FOOTBALL BANKS SPLIT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18760, 14 July 1924, Page 4

FOOTBALL BANKS SPLIT

LEAGUE TRANSFER DISPUTE.

ACTION BY CITY ROVERS.,

refusal to play match.

As' a result of the Auckland Rugby Football League refusing to allow L. Brown to register as a member of the City League Club, the City senior grade team decided not to take the field on Saturday against Mangere. It is stated that the majority of the players will go over to the Rugby Union code, but whether as a club or as members of existing clubs is at the moment undetermined. The majority of the City players have never played under the Rugby Union, but as the jdub has furnished the champion senior League team for several seasons it is certain that most of the players would be very welcome additions to any of the Rugby Union teams.

The most recent notable performance of the City team was the defeat of the Chr'istchurch Marist Old Boys team early this season. The Marist Old Boys Club iiad been the premier Rugby Union team in Christchurch for several years, but this season adopted the League code owing to a dispute with the Union authorities. A game, was arranged between the Southern team and City, the latter winning after a hard game. This was claimed by League supporters to demonstrate that the best League-standard was at least equal to the best of the Rugby Union. The Brown case has been before the Auckland League for several weeks. Last season the plfiyer in question was a member of the Newton, League Club, and was recognised as one of the best , hacks in the game. Desiring to go to England he applied for a clearance from the Auckland League to enable him to play in Britain without having to qualify by residing there for two years. The clearance was granted by the Auckland League with the stipulation that Brown should rejoin the Newton Club when he returned to Auckland. This was in deference to representations from the Newton Club, which otherwise would have opposed the application. The New Zealand Riigby League Council, which, as the controlling authority of the League game in the Dominion, had either to grant the clearance or refuse it, gave Brown his clearance. The player went to England and performed with distinction with Wigan in -the reserve grade. On returning to Auckland recently Brown applied for registration with the City Club and the application was refused, the chairman of the Auckland League, Mr. W. J. Hammill, ruling that Brown was a member of the Newton Club. The City Club contended that Brown was a free agent and played him against Richmond on t "sune 28. As a result the match, which was won by City, was awarded to Richmond, and Brown was suspended for three playing Saturdays. Further efforts were made to adjust, the matter. Browii applied to the Auckland League last Wednesday for a transfer from Newton to City, the application being deferred till Friday evening, when the committee of the Newton Club met in conference with delegates from the Auckland League, The application for transfer by Brown was then refused by .Newton. As a result the City Club declined to play on Saturday,and the majority of its members, it is stated, will not again inlay the League game. This is all the mora to be regretted from the League standpoint as a number of the City players would probably have been chosen to take the field against the formidable English League touring this season.