THE LEAGUE CODE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22405, 29 April 1936, Page 20

THE LEAGUE CODE

MANY NEW PLAYERS VISIT OF ENGLISH TEAM HIGHER STANDARD EXPECTED Prospects for a successful Rugby League season nre particularly bright and the opening series of matches next Saturday will see many new players among the ranks of the various teams. The visit of the English team in July is being eagerly awaited and, as in the past, should give the code a decided impetus. The English team will open its tour with a match at Auckland on July 25. It is likely that four matches will bo played by the visitors in Auckland, three of them tests. Although the standard of club football was high last season it is expected to reach a higher plane this year. Clubs have taken advantage of the lessons given by the last Australian side and with the influx of some outstanding new talent many keen and exciting matches can be anticipated by patrons of Carlaw Park. The loss of A. E. Cooke will be a severe one for Richmond, last year's champion team, which, however, will field a strong thirteen. W. Tittleton, the former South Auckland and New Zealand representative, is oue of the most promising backs in the code and, at five-eighths, he should improve the attack. G. Tittleton, his brother, has had a long experience and should do well at fullback. Powell, halfback, and Fletcher will be the inside backs, while E. jMinchain, a good attacking back, is the centre-tlireequarter. With Bickerton and Couper on the wings Richmond has a rear division capable of playing atractive football. The forwards include C. Satherley, J. Satherley, Telford, Tetley and Broadhead. Hadley, a forward from Australia, showed good form in the recent trial game and is a possibility. Richmond has three accurate placekicks in C. Satherley, G. Tittleton and Fletcher. MOUNT ALBERT STRONG FORWARDS IMPROVED No club in the competition will be litter than Mount Albert, which should field a well-balanced team. The forwards will be particularly strong and an improvement on last season's pack. Mount Albert gained senior status only last season, when most of the scrum was comprised of Rugby Union forwards. Of these players Snadbolt, Gunning and Constable are again available. D. Herring showed excellent allround form last season, and is a fine player in the loose. Petersen is a ne\y player to the code and comes from liawke's Bay. He made a good impression in the opening game against Richmond. Flanagan is to be the hooker. The backs appear a strong combination on paper, but will find a lot of opposition in this department. L. Schultz, who recently returned from England, is a vastly improved player. He will captain the team, playing second five-eighths. Halsey, a fast wingthreequarter, made an impression in the benefit match and may prove a good "find." Morrissey, the fullback, und B. Schultz, to be ti*ied as a fiveeighths, could be improved upon, although the former is a line place kick. Watkins,, a junior halfback, is said to be a lieady player. Ponsonby, which will be coached by A. E. Cooke, is to field a young team, including several new players. A notable forward is E. Morgan, who played Rugby Union with Grammar Old Boys, and at the latter end of last season won a place in the Auckland team. Morgan should do well, being fast and a splendid handler. Davis played last season for Grafton, and lor'an Auckland B team. Dreaver and Blood are two promising young forwards. Leatherbarrow and Stockley are also available. The backs will be strengthened by the inclusion of F. Paton, who was prominent in Rugby Union last season. Paton, besides being a sound fullback, is a fine place kick. Much is expected of Kay and B. Riley, the New Zealand five-eighths. Both are dangerous backs on attack and should prove a good combination this season. DEVONPORT'S PROSPECTS YOUNG PLAYERS AVAILABLE Followers of the code at Deyonport are sanguine of the team's ability to play a prominent part in this year's competition. Some good practice games have been held and there are many young players to choose from. Rhodes, Cowan, Hall and L. Scott, of last year's backs, are again available. The rear division is to be strengthened by the inclusion of Gordon, a junior fiveeighths from Rugby, who is said to be a clever player on attack. Kennedy, Greenwood and Parkinson are new players to the code with prospects of doing well in the senior team. An addition to the forwards is R. Hallows, a well-known Rugby player. Donald, Simpson, Hunt, Milicich, Sowter and E. Scott are among other forwards available. City will be led again this season by L. Brown, who is in splendid form. Recruits to the backs include Towhai and Rata, five-eighths, and Allen, a threequarter. Tawhai may prove one of the best five-eighths in Auckland, for he has already made a good impression at Carlaw Park. Allen, who represented Waikato at Rugby, has a lot of pace and is a prominent sprinter. The club will miss Cooney and H. Wayne, who is going abroad. Wiberg and Thompson are available, while the club has secured the services of Porteous, who was Newton's halfback two seasons ago. City will have plenty of weight in the scrum, which includes Clark, Herring, Dye, Watene, McLaughlin, McGee and Bowman. Newton is a team likely to cause some surprises this season. It has plenty of players to choose from, as over 30 prospective seniors recently attended a practice game. Much is expected this season of Dempsey, a fine fullback on his day. The backs include Brady, Schleslinger and Sissons, threequarters. The last-named is a promising junior. E. Brimble and B. Brimble should give the threequarters plenty of opportunities. Merrick is another threequarter who impressed in the first trial game. L. Hutt, formerly of Ponsonby, will lead the forwards. Nathan, Clemm and Watson are also available.

Marist will be one of the strongest teams in the competition. The appearance of Aro and Haslain, formerly of the Technical Old Boys' Rugby Club, is sure to create plenty of interest. Aro is said to be a capable halfback and likely to go far in the code. N. Campbell, the representative fullback, will again take the field. There is plenty of speed in the threequarters, who include Loader, Bakalich and Furlonger, and Glover is a sound five-eighths. The forwards will include Carter, Woods, Keane, O'Kane and Breed, $ former Otahuhu senior forward.