LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19758, 4 October 1927, Page 14

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

STORMONT SHIELD MATCH.

A DISAPPOINTING EXHIBITION.

THE GAME AGAINST BULLER.

The Stormont Memorial Shield match, the last* club game of the season, was played between Newton and Richmond at Carlaw Park on Saturday. A disappointing exhibition resulted. With fine weather overhead and a dry ground, good football was expected, but neither side Beemed keen to introduce any life into its team work, and the play, particularly in the second spell, was very lifeless. The individual form, toa, was below the usual good standard, but this may be accounted for by the playing of matches this' season on wet and muddy grounds. The trophy is dedicated to the memory of the late William Stormont, whose death at an early age deprived Leagu- ' football of one of its most brilliant forwards. Competition for the shield has become very popular. It is contested for annually between the winners of the club championship and the successful team in the Roope Rooster competition. One of the conditions provides that clubs participating shall receive a portion of the gate money. Newton's Comfortable Win. Newton won by a fairly large margin, but the difference was not in actual play. Several of Newton's tries resulted through mistakes by tie opposition, and the winner's speed in the loose carried these weaknesses into points. The game was marked by an extraordinary number of stoppages and this did not tend tc please the spectators. The tackling throughout was deadly. Richmond's form was very disappointing. It.failed to show any concerted play. There were individual flashes of good play, but each effort lacked support. Under ordinary circumstances, tries would have been scored from the good runs by Bass and Hanlon, both of whom had the defence beaten and were tackled inches from the line with no Richmond players on hand to accept a pass. For the winners, Herewi.ni, at fullback, played well. His fielding was clean, and he showed good judgment in running up to the three-quarters. Little was in good z form. His experience with the touring team should greatly benefit his play. The Newton wing has 4 lot of pace, and he introduced a fine side-step to score a try. Hardgrave got few chances on the other •wing, but his play was reliable throughcut. Dufty's Fine Display. Dufty stood out as the best back os the ground, especially on defence. Since play- « ing at centre, Dufty's general work on attack has speeded up, and he now runs the wing-threequarters - into scoring position more quickly than previously. McLeod was the best of the five-eighths. He made several good openings in which he showed a fine turn of speed. Morman was better on defence than on attack. Mclntyre played an attractive game behind the scrum, and he seldom failed Fo open np the play with snappy passing. The Newtoa forwards had too much pace in the open, and their speed bustled the Richmond backs, who made several =•?-: • # bad mistakes. Clarke played a brilliant game, taking part in every passing movement, and showing surprising pace and fine handling. The Newton man is one of the most improved forwards in the. code. Rhodes played a splendid game and he had to take a large share of the heavy knocks. Hall was prominent in the open, while Henry' was a great worker in the scrums. Stack gave his best display this season, and was always leading the forwards in the loose. Stack has been one of Newton's most consistent forwards. Although not so prominent as others, he could always be noticed doing solid scram work. He was unfortunate to sustain a broken leg in the last club match. Somers played a good game, and as usual proved a reliable hooker. A Promising Player. Hanlon, at fullback, was Richmond's outstanding player. He saved his side brilliantly at times. When moved into -five-eighths, Hanlon gave a polished display and showed surprising individualism. If given more opportunities in the .fiveeighths position. Hanlon may prove a "find." Turton was the best of the threequarters and next season should develop into a good scoring back. Swift was not so prominent as in previous games. Taylor, too, was below form, his defence being very weak. The five-eighths,» ,Turley and Jenkinson, did not combine well, and their passing was erratic. Turley, however, is a young player frho is likely to make good. Behind the scrum, Davis worked the Wind side to advantage, and his defence was excellent. Richmond sadlv missed Prentice, their clever five-eighths, who was absent owing to illness. The Richmond forwards were opposed to a formidable set, but they performed creditably. Stewart stood out in the open, and he was not far behind Clarke in being the best forward on the ground. Redwood, until he was forced to retire, gave promise of making matters interesting with Somers for possession of the ball. In the first two serums Redwood gained the ball clecnly. Bass showed a lot of pace, but he did not play with his usual dash, Dixon, Lennie and Telford worked hard throughout. Encouraging Young Players. Next Saturday the Auckland team will he opposed by the representatives of BulJer, where the game has made good progress. During the year Buller has been successful against the West Coast, and earlier in the season it easily defeated a strong Canterbury team. On Saturday last, however, Canterbury turned the tables and won comfortably against Buller. The standard of play in Auckland is, according to the members of the recent touring team, higher than in the Sonth, but the prospects of Buller putting up a fight against the best local team are promising. It would, however, be iust as an attrae- ■*' tive game if a team of colts was selected from both sections of the senior grade to >' play against Buller. There is plenty of good material among the younger members of club teams who, if given a chance in an Auckland team, may prove future representatives. The end of this season is a most opportune time to encourage young players, especially as next year's representative programme will be a heavy one. The following is a list of vonng players •who have been showing excellent form, and a team selected from their number i would fare well against even an Auckland teamßacks, Hanlon, Beattie, Senger Thojppsoe (Northcote) ; Usher Carter fKingsland) : Williams (Ellerslie) ; Knolt, McLeod, Shand (EUerslie); forwards Herring (Klngsland); Fagan, Ward' pa * coe >