LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19409, 18 August 1926, Page 16

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

ABILITY OF CITY TO WIN.

CLUB'S WONDERFUL RECORD.

COMMENTS ON THE PLAYERS

City has completed' a wonderful record in winning the Auckland Rugby League's club championship. A feature of a large majority, of the club's successes has been the team's ability .to win games when defeat seemed inevitable. ;

Against: Marist - on Saturday, it looked almost certain that, with 11 points against it, City would lose its place at the head of the championship table. Marist showed a decided superiority in the first spell, and effectively checked any attempt City made to open up the attack.

The play in the second spell, however, underwent a great change, and from fullback to centre forward the City team gave a faultless display. Never once did the team miss an opportunity to open up the attack and each movement was Avell carried out. The spectators highly appreciated City's stirring struggle for supremacy, and it was generally admitted that the team well deserved victory. New Marist Players. Marist tried several new players to fill the vacancies caused by the departure of four of its members with the New Zealand team. The newcomers acquitted themselves well, and with a few more games Marist will still be a hard team to defeat.

Wado again proved himself to be a prolific scoring wing, and he gained three tries for. City, all within a few minutes of each other. Wade has recently shown improved form and his second try on Saturday was a brilliant effort. Bass, who has always played, in the back row of City's scrum, has taken Davidson's place at centre-threequarter, and he filled his new position very ably. Wetherall was the most brilliant player on the ground. The City captain scored two spectacular tries and his second effort was one of the finest pieces of play seen at Carlaw Park this season. Lewis, who partnered Wetherall at five-eighths, did not. begin too well, and his handling was very uncertain, but in the second spell he, with the other members of the team, showed a vast improvement. ■ Tactics of City Forwards.

City's forwards met a strong match in Marist, but their ability to play the open game was soon apparent, and after a useless battle for sujn-emacy in the tight play, City's forwards adopted a different style. They joined with the backs and outplayed Marist in the loose.

Mitchell was the best forward on the ground, and he gave a fine all-round dis play. Mitohell lacks the size that often gains players a position in a representa tive side, but the local selectors need have no fear of his ability to play fine football with forwards much heavier.

For Marist, Murray, at fullback, gave a good display, and his fielding was excellent. He should run more with the ball. Gallagher, who played prominently several seasons ago for Marist, -turned out again to assist his club, and he showed glimpses of good form. The Marist Club is fortunate in securing the services of Pickering, who is a convert to the League code. On Saturday the newcomer showed a sound knowledge of the game, and he ran very straight. Pickering is a very good goal-kicker, and one of his' goals was a beautiful effort., : A few seasons ago Pickering played as a junior for City. Marist can still boast a good solid pack, and each player has a sound knowledge of scrum formation, a factor which makes Marist a formidable team. Taylor Scores 18 Points. Eighteen points were gained by H. Taylor, who made his initial appearance for Richmond against Newton. Taylor comes from the Waikato, and gives promise of developing into a fine attacking player. The trial games and the subsequent representative games in which Prentice has taken part have worked wonders in the football of the Richmond player. On Saturday many of his openings led directly to tries. Early in the season, DeVon, the Richmond wing, gave promise of developing into a splendid scoring back, but lie failed to fulfil expectations. On Saturday, however, ,he was always in the limelight, and his determined running and strong fending made him a hard man to stop. Devonport was again responsible for an attractive exposition of the code, and easily accounted for Grafton. Devonport has now shaped its side into a splendid combination, which should be in great form when the Roope Rooster knock-out competition comes round. Hemingway, who was a prominent player in. the Waikato, is a decided acquisition to Devonport, and he made some dazzling runs against Grafton. Stewart, at five-eighths, showed improved form, arid his play in the open was reminiscent of the days when he was a leading figure in. the Marist team. O'Brien and A. Scott were again Devonport's best'forwards. Grafton's thirteen comprised' a good sprinkling of juniors, but the opposition was too strong to give the. boys an opportunity to shovy their Worth. Heard, behind the scrum, was the best of Grafton's backs and he made some good openings. Draffin and Lucas -are a pair of promising young players whose recent form has been encouraging.

Good Form in B Section. The competition in the B section is being closely contested, and the standard of play has been excellent. Easily the best game of Saturday's series Was at Victoria Park, where Northcote, playing fine football, defeated Mangere. The passing and fast running of both sets of backs were greatly admired, and on the form shown' either team has a good chance of defeating Ellerslie, the leaders in the grade. Northcote has shown the most consistent form, and its meeting with Ellerslie on Saturday should provide a stirring struggle. Considerable interest is being shown in the meeting at Christchurch on Saturday of the West Coast schoolboys' representative team and a team of boys from Canterbury. League football is played extensively on the West Coast; and this is the first occasion in the history of the code upon which a schoolboys' team has travelled. Dr. H. T. j. Thacket has for some time interested himself in the boys in Christchurch, and ho has generously promised to donate a pair of stockings, a jersey and a gold medal to each member of the Canterbury team should it win by 15 points or over.

NEW LEAGUE RULES.

INTRODUCTION IN AUCKLAND

In all probability the Auckland Rugby League \vjll on Saturday introduce the proposed alterations to the rules of the \ game. The play-the-ball rule, which has been-a decided success in Sydney, pro-"*: vides for a'much more open game as far as the forwards'are 'concerned, and it abolishes the useless fighting for possession of the ball after the player has been tackled. The ■amendment to the rule !s as follows:—"Only one player from each side shall be permitted to plav the ball, and one player from each side shall be allowed to stand immediately behind the two .players playing the ball. All other players must stand behind them, and in no way, interfere with the trend of the plav." . - The other amendment provides for a kick out from the goal line when the defending side has caused a force down to be ruled.