LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19129, 22 September 1925, Page 6

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. THE NORTHERN UNION CUP. FORM SHOWN BY THE PLAYERS. As tho result of Auckland's win over South Auckland on Saturday the Northern Union Cup, emblematic of the pro•.xincial championship, will remain in the keeping of the local League for another sea^V 11 * Waikato players are' the only ( ones to challenge for the trophy. Auckl and won from them six weeks ago. Now t.\at the cup is held by Auckland the possibility of seeing some of the other League iV am s in action appears to be bright. .Good gates at Carlaw Park should brVng forth challenges early next season froa"* Canterbury and Otago. The game 0.0 Saturday was not a brilliant exhibition' of the code. In the first spell the vi&itors, aided by the strong wind, dominated the play and established a lead of two points before changing ends. The second spell saw the local tea;m outclass tiheir opponents and with good combination pile up points. One of the features of the game was the consistent gpal-kicking of Eaynor and Delgrosso. The former was successful in placing four goals, one being a beauty kicked from past half-way. Delgrosso, with six goals, contributed 12 points to Auckland's score. The Waikato fbrwards gave a good display, but wexe completely overshadowed by the ifyicklana men. Of the individual Auckland • players Gregory at fullback gave his usual polished display, getting out of many difficult positions. List on the wing started, badly, but in tho second spell gave a good exhibition. Kirkland was weak in his and an improvement in this ciepartment will better his football. Davsdson gave an excellent display at centra and made some fine openings for List' to score. Of the five-eighths Riley wss the better, Cole, his partner, throwing too many wild 'passes that would have been dangerous against stronger opposition. Delgrosso's Consistency.

Delgrosso is a natural footballer and made good behind Auckland's pack. He should, however, have made more use of his backs when openings appeared- Delgrosso is the most improved plajyer in the League code and his consistent goalkicking is a useful acquisition to any team.

Auckland's forwards gave a good allround display and Singe was perhaps the best of a hard-working lot. Te Whata and Mason played their first games this season in Auckland's representative team and both justified their inclusion. Mason is a fine player with prospects of showing considerable improvement. Among the Waikato players. Hemingway and Jackways were tho best of the backs. The latter, in five-eighths position, made some good openings. S. Raynor, the visitors' fullback, was a tower of strength to his side and . kicked four fine goals. TTie challengers' forwards put up a good fight but the odds were too great. Stevenson was the pick of the visitors and he was ably supported by Hutt, who showed up in the loose. Queensland v. Combined Team. The Auckland players who took part in the match against Queensland in Wellington on Saturday returned home yesterday and aro loud in their praises of the fine game put up against the visitors. Throughout the first spell and well into the second, the Combined team had all the best of the game and when Queensland had just assumed; the lead the home team were unfortunate in losing the services of S. Crewther, who was playing a fine game at fullback. The game was a brilliant exhibition of the League code and the spectators wene wpll pleased. Tho home forwards gave a particularly good exhibition and their handling of the ball was excellent. Townsend was prominent by gaining for his backs a good share of the ball and repeatedly beating the Queensland hooker. Carroll was the best of the Dominion forwards and very ably supported his backs. McDonald was responsible for a fine game, his fast following up delighting the spectators. Among the baeks, Robins, of Canterbury, gave a great display and is one of tho "finds" in tho League game. He was well supported by Jackson, of South Auckland who made many fine openings, and on his form can be considered a possible candidate for selection should another game be played against Queensland. The Team ior England. Before his departure for Australia, Mr. E. H. Mairs, at last week's meeting of the New Zealand Rugby League, gave some interesting advice on the selection of tho team to tour England next season, Mr. Mairs stressed the point that the tour, under trying conditions and against great club teams, would be " no picnic," and the type of player to be chosen was more .important than his playing ability. A careful survey of the men off the field was necessary and he sincerely hoped the New Zealand Council would also seriously consider next season tho appointment of men with wide experience and ability to select the 26 players to go to England. In the off-season Mr. Mairs said he hoped that the present representative players would continue to train as seriously as they had done for the, matches against Queensland, as most of them would, no doubt, find places in the largest and most important tour undertaken by the New Zealand League. The Stormont Memorial Shield games will be opened next Saturday, when Ponsonby play Marist. This handsome trophy was handed to the Marist Club to defend and the greens can be expected to put up a great fight to keep in their possession the shield which cherishes the memory of their late captain, William Stormont. City, winners of this years championship, will meet the of the Ponsonby-Marist game on October 0. QUEENSLAND TEAM'S CLAIM. [by telegraph.-press association.] CHRISTCHURCH. Monday. The manager of the Queensland League team this morning denied the claim that the AU Blacks are the finest Rugby team in the world, and issued a challenge to plav them in Auckland on October 10, with 13 men aside, one spell under the League rules, and one under the. Union rules, tho proceeds to go to charity.