LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18997, 20 April 1925, Page 4

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

'OPENING OF , THE SEASON. SENIOR GRADE CONTESTS. FIVE MATCHES PLAYED. The Auckland Rugby's League s senior grade competitions opened on Saturday under favourable conditions. Five games were played, four at Carlaw Park and one at Devonport. The games at Carlaw Park attracted a largo crowd, and some excellent football was witnessed. The results were as follow: A DIVISION. City 27, Ponsonby 8. Athletic 38, Newton 18. Devonport 29. Richmond 9. B DIVISION. Ellerslio IG, Mangere 3. Kingsland 21. Northcote 3. The game between City and opened up with much excitement, and soni® pretty passing movements were witnessed. Tho City team were particularly prominent in this respect and, by their superior pace, the score soon mounted up, leaving thera winners by a substantial margin. Miss Joan Endoan declared the acaaonopen by taking the kick-off, and from the scruui that followed Mitchell broKo away, out his pass to Thomas was thrown forward, i onsonby were giving their opponents a bu. V tun(i defending,. and from the loose Little■wood was conspicuous with a solo run down the line, B. Davidson saving with a good tackle. City were getting the best of the scrums, and. making the most of their opportunities. the ball travelled at a great rate along the whole back line, L. -Brown just miasms the chalk line. With Ward and Shirley in the van. Ponsonby rushed play Lack to the City twenty-five. Here 1 eckham and Riley were associated in a n ic ® passing "bout that looked dangerous, but We.heraU intercepted and saved. Obstruction by Ruby nave Delgrosso a chance, but he failed witn sn excellent kick. Wetherall instead of tuching down started a passing run, the bail travelling through the hands of Davidson, Townsend. Hawkes. Mackie and Bass, the last-mentioned passed infield to L. .brown, •who streaked for the line, but hung on too long and the Ponsonby fnllback, Hiniwai. arrassed him near the coal-line. From the Srop out Ponsonby attacked and Riley executed a nice movement, beating the defence badly and sending on to Littlewood. who raced over near the side line. l)elgfos3o placing a fine goal. Ponsonby S. City 0. City were soon, back on the attack, and tried several times to get over. B. Davidson crossed the line, but the referee ruled "thrown on" and a scrum followed. This time their efforts were rewarded. Mitchell secured and passed to Bass, who sent it on to Wetherall. to Davidson, to Wardlow. who ecored near the corner. Crewther failed with the kick. Ponsonby 5 City 3. City, by consistently heeling from the jcrum, kept up the attack, but Crewther moved too slowly with the ball and many bright movements were effectually blocked. Here Cole came on in place of Riley, who retired hurt. City's bank division were •getting plenty of chances, but faulty handling threw many opportunities away. Tae fast pace was still beinc: maintained and an occasional good dash by Peckham lacked Bupnort. Soon after the bell sounded for npeil with the score in Ponsonby's favour, 6 to 3. When the teams took the field again City lad made an alteration in their back divim'on, Crewther going to the wine and I<. Brown into five-eighths. The change was at once apparent, more pace from the scrum enabled Brown to make a clever opening and shooting down the centre, transferred to. Townsend, who dashed over in a good position, L. Brown failing to increase the score. City G. Ponsonby 3. Bass and Mitchell were prominent in clever reverse passing, tho latter sending the ball on to Townsend, who gave it on to Brown.' Once again tho latter's great pace left nothing to chance and he scored near the corner flaj. No coal resulted. City 9. " Ponsonby 6. Ponsonby now took a hand with tho play and Shirley by fast following up caught B. Brown in possession and Mackie. by clever dribbling, saved the situation. The City players were now at their best. Superior pace was beginning to have its effect and another try was registered when Thomas. Townsend and Hawkea handled the ball in turn, the latter player scoring for Crewther to goal. City 14. Ponsonby 5. Ruby was responsible for two glaring breaches of the obstruction rule, and two atempts at goal failed to materialise. Peckham, Goodley and Cole raised the hopes of their supporters whw they carried play into the twentyrfives but Davidson tackled well and Mitchell cleared. From a return kick by Hiniwai, E. Brown secured just on the line, and Littlewood ever waiting an opportunity, by fast following up, caught the City fullback, in possession, and knocked the ball out of his hands, and falling on it claimed a try. Delgrosso missed with a difficult shot. City, 14; Ponsonby. 8. Back to the blue and black twenty-five Mitchell started his backs going, and Davidson, instead of carrying the ball on, stopped, turned back again, and placed a nice field goal. Cit". 16; Ponsonby. 8 The pace that had been on throughout . was now beginning to tell, and play was eoinewhat ragged. Mitchell, cutting in Jiicely. sent the ball on to Bass, to L. Brown, to Davidson, who beat Hiniwai. and finally whipped it or. to Wardlow, who Bcored far out. Davidson missed at goal. City, 19; Ponsonby, 8. Cole. Peckham, and Moore started a promising passing movement, but Wetherall, always where wanted, whipped th» oval up from the loose, and passed to Townsend, then to Davidson, to Brown, whoso pass to Wardlow was dropped, and Brown, backing up. carried in over, to score, no goal resulting. City. 22; Ponsonby, 8. Cole, showing improved form, badly boat the defence, and with six players in support, he c.arrie<l the ball to City's fnllDack. The pass to Peckham was drooped, and a certain try thrown away. Hawkes, Mackie and Davidson were next associated in a bright passing movement, tho latter player sending on to Wetherall, who ran ovenr unonposed. Hawkes goaled. The bell rang with tho score in City's favour, 27 to 8. ATHLETIC V. NEWTON. Playing on No. 2 ground Athletic had little difficulty in defeating Newton. The latter team made a good showing in the cu.iy stages of the game, but later went all to pieces and their more experienced opponents piled ui the points, eventually winning by 38 points to 18. Lang opened up the play with a clever run before sending on to Wilson-Hall, who transferred tho ball to A very, the latter Bcorinu a nice try, Dufty adding the extra points. Nowton were getting much the best of tho game, but many of Poison's movements wero spoilt by hanging on. Maneill raised some excitement as ho dashed down tho line. but Dufty proved the stumbling blocK. Soon after Dufty put in some good work, scoring, but failing to add the goal points. Good following up by Newton's forwards saw Timinins fail to take the ball, and Watson gathered it up, scoring in i good position, Mansill placing a nne goal. Athletic, 8: Newton, 5. Newton were back again with tho attack, their young players showing great dash. Gallagher scored, and again Mansill goaled, placing Nowton in the lead. Athletic thon took a hand in matters, and from a scramble near the line Dufty got over, and increased tho score with a great goal. Just before half-time Mason picked up in the loose and sent the ball to Lang, who dived over. Dufty added the goal points. arid just afterwards from a penalty further increased the score. Coming back from the spell Athletic, at once asserted t themselves, and Hadley, from the scrum, dived over, Dufty goaling." Wil-son-Hall was next to score, securing the ball from Lang, who made a clever opening, the ball passing through tho hands of seven players, Dufty again converting. Newtoil launched an attack that bore fruit. Poison sending Somniers away, who transferred to Clarke, to score, and add the goal points. Dufty's big weight was tno much to hold up. and he struggled over, to acain add the two points, iiansill made a good dash before sending on to Humby, who scored. Athletic, 30; Newton, 18. Newton were hard at it to keep their lino cloar, and just on time Wilson-Hall secured from Avery, and addfd snolher trv. The game ended: Athletic. 33; Newton. IS. DEVONPORT V, RICHMOND. Richmond, at Devonport, found tho Shoremen's forwards much too solid. Their backs, however, more than held their own. Right from the kick off Devonport forwards rushed play to Richmond's line, and from tho loose Veart picked up, and dashed over. Hand finding tha bar with a good kick, Hing, Richmond's half, was in tho thick of every movement, but the Shore's defence was sound, and easily kept the smaller men out From the scrum B. Laing dashed, through the opposition before sending on to Dixon, who registered a try. No goal rosulted. Webb, Laing, and Roagnr were prominent in a nice passing Movement, tho latter scoring. Dcvonport's forwards almost controlled the game, but the men from the western suburb defended liko trojans, and wero moro than successful in keeping them out. Rushing play to Devonport's lino, McDonald n,nd Dnvis, ■were most prominent, and finally Hing picked up cleverly, beat tho defence, to neoro Richmond's first try. In quick succession J. Laing, and Veart scored tries. Webb converting one. Half-time sounded with the sooro: Devonport, 21: Richmond. 3. Richmond opened up with the attack, and from a scrum near the line Divis dashed over, Hanlon failing with tho kick. Dovim?°m r " , bi v ' play down-field, but Richmond's fullback. Hanlon, drove tbem back with a mcely.pi need kick. From a passing Tun, in ■which Seogar, and B. Laing were pro* P'jnent, Webb scored, and a few minutes later Douglas forced his wfv over. Scctt converting (ho R«cond try. Iling was again .lLi-.'t Picking up in the loose, arid i,X.u a ff> "olo of opponents to score posts An easy shot wa« mi««ed. *nded: Devonport, 29; Rich-