonsoiiby v. Newton; re- *■ feree, Mr. A. O'Connell. No. 7: Grafton v. >;, City ; ..referee,. Mr. W. Moore. ~ - ' 'Fourth Fifteens.At North Shore: North :•'< • Shore v. Parnell; referee, Mr. A. F. Chal- . . mers. ' At Kingsland:-Ponsonby v.- Parnell; • referee, Mr. ,C. Martin. No. 8 ground: CSty.,v.pGrrafton; referee, Mr. G. T. Cham: ■ |ion. ■$££} V ' '/ ilTho position-Vf"'the senior clubs to-day is . as given 'below iC.Cit.y, played 3, won 3, lost ," 0, points for 50, points against 3; (Ponsonby, li 3J..2, 8; North Shore, 3, 2, 1, 19. 24; Parnell, 3, 1, 2, ,21, 48; Newton, 3, 1; 2, 21, ; ; 29; Grafton, 3, 0, 3, 9. 49. .. ; : - ..* ' V .J ; • LAST SATURDAY'S GAMES. . . "With teams constituted of players from all "v w trades, as Graftoir<; and Parnell were fon '• Saturday, • a good exposition of Rugby Avaii / out of 'the question. Grafton'especially was ; a j mixed; team," and consequently combinaf- tion was conspicuous only by its absence. v.- IParnoll, who* were not so"'badly off, and had . . more experienced men in tlidh * ranks, ran out winners by a majority ,of 15 points. The 3 .game calls ' for little comment, particularly •' in view of the fact that not much,' or no injQ.'i", terest, wds taken in the play by spectators ;; - while V even the ,• players*' themselves -. did* • not • appear over keen, and very probably would , have' preferred being onlookers, at 'the, match ; T"\ , on the ; adjoining ■ ground. ; Some, however, . . played ."' the game. On the Parnell side, ;>> '* Armstrong, Hogan, and .Kinder were. most . ■■;....'* conspicuous, while MaoCormiek in the forJ ward ranks of Grafton, 5 gave a fino; display. " The North "Shore-Newton match, played at Devonport, was one of the most uninter- ! eating \ games, "witnessed at the marine : ' suburb for some time past. Both -teams lacked dash, and appeared ,to take matters ; / easy from beginning' to end. Tho game 'was practically . confined to the forwards, and very little passing was indulged in by cr' the backs -•*of either ; side, f The Newton' backs,. however, at times : made some nice openings, and in one or two instances their. v : .' passing caused' the Shore team to be much '. 1 on -the alert. Tho green and whites did j Vp: ; some good work by- kicking hard and fol- . lowing up. The defence of the backs was sound, and had it hot been for this' the. | : Newton forwards; who now and again canto. | 'J - , "away with some fast • rushes, would pro-'I • ; ' bably have crossed the goal line. . The I V:< Shore forwards, • who included , 33. Yeolaud I "'*;•; and J. Warner (who -ma * their first appearance, for the season), .played with fairly •,; good combination, but there is still room for improvement in scrum work. The ! hooking of the- Newton forwards was very j fair. Of the Shore backs, D. Miller, at full, j -s_v,-was'undoubtedly the best, his defence and v kicking being good. F. Woodward, playing .in the threequarter line, put in some sound, useful work.. This player is Lmproying i rapidly. In the forward division,*larshall; j Mays, and Todd were about the be>t. :'i<' Wolfgram, who played threequarter for j -• '■• Newton, created a favourable impression ! . He is strong and fast, and made several : good attempts to cross the line. Until compel 1; to .retir© owing to', colliding . with a plajjgr. Freeman put in some splendid work, • ! and was ably assisted by Farrant. Of the forwards, Trevartlian, ■ Hooper;- and Winters wore most conspicuous." ! Through placing on the field two sets of . formidable forwards, probably the strongest combinations which have met in rivalry for some time past*~iu.district', cup fixtures, the match between City and Ponsonby represen- • tatives resolved itself into an essentially forward game. 'I Though it was. .strenuously ; ; ' _ and closely fought from * start to finish it lacked the interesting and brilliant features of an open game. It was a. fierce conflict " ' between veritable giants, and though it was only; to be expected that,.play, mainly be" confined -to the forwards, it was not 'no-' cessary to make the play as tight and close as it was. Tho touch line was made use of with almost * monotonous regularity,, but. all the same the line-kicking on the whqlo wa».| well' judged, and ' at*-times gained a great deal...;of. ground. .On the, day's play IRonsonby forwards had a slight advantage, which it- is possible they could have improved by making the play move open, but this they seemed timid about.doing. City t'\ were pressed back to their own area more often 'than -'Ponsonby, and on one or two occasions the, latter had good chances of -p'bringing their efforts to fruition, but these >;;; went, by, default. Although City camo off c, , victors the try they snatched was one of ;hosa lucky achievement* which often.trans- ' • form defeat into success in football. The backs on either side, though not idle, did • : . ■■■-. . not-get- much chance of appearing at their r-' best, but what work they had to do do was, ; generally speaking, carried out in good style. In future contests between these teams if the play • is made more open it will bo far more interesting, and give players an op- ,*%:. ;: portunity of showing out. more conspicuV ' ously. Of the City backs Smith played up ".v;- to. his usual style, defending excellently, and Ladner (half) and S. Magee'.(full) were the . , most prominent 4of . the others. , Seeling, \vV" Tyler brothers, and Mclllione were the • most conspicuous of . a powerful set of forI ,■ wards'. Amongst the Ponsonby players Cox f'S./1.. '.*.-(half) • and Blakey (full) were ahead of then' . comrades in effective work, while in the « forward pack Gillett (who was tho most -pro* ■lnioent --j player'* on the field). " Dunning, «Nicholson, Hall, ' Cunningham,' and - Francis j - . were always on the ball. ' 'V : •*•'•••••"/ :; -' r " !§h: ; v ; '■ - ' • v"

- - r HERE AND THERE. - Stuckey will not be available for Parnell to-day. ' ' " . ' 1 ■ , . Th© Newton"fourth-grade team; have won their three matches. ' ?""" " ' ' ' F. Gladding,. of City, will probably retire; owing to an injured knee. _ * ■The lack of a "general" in Newton team la3t Saturday greatly handicapped them. ' * - :.■: ■ , '■■>-~."- / ■;... Griffin, of North Shore, who was injured in the- match against Ponsonby, will' probably play to-day. There will bo several changes in . the North Shoro team this afternoon," owing to players being injured. . ' "■'-:,' '" - . ' ' The City team's remarkable record;' was not broken by "The Ponies" Saturday, although it could not, havo.been nearer to it. •: B. Yeoland, on© of North Shore's fine forwards of the past, who had retired, played last Saturday to assist his old club in an emergency.."': ."'"* '■'■' •',,-. 7" "' r: :; . ; ;.' ,; :~:v' Plugge, of the Parnell team, whose burly . form was always conspicuous, will probably not, be" seen on tho field again, owing to an injured knee. ; " : ; Warner,-., who played wing-forward for North Shore, last Saturday, shaped fairly well, and will be an acquisition .to the marine suburb club. .-■ ■;; 7 ;" I On almost every occasion when a light [ pack meets one heavier than _ itself , the I light team suffers. This is noticeable this ; season in Auckland. :," , I The Ponsonby team will 'have very little alteration to-day. Gillett - will play fiveeights, and Murray will bo absent, owing to an injured shoulder. ; > Rough play was a' conspicuous feature of last Saturday's play. A number of players, have been incapacitated, and the difference' will be discernible this afternoon. • S. Magee, a; junior of last year, though slightly nervous last week when playing fullback) lor City, showed promise, and he will be City's goal defender for the season. 7 7 Hall, .of the Ponsonby team..who only played in the forward ranks this season, shows promise of developing , into a fine player. " His 14st7 should make itself 7 felt in any. pack.. \ ■ ■" • -.-.'.■■" - .."-.■ ■:.'.•. -■■'■* ■ In 1900 the City team won the first, second and third grades championships/ .In 'the senior, team -'last.: Saturday-only, two of the , 1900 players donned the jersey G. 'Tyler and R. Magee. , -7 - , The New South Wales Union has voted £50 towards the expenses of the Combined Schools' team to New Zealand. The Union has also decided to spend £230 on schools' football in the country. "" The Grafton Club, have six - senior men rather .badly, injured. ; Last Saturday . they • had ten juniors playing for them. The first juniors consequently suffered, and they had to forfeit their match. ■■; ' . • In 18 consecutive' matches for * the premiership the Glebe (Sydney) Club- have been beaten once only—viz., by TBalmain,who then got two tries to. oho against them. Two qf: the other 18 matches were drawn. ' 7 Newton Club have had three men rather , badly injured in -. the three matches played, and others more or ; less hurt. H. Rowe will play to-day t aud his assistance should be valuable. Freeman will not be avail- ■ able. ■. ' ■;". Two good.- trophies have been ! presented, to the Newton Club. Mr. H. Rowland has donated a gold.medal for the best all-round playor," : and Mr. J. J. * Donovan a ' meer-, schaum : pipe for : the" player .scoring the '. greatest number of points in the season. • The Auckland Rugby Union Annual for 1907 has been received from Mr. V". Langsford. It contains a deal of useful and interesting information concerning the ■ game, .locally and colonial. An excellent map showing the districts is: an interesting .'portion. ':'.■: .";;,- ' : : i7 '~:':."!7".'7"'."..: ' : 7'':7',V.7'7. ■ The-Auckland' Rugby Union has received a challenge -from the Buller : Union for thc> Ranfurly ' shield, so ,well ; defended by • the Auckland representatives last year. The date suggested' is -Saturday, July. 13, and the Auckland: Union /have practically "agreed to the date. ' " '" . • . ,7" The concert "held ■ by 7 the North; Shore Club . on Wednesday :- to; supplement, the club's, funds'- was very disappointing, and the club will lose money by it. s It was unfortunate that more of .the club's supporters did not attend, -while at any rate the players should have show a. more loyalty! ;■:;'; Every f season-the". City team have on an average promoted_ about half ;: a,. : dozen juniors ;to;tho senior: rank. • Of the 1902-3 senior "team only six are. now playing, and four dropped out : last-year. This system of promoting and encouraging juniors has, no doubt, been a ; great'factor;in. City's success, and the other clubs should make a note of it. _ . , Mr. D. Gallahcr, the, selector for the Auekahd'reps.,: has nominated the following players ;» for inclusion in < - the a North Island team:—G. Tyler, Dunning. Seeling, Francis,. Nicholson, Cunningham, Trcvarthen,. G. Smith. R. Wynyard. R. ? Mage©,';G; Giilett, and ; Todd. Mr. Gallaher left .for; Wellington on Thursday, i to assist in making the final selection for the: North Island team.7 AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY UNION. No matches were played in the Wednes- % day .Union, competition -this week througH the holiday falling on 'Empire Day. 7 •_ The bakers' play their first match on Wednesday next, and their debut is being looked : forward i to \ with great y interest, in view of the fact that they are supposed to bo a vastly improved team. , In any event, th© play of Savoury, and Pierce is always much admired, and' now,, that Stubbing has definitely " decided upon turning out th© bril- . liant displays of ; some years back may be repeated. -7; '7'^y' ; T.-'7'Vv-v'^'-v ; '.] ; -;«.j.y;- ':'..'TT,'.'7. v , ! ,;V After : their opening exhibition, there ..are few ! who. would j be .■ prepared to >. argue that" the Post, Telegraph, .and. Railway team :, had - shown ■ any improvement in ; their ;;for-- ' ward 'play."lndeed, it is the general opinion that unless they show a marked im«, provement i in th .. department they can hardly expect -to be the holders of the ciipi Parker, appeared to be the only member of the vanguard who had-any ; idea of scrumming,! while ih the open, they were all at sea. ; '7-'-' ■ . . . \k Flushed with ; their opening success, ■ the Drapers are ; looking forward' to another victory against the' Civil Servants, and if their. ■: forwards play '■■ up to tho opening standard %the ragmen should . not .be. disappointed. i With" Todd in the backs the rearguard is '.very fair, and can be depended upon to defend as well as of old. '," • . THE ASSOCIATION GAME. The cup - competitions will be continued, as usual.7on the. various grounds this afternoon. Thoftwo first-grade fixtures fere Co- . : rinthian's v. Evc-rton and Ponsonby v. North Shore. . Both matches are , expected to provide interesting contests. ;-_, ; i ) Last Saturday, at the Domain, ground, j Corinthians met and defeated Ponsonby by five goals, to nil after the former had all th© best of a fairly interesting game. At | -Devonport. North' Shore and Everton tried I conclusions, the latter,: winning after a good 1 tussle by two goals to one.. 7: 7 1 The meeting of the Management Com- 1 mittee • which was to havo been held on Tuesday evening , lapsed for .want:, of ~ a quorum.' The arrangements for the grounds | were not 'made 7; and consequently many | players do not know on which ground their I matches take place'. Perhaps it would be | advisable for • the committee at tho next | meeting to make tho fixtures for th© whole I season and inform secretaries of clubs of the same. ,'7 : : i; : : -'■'"'■'" -■'■; ■. '";,-•■; ■'> Lawsou, the -South African representatiye, j who made'his -first; .appearance for Cbrin- j thians last ' week, ' is credited ' with playing a splendid game .and is considered a valu-' able addition to the team. ■ 7 77* " ' ThezCqrinthian forwards are a splendid lot and.play with good combination, a fea- : ture of play, noticeable by its [absence in I most of the other : teams. *:. ,; . /'",«.-" ,"'• . North Shore have lost the services of Bennett ' for the : remainder of-, the season, ; behaving ricked his leg in the match against Corinthians. . :'.',,'. .-'- '■■' \ , 7 :.:\ '\ N. Harvey, who has been < appointed skipper. ;of ..the; North i Shore eleven, is at pre-, sent playing up to his best form. ' ' y Dacre returned "from the South during last week and played in th© match against Everton; on. Saturday. - ''7 ,; '-. ?'"' "--' '/ V" , The. interprovineial matches will, all probability bo played in Auckland thisyoaiv, Auckland journeyed South last season. 7 r ■ Bayly gave a 'grand exhibition of goal-' keeping on Saturday and stopped some very difficult shots. ~;-'-, ■'".'_■•■,. ; »y: _ 7 ." J 7 The first round in. the senior grade competition ..will be concluded this afternoon. St. John's, are having their vacation -and. the teams chosen to play against them each week are consequently winning by default. Knight, centre-half for the North Shore team, is stated to have played on Saturday one of the best games seen on the Devonport ground for some time. : ~..,. ThoTvanhoo team must have some good shots in their ranks. , In the two matches played no less than 13 goals have beon placed to "their credit. The team is- considered to have a good chance of annexing the cup this season. -. ; THE AUSTRALIAN GAME'. ' 7 Last Saturday's match between Eden and Imperial was finely contested, the play at times . bordering on 'high-class' form. Tho Eden Club are to be congratulated on their win, which was thoroughly deserved. Prominent in 'ttio: winners' ranks were George, Marshall, Fletcher, and Clayton, who gave a fine exhibition of tho i game, though on several occasions some very unsportsmanlike " pointing for free kicks was indulged in by a couple of players. » The sooner such tactics are dropped the better for the game.'

The umpire • (Mr.: Abfalter) * fortunately saw through it and took prompt steps to . stop it. The Imperial men played well, but it is as well to remember that individual play never wins a game. Had the team played. ; together the result might have been. different. Glenister and Hemus were absent from the Imperials and the loss of these two.- players was severely felt, particularly the former, whose play this season in practice matches has been an eye-opener to his club mates. Imperials were well served by. Spenco (a brilliant man on the field), Park, Black. Lawson, and Forster. Coates, their usually reliable goal-kicker, suffered from an injure*! knee and was therefore unable to do anything in that line. To-day's match between Austral and Eden should prove interesting. It is safe to predict a hard fight, though the writer favours Eden's chance on account of the Australs being short of practice, a matter of their own neglect. Slattery, a splendid player and captain of the Austral team during the latter part of last season, has returned to Victoria. His loss will be great both to the Austral team and the game generally, as he was said to be a certainty for inclusion in next year's representative- team to Australia. The secretary of the New Zealand League received word from the South Australian League during the week that arrangements were being made for a match at Adelaide between South Australia and New Zealand in 1908. In the matter of finance the South Australian League are acting most generously, zing decided to give the New Zealand League the entire gate proceeds, which should amount to a goodly sum. From the tone of the letter it is evident that the football public of South Australia are anxiously looking forward to the visit of the Now Zealanders. A letter has just been received from the secretary of tho New South Wales League stating that similar arrangements arc being made there in regard to a match between New South Wales and New Zealand. It, is certain that the players chosen- to make the trip from New Zealand arc in for a splendid time. It is to be hoped that a thoroughly representative team may be able to get away. . • AUCKLAND BEATS WAIHL [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN COP.IIESPOSDE.VT.] Thames, Friday. An interesting and well-coutostcd game of football under the Australian rules was played this afternoon at the Thames, between- teams from Auckland and WaihL :■ The match was played in four spells' of fifteen 'minutes each as follows: First spell —Waihi, playing with the wind, scored two goals and' one behind (13) to Auckland one goal (6). Second spell Auckland, with tho wind, scored two goals and • three behinds (15) to Waihi's one goal (6). Third spell—Waihi, scored one goal and one be-, hind (7) to Auckland's; four behinds. ' Fourth spell Auckland, . with the. wind behind them, had the game all their own way, and scored three goals and two behinds (20) to Waihi's one behind, leaving the result - Auckland, 45; Waihi, 27. | A junior match was also played between teams of the' same districts, the Auckland players proving too good for the Goldfields I representatives. _ .