LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19457, 13 October 1926, Page 18

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALANDERS AT HOME. TEAM MEETS THIRD DEFEAT. TROUBLE IN THE FRONT ROW. The New Zealand League touring team ha 3 now tasted defeat for tho third time in eight games. This timo Warrington, one of England's strongest club team, defeated the New Zealanders by 17 points to 5. Tho cablegrams still comment on tho failure of tho New Zealand forwards to control the ball in tho scrums, and at this stago of tho tour somo improvement should have been effected. It appeafs certain the team has a difficult task ahead of it. It is to bo hoped the seloctors have fully grasped tho position, as it is apparent from the games played that tho right typo of forward is not being played in tho front row of the scrum. Better placing of those forwards available is essential before success can be assured. Taking a lino through the foftm shown, the Now Zealanders should have beaten Warrington, which team was defeated by Dewsbury by 28 to 15 earlier in tho season. New Zealand beat Dewsbury in the opening game by 19 to 16. Tho team is now beginning to feel tho effects of the tour, and already Dufty and Davidson, two of the best backs, aro on tho casualty list. To-day the New Zealanders will meet Featherstone. English Hooking Methods. Prior to the opening of the present toui 1 tho New Zealand team had an opportunity of seeing two English club games, ono between Halifax and Swinton, and tho second between St. Helens Recs and Leeds. On each occasion Harold Wagstaffe, tho famous English captain, escorted the team and explained tho different rulings to them. Writing homo after witnessing .both games, B. Davidson was loud in his condemnation of the methods employed by the opposing hookers. He said tho swinging in the scrum was very glaring and Wagstaffe, when questioned, said it was a breach of tho rules and would not bo tolerated elsewhere. It is evident that "when in Rome, do as tho Romans do" applies to hooking. Davidson, in conclusion, said the style was exactly the same as adopted by Townsond, concerning whom ho expressed tho opinion that tho Auckland man would more than hold his own under these conditions. Northern Union Cup Game. Saturday's gamo for tho Northern Union Challenge Cup between Auckland and South Auckland was not productive of good football, but the Auckland men were always dangerous whenever tho backs attacked. For Auckland, Hanlon at fullback did everything that was expected, and his inclusion for the first timo in the Auckland representative team was justified. List was perhaps the best of the threequarters, and his straight running made his play very impressive. The fiveeighths, Prentice and Seagar, were in great form and played well togother. Davis behind tho scrum was excellent. Wade on the wing showed more pace than usual. Cleaver, who was selected as halfback, was moved to the wing and justified tho alteration. Tho Auckland pack met a solid opposition. The visitors were superior in the tight, but Auckland's speedy forwards had an advantage when tho; gamo was opened up. Payne and Scott were most prominent, while O'Brien and Hutt worked hard. McDonald, of Rotorua, was tho outstanding forward on the ground and played a sterling game. Mason and Stevenson wero also prominent. The visitors' backs wero overshadowed by tho local men. Smith at centre was easily tho best. Raynor at fullback played soundly and kicked with good judgmont. Players Who Developed in Waikato.. Afc the complimentary dinner in honour of the South Auckland team Mr. T. Hill, manager of tho South Auckland team, mado some interesting remarks concerning the influx of country players to Auckland. He said South Auckland would bo tho strongest League in New Zealand if transfers wore refused. He did not contend that these players should not come to Auckland to gain experience in big football, but merely referred to tho fact that many of Auckland's best players had learned their football in South Auckland. A suggestion was mado by ono of the visitors that the Auckland League should next season stago a game between the local representatives and a combined team, comprising all present and past Waikato players. A match such as this would no doubt prove a great draw to Auckland. Players from the Waikato now playing in Auckland include some of Auckland's best-known seniors, namely, Payne, Hutt, Peckham, Littlewood, Hemingway, Stewart, E. Brown and Mason, all of whom havo represented South Auckland since 1923, when the Northern Union Cup was located in the Waikato. Negligent Players. The worry attaching to tho office of a selector is not generally known to all who watch football each Saturday. For example, in choosing the Auckland team to moot South Auckland the selector had no easy task. Interest at the end of tho season is in some cases lost by tho players, and it is no secret to state that Auckland had difficulty in fielding its best team against South Auckland. Until Friday at least three players had failed to notify the selector whether they were available. To say the least, sucli conduct is most discourteous. .Other players are only too willing to gain a chance to represent Auckland, and three concerned in last Saturday's match will have themselves to blame if their names aro missing when a representative team is again chosen. Desirous of ascertaining tho status of Rugby League footballers in Australia, the Council of tho Now Zealand Amateur Rowing Association sought information on the point from tho New South Wales Rowing Association, and received tho following reply:—"Although the Rugby Union authorities here class League players as professionals, my association takes tho same view as yours, that is, so long as a League player plays tho game for the game's sake, and the amateur definition is in no way violated, he is eligible as an amatour oarsman." The amateur rowing champion, W. Stevenson, was playing League football for Richmond, and it is understood ho dropped out of the game, boing under the impression that his amateur status was in jeopardy. Tho New South Wales Rugby League has this season regained much of its lost prestige, both on the playing field, and with the public. The gates have been Consistently good throughout, as is shown by tho increase of nearly £BOOO in the receipts from club matches. Thero is littlo doubt the new rules have mado a big difference to tho game, and the amateur control by clubs has helped to restore public confifJcmce.