LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19953, 23 May 1928, Page 16

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

A RELIABLE PLACE KICK. BRISBANE RETURNS TO FORM. VACANCY IN ENGLISH TEAM. Taylor has proved a most reliable place kick so far this season and has already registered eight goals. His goal from just inside halfway on Saturday was a beauty. It came as a great surprise to many followers of the game when Devonport walked on the field on Saturday without Simons, who was replaced by Wells at fullback. The Devonport selector certainly took a risk, in spito of the fact that Wells kicked three goals. The bounce of the ball did not favour Richmond in the match against Devonport last Saturday, the winners having moro than a fair share of the luck of the game. Marist established a comfortable lead of six points in the first half of the match against Ponsonby on Saturday, but ten minutes before the end of the game Ponsonby had reduced the margin, and good work by Delgrosso actually placed it one point in the lead. As the game progressed, Marist displayed better form, and the backs, rising to tlio occasion, beat back the attack,, and Hassan scored a spectacular try, racing hard from a bad position to place the ball under the goal posts. The try was scored just three minutes before the bell sounded. Gallagher Not Coming. Brisbane did some excellent work on attack in the match last Saturday, and he is last gaining his best form. Brisbane's work would have been more effective had the wings, Sweeney and Drew, accepted the centre's transfers. Cronin was a little slow in sending out his passes, with the result that the five-eighths had little time to get moving. The Marist forwards are a well-balanced set. The inability of Frank Gallagher to accept the invitation to tour Australia and New Zealand created a forward vacancy which the tour selection committee have filled by inviting Joseph Thompson, of Leeds, says the Herald's London correspondent. The deliberations of the committee extended only for a few minutes and it was apparent that Thompson had only narrowly missed the first selection. The omission of the Leeds forward in the first instance was generally regarded as a mistake, says an English writer, for few players in the League possess more virility than the former Welsh Rugby Union international. It will be Thompson's second trip, and the abstention of Gallagher gives Jonathan Parkin the unique distinction of being the only English player to visit Australia three times. The Loose Forward. Gallagher, of course, was selected as a loose forward, and Thompson is mainly a second-row scrummager, who is also useful in the front row. Now the only recognised loose forward in the touring side is Harold Young, of Bradford Northern, but Halfpenny and Sloman will prove capable understudies if the occasion demands. Many may" think that Gallagher's abstention will weaken the team, but Thompson is a most reliable player and has goal-kicking abilities, a big asset to his side. Of the several items considered by the Rugby League Council and instructions given to the tour managers as to their conferences with the Australian and New .Zealand Leagues, that concerning the protection of touring players is the most important. "I presume," says an English writer, "that the council agreed that some restriction is necessary to prevent the taking of touring players at the conclusion of a tour by one authority or another. An agreement may be arrived at which will stipulate that a touring player must return home and play a full season's football at home before he can go to England, Australia. or New Zealand, as the case may be. The agreement will only apply to touring players. "In regard to the variations in laws of the game, the Australian Board of Control desires to point out at first hand (lie advantages of the drop-out from (ho :ry line after a touch-down, and the touring managers will state the points advanced against the rule bv the clubs here." Bass to Play Again. It is practically certain that F. Bass, the enterprising Richmond forward who showed such excellent form last season, will turn out for Richmond next Saturday. He is again in training. Bass gave promise of turning out one of the finest forwards seen for some years and his decision <o give the game best was regretted by keen followers of (he code. The good form shown by Delgrosso in his first game on Saturday was a pleasing feature of Ponsonby's play, and the exNew Zealand and Auckland back should greatly improve the football of the western suburb club. He is also a useful place kick. One of his goals against Marist was a great effort. There was a clear case of misunderstanding on the part of several players in the Richmond-Devonport match on Saturday, when Seagar charged down a kick from Hanlon and the ball rebounded toward the dead-ball lino. Seagar followed the ball on and touched down, but a try was disallowed. An inspection of the ground after the game showed that a yard or so of long grass was between the dead-ball line and the point where Seagar touched the ball. The referee actually measured the distance as A. Scott, the' Devonport captain, appealed against the decision. It was a case where a mistake could be easily made. Therefore, in future, this matter should be attended to. Thompson, who was recentlv transferred from Northcote, gave a good display for on son by against Marist and, with more ft serience. should develop into a good fullback. Facan and Hutt were in every raid an'? showed rare speed and antieinabouts The pair were also 500,1 in r assin «