LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19069, 14 July 1925, Page 6

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. ] ABSENCE OF GOOD PLAYERS. CLUB STANDARD AFFECTED. Before the departure of the New Zealand League team for Sydney a very high standard had been reached in the matches played at Carl aw Park. So good wete the games that the attendance increased almost every week and the support of the many followers of the code was considerably strengthened. But tin: absence of so many good players seems to have taken a lot of the interest out of the club matches and the standard has fallen. Many promising young players are fiiling the vacancies, but the loss of two or three of the leading players from any club should .not lower the standard of football to tho extent now being shown at Car law Park. It is to bo hoped that better organisation among the .senior teams will again raise League football to thb popularity it enjoyed during the earlier part of the season. The competition in the senior grade c.-ui still hold a great deal of interest. C itv f with but one defeat, still hold the lead. Ponsonby being their nearest rivals, two points behind. City have yet to play Richmond, Marist and Devonport. A victory to one of these teams will mean a play off between City and Ponsonby, should the latter hold their present position. Ponsonby's Latest Victory. In the presence of another large crowd at Carlaw Park on Saturday Ponsonby continued their run of victories by easily defeating Devonport. In the first spell the game was evenly contested, Devonport disputing every minute of the play. Just bofore half-time they unfortunately lost the services of Greig, their halfback. Ihis had a great effect on the North Shore team, for Greig. only recently tried behind the scrum, was playing a splendid game, and his loss disorganised Devonport's attacking movements. Ponsonby owed their win to superior team work. On many occasions they were seen in fine combined movements. Swinging into the attack, their backs supported one another in good style. Devonport had a shade the better of the forward play. Their backs, however, while playing well, resorted to individual efforts to score. For the winners. Herewini was not up to his usual good form. His fielding was excellent, but ho was hesitant and seemed to lack confidence. _ A Promising Young Player. Rilev was the best of the Ponsonby backs." He gave a very fine display, opening up well and running with plenty of confidence. He is one of the most promising young players seen at Carlaw Park. Cole, his partner, at five-eighths, also gave a finished display. Behind the scrum Peckham was much in the limelight and gave his backs plenty of the ball. Donovan, when moved to wing-three-quarter, gave a good exhibition. This position suould suit him. He kicks too much as a five-eighths. Sound defence took a lot of the sting out of Gardner and Littlewood. Ponsonby's best forward was Payne who worked hard. Showing up in the loose, he caught the eye on many occasions. A good hooker can nsuallv be found wearing the Ponsonby jersey, and in this respect McNeil ably" filled the vacancy caused by Dowry's absence in Sydney. Ward and Moore followed up well, spoiling many Devonport movements. The North Shore Players. Until he retired, Greig, behind the Devonport pack, gave a splendid display. He was tricky with the ball and made some clever openings. Jones, a junior, filled the vacancy and did very well. Cleaver was perhaps the best of the Devonport backs, shining both in attack and defence. Ilarper made his r&ipperance for Devonport. and the speedy winger showed much of his usual dash. Godick on the other wing, showed plenty of pace, but got few opportunities. It is surprising how youth sticks to some footballers. On Saturday the veteran, Haddon, was easily Devonport's best forward. He showed a lot of pace and some of the form displayed several years ago when playing for City. O'Brien and Veart were the best of the others. Newton and Richmond. A good game was witnessed between Newton and Richmond. The teams were evenly matched and at times some really good football was displayed. Playing with plenty of confidence the backs of both teams threw the ball about in rare style, the keenness of some of the young players being an object lesson to their older rivals. Newton started off well and looked like winning, but in the second spell Richmond fought hard and successfully to gain the advantage eventually winning by 12 points to 11. * For the winners, McDonald, usually a forward, played well at fullback. Jenkinson was also good, but should pass sooner. Hanging on to the ball too long lost at least two tries when Richmond wanted the points. Among the forwards Avery was a tower of strength to his side. Kettlewell and Hanlon were also prominent. For Newton, Poison, behind the scrum, gave a fine display. He showed cleverness in working the blind side, scoring a nice try on one occasion. Poison's form of late warrants inclusion in the representative team that is soon to visit the South. It often takes some players several seasons to find their position in a team. This can well be applied to Clarke, of Newton. In the last two games Clarke has filled the position of wing-threequarter and in this place played a fine game against Richmond. Hand, at centre, showed plenty of dash and played his best game this season. MunsilJ, on tjic wing, riso showed a lot of dash, but got few chances to show his pace. In the forwards, Somers showed up best for Newton. He was well supported by Rhodes and Brown. Marist and Athletic. Marist had little difficulty in heating a weak Athletic team. There were many new faces, mostly juniors, in the Athletic thirteen and the new players found their opponents far too experienced. For the losers, Angelo played a good game and was easily the best of the backs. It was really a case of Athletic's forwards playing Marist. The best of them were Mason, To Whata and Hadley. The latter played a fine game. For Marist, Kirkland was easily the best. Rich game works improvement in his play and ho is suro to do better. Lineen and Lcnihan took part in their first game for Marist and both shaped well. In the forwards, Singe was the outstanding player and was the best on the ground. Junior Competitions. The competitions among the junior grades have reached an interesting stage and the standard of play is being well maintained. A fine record is held by the Richmond Club, whose teams are leading in the second, fourth and fifth grades and are level with City in the sixth A grade. The Richmond sixth B team also holds a winning position. In the third grade City hold the lead from Point Chevalier. Dominion Team in Sydney. The result of the New Zealand League team's first game iri Sydney, against New South Wales, was received in Auckland with general satisfaction. It is evident that the Dominion team put up a great fight and were considered unlucky to lose. The forwards were responsible for a fine exhibition, and the backs showed up in some grim defence. Cabled advico to the local authorities state.* that New Zealand should have scored at least two tries, the referee's decision going against the visitors in each case. To-morrow New Zealand meet the Combined Universities in Sydney, and should the same team as that which played on Saturday take the field the Dominion thirteen can be expected to win,