HOCKEY NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21167, 27 April 1932, Page 17

HOCKEY NOTES.

SEASON OPENS ON SATURDAY. PERSONNEL OF THE TEAMS. GOOD year indicated. 'A fa" programme of matches this Saturday will open a hockey season which, according to all indications, will be one 0 f the most successful for some years. {The standard of all grades rose very appreciably last year, an indication of this being g' ven t,ie of the ftew Zealand Challenge Shield. The holding of this trophy will undoubtedly stimulate public interest in the game, as ft is to be expected that challenge matches will le arranged this year with c ther associations. The high standard in the lower grades last year was one,of the most pleasing features and there is every indication of maintaining that level this season. A new club. Grammar Old Boys, has been formed and will enter two junior grade teams. ■ As far as the senior grade is concerned g verv keen contest seems •assured. Somerville promises to have a formidable combination./ The team is unfortunate in losing the services of Cole, who j s at present in hospital, and although he is making good progress he is not likely to bo able to play this season. Gardner is also doubtful, as his work may prevent liim from turning out on Saturdays. To make up for these losses, Wellbourne and Hedges, two of Mount Eden's most promising players last season, are joining up with Somerville this year, and the team will probably take the field as follows:—Goalie, not finalised; Gardner, Smith; Gurr, Willmott, Hedges; Glanville, Seccombe, E. Watts, C. Watts and jWellbourne. , On last year's form the team is therefore seen to be very well balanced. Supporters of hockey generally, as well as »f Somerville, in particular, will be pleased to see that both Watts brothers are taking the field again from the start of the season. North Shore Changes.

North Shore again will be most certainly iii the running for the championships. Certain losses have been sustained, but the club has enlisted the services of players who may be expected to fill the vacancies very satisfactorily. A. Frater will not be out this year and his brother, I?. Frater, docs not desire to play more often than is necessary. D. Reid. who was injured at cricket, may not be able to turn out. at least until later in the season, and T. Penman has given up the game. There was some doubt at one stage concerning Haggett's ability to play for the club, but it is row almost certain that he will once more take the field.

A valuable acquisition made by the club will be L. Sweeney, a former Waikato and Wellington representative, who vill play left-half. H. Jones, who made perhaps the most advance of any Mount Eden player last year, is affiliating with North Shore, and lie will probably play inside left. Wilson, centre-half, may not find it possible to play regularly each Saturday, and the club is therefore dangerously short of men in the event of sickness or other circumstances. It is understood to have several younger players In consideration. Strong Young Team. .St. Luke's can confidently be expected be one of the three teams which will ficht neck and /neck for the championships. -Although thp average age of the team last year was only 21, it was easily in the running ,for both competitions, and its general standard improved greatly during the season. This year X. Burnett is back again in the. forwards and another old member to return will be E. McLeod, a foundation member of the club. During his absence from .Auckland he has gained great experience, having represented Wellington and New Zealand. He may play centre-half for the team. The rest of the combination will he again available, except Stuart, who will bp unable to plav this year, and T?rodie, who lias removed to San Francisco. Mount Eden has lost a number of members to cither clubs, but, having played three junior teams last year, it has plenty of young talent to fall back on. At Saturday's practice a number of very promising' young players were observed and the selector, Mr, E. Rankin, is confident of forming a strong team. With lite exception of Hedges. H. Jones, Wellbourne and possibly Yaile last year's team will •gain be available. M. Jones may not he-able to play until later in the season, lour teams wiil lie fielded by the club. New Club Captain.

University, of course, has to change Its personnel considerably from year to year and to draw on ex-pupils of the various secondary schools. This year Taylor and Bestir will be absent from the forward line, as tliny have left town. but. D. a New Zealand representative, coming to Auckland from Canterbury Collegp, will be playing as light half and he should make the defence, always a strong feature of the Universiiv team, one of tlie mo.t solid in the competition. Neither Crawley nor Green will be playing for tho club as goalies this year and the first line of defence has yet to be filled. An old supporter of the club, IX iSteen, has returned to Auckland from 'Wellington and he has agreed to lie club captain. He can be expected to infuse plenty of vigour into the club. Wesley, which was in a wav unlucky last year in not making a better showing. was dubious about entering a senior "team this year. Last season the team had numerous draws, or close defeats, find it was only lack fit" penetrating power that cost them six or seven close games. After tlie practice on Saturday the club decided to plav, a senior team, for which it is to he congratulated, as a time-taking J\ y e is thus eliminated. Moreover, n> have played its firyt team in the second grade might, have spoiled competition there.

■A. B„ Burton and Alders are two notfiljie omissions from the te;iin, the former having retired from the game and the latter having taken the (ask of guidinc "e Grammar Old Boys' destinies. Kilf take tlie field again for the club, which intends also to promote several promising junior i.;rade playeis. If tlie team can only muslcr circle tactics, it should do reasonably well. The new club, Grammar School Old ®°ys, which expecls to held second and third grade teams, will undoubtedly have the finest reservoir of young talrnt to draw from, and l>v next year it should 6 a ble to field a senior team. greenkeeping for golf. USE OF HEAVY ROLLER. The occupation of greenkeeper to a B°lf club has become more important * ln ce the advent of the Greenkeeping Refarch Board /willi its experimental sta--10" at Binglcy, in Yorkshire. Many c übs are reaping the benefits of discoveries made by the scientific treatment ot ,turf. soil and grasses. j ■ M'lson, the llendon greenkeeper, lias Established a number of experimental plots and conducts interesting tests hereon. One of his theories is that the e &vv roller is used too frequently at most golf c lul )S . 1