HOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15646, 27 June 1914, Page 6

HOCKEY.

'( ■ FIXTURES, ■'■■': July 4—Auckland t. Waikato. July 18—Auckland v. Wairarapa. . July 21—White Horse Cup Tournament. July Auckland v. Combined Country. August B—Auckland v. Canterbury, . NOTES. AND COMMENTS. The Auckland Hockey Association's donior competition has been suspended until July 11, to provide for the first New Zealand challenge shield match of the season. Next Saturday tho local representatives will be called "upon to defend the .trophy against Waikato, and this afternoon a trial match will be hold to assist tho selector (Mr. L. H. Norton) to finally chooso tho representative oloven. This afternoon's match should bo watched with interest, and a special ground has been marked out for the occasion. Given a dry ground, some good play should bo witnessed, and additional interest is lent by the inclusion of two country players in W. H. Johns, of Te Awamutu, and J. A. Sim, of Cambridge. This is tho first occasion on which country players 'been Included in the trial elevens, and is a precedent which should, and no doubt will, be regularly repeated. Tho two o'clock "curtain-raiser" will to-day be provided by Training College and University second elevens. Tbo failure of players to return the association's representative jerseys is a source of considerable inconvouionce to

the committee, and this body has decided to take the necessary action against those players who do not at once return jerseys which aro in their possession. In connection. with next Saturday's shield match, tho Waikato team will arrive on Thursday afternoon, and return by express on Sunday evening. On Saturday evening the local association will entertain tho team at the'pantomime. Local players, and particularly members of senior teams, will be pleased to hear that Mr. Eliot R. Davis, vice-president of the Auckland Association, has imported a handsomo cup for tho senior grade championship, to be competed for annually. The senior grade has been without a trophy since the Auckland club won Mr. Moss Davis's cup outright. in 1910. The presentation of the new trophv should add considerably increased interest to the competition.

, An interesting stage has been reached in the life of the Auckland Hookey Referees' Association. At its usual meeting on Tuesday last a letter was received from the Auckland Hockey Association asking whether the referees' association had considered the question of grading referees, and after due discussion it was unanimously agreed that the time had arrived when the referees should bo graded, and with thai object in view a committee was set up to draft a workable schenio for submission to an early meeting of the association. During the discussion it was contended that the adoption of such a scheme would undoubtedly tend towards an improvement in the methods of play, and also create more interest among the' referees, lead to more competent control of matches, and furnish an incentive for the younger or junior referees to master the art. It is probably too late to introduce the reform this season, but it is anticipated that everything will bo ready to start the new arrangement next year. Tho Auckland Association is determined to take the best steps in its powor to make first-class grounds at Rerauera.- It is recognised that the standard of hockey can never bo satisfactory until proper playing ■ surfaces are available. The trouble is, of course, and always has been, the question of finance. Unfortunately, hockey, while getting a very liberal share of players, does not by any means get its fair sharo of spectators, consequently tho .revenue derived from the "gate, without _ including representative matches, is practically nil, and the last few years very few representative matches of a revenue-producing capacity have been possible. This recalls. to mind tho fact that most of the Southern associations owo Auckland ( visits, many of them not having repaid the visits of the Auckland touring teams of 1906 and 1909. .However, how that the shield is in our midst, the local association has great hopes of visits from the important centres; but if the shield should leave early these hopes would undoubtedly be as far off as ever. But, getting back- to the question of grounds, tho local executive has just engaged an ex-English professional groundsman who has had considerable experience in making first-class hockey grounds at many of tho English schools. This man Bill be employed on tho grounds' permanently throughout tho season, while it is within tho bounds of possibility that his services will bo retained on tho grounds throughout the summer in making cricket wickets. This, therefore, should prove a step in the right direction, and it is regarded by one or two local officials to bo quite within the realm of possibility that the association will bo the proud possessor within a season or two of at least two grounds for representative and senior matches the equal, or nearly so, of tho well-known Day's Bay grounds.

; A good deal of interest attaches to the 'trial match this afternoon, all senior fixtures being suspended for tho occasion. Tho trial teams cboson by the selector should meet with little disfavour; while it is gratfying to note that a number of men have been given an opportunity of showing what they can do when put to the test. There appears to bo an undoubted shortage of good forwards in Auckland at the present time, especially centres., insido-rights, and right-wings, and it will bo noticed that two left men, in Mahoney and Jacobsen, aro being tried in the two last-mentioned positions. Both have, however, previously played in tlioso positions. The question of a centre-for-ward has been much discussed for some time, it being generally recognised that Auckland is without a really good player in that position. In Johns, of Waipa, the selector' has unearthed a player who has performed well in Auckland, and who has a good country reputation as a fast 'and clever forward and a good shot. Whether he has the necessary qualifications to hold a line together in big hockey remains to be seen. Thomas has played well this season in the inside-loft position, and has proved very nippy, while ho has scored nuitc a number of goals i through fast following-up. He is another player who has vet to win out in big hockey. Murrav has deserved a place cr the left-wing. His work is of the smart, ' clean order, whilo he is a dangerous shot. In the A line there should lie plenty of dash and combination, but the scoring abilities of the players have yet to be proved. In any case a comparison of the play of this lino, against tho older and more experienced players of, the B vanguard, should nrovo interesting.

At present it looks as if the halfbacklino will bo the weakest .«pol in the team. The club form of the experienced representative players has Dot been tip to representative standard; while there seems also to b<> an abseneo of good halfbacks coming on.' John* certainly shows promise, and may possibly win" through. The reverse is the case in the matter of fallbacks, and Auckland is particularly well off. Players like Speight, Sloman, Baker, Jones, England, and possibly one or two others would provide a strong defence in. any team. Auckland lost a line goalkeeper in Hallam last year, but promising men in Cotton, Sparrow, and Mackie, and veteran Allen should ensure a sound defence. Allen's omission from cither team may cause some surprise, but possibly the selector hag considered it advisable to give Sparrow, who recently came up from the juniors, a chango to show his ability. The trial of new men should always be justified. Indeed, thero is very often a tendency, both in respect to representative and "club teams, to neglect the youngsters, and expect the old hands who have rendered fine "service to continue to (?o so indefinitely. PRIMAEY SCHOOL NOTES. Tho proposed Waikato-Auckland representative match lias unfortunately fallen ; through, owing to the Hamilton players being unable to make the trip. However, it is not unlikely that, the Auckland Association will send a team to Hamilton before the ecason is through. Once again Edendale piled up a. big score against a good opposing team, Bcrauera being the sufferers, Tfcis match

mora than ever emphasised the need for the association <, providing for . future '. seasons both an age ' and a weight limit. Sparkes, of Edendale,. not only ran up a, big score Against the losers, but also probably averted defeat for his team. It is very inadvisable that one player, clover and all as Sparkes undoubtedly is, should make so much difference. There is no disputing the fact that Edendalo deserved their success; they won fairly and very decisively. Sparkes, too, plays good, cloan. hockey, and wins through clever, forceful play. But the smaller opponents never had a chance of stopping him, and naturally became vory disheartened as goal after goal was recorded. As a team, Remuera played tho best hockey, both back and forward (if Sparkes is excepted). Tho combination was bettor, and all tho players were called upon to do their share. Farquhar, in tho new role of centreforward, shaped splendidly, acting quickly and working his lino nicely. He was exceedingly unfortunate not to have scored. P. Munro, as centre-half, helped the attack well, and proved hard to beat, while the diminutive Potter as right-half, who was ono of the cleverest players on the ground, played a plucky game all through. For Edcndale, Sparkes was the shining light,- and practically did as he liked in attack. Gutry and Higgoit were very fair. Phillips was the best half, and O'Donnoll a fine fullback. Tho play of tho last-named was meritorious.