HOCKEY SEASON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22412, 7 May 1936, Page 5

HOCKEY SEASON

BRIGHT PROSPECTS RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRIES INCREASE IN SENIOR TEAMS Prospects for the hockey season, which will bo officially opened on Saturday, are exceedingly bright. There has been a record entry of 55 teams, an increase of 16 on those playing in the competitions last year. Eight sides will contest the championship in the senior grade, while there will be 11 teams in the second grade. Two now senior combinations, Training College and Y.M.C.A., will create additional interest in the competition. The Wesley senior team has dropped out. A welcome innovation this year will be the regular use of the grounds at Papatoetoe. The Auckland Hockey Association has taken a lease of the seven fields for the season, and although final arrangements have yet to be made, it is expected they will all be played upon each week. Transport to papatoetoe is to be provided by the association. There has been a number of changes in the personnel of the various clubs and competition should be exceptionally keen. A team from Waitemata, which was considered for inclusion in the senior grade, will give a great stimulus to the second grade competition, and with 11 teams engaged it has been decided to divide this grade into two sections. One day during the year will be set aside as "travelling day," when the various representative teams will play against sides from some of the sub-associations. On this day the Auckland representatives will meet Poverty Bay at Gisborne. PERSONNEL OF TEAMS INCLUSION OF JUNIORS Grammar Old Boys and St. Luke's, winners of last year's championship, will field much the same teams. T. Clark, an ex-Auckland and New Zealand representative, will be missed from the St. Luke's half-line, but he is to be replaced by Rice, a promising young player from the junior representatives. Apart from Clark's retirement •the St. Luke's team remains much the same. M. Robinson, who played for both University and Papatoetoe last year, lias transferred to Grammar Old Boys, while in the forwards I. Ross will move in to Torbet's place and Armstrong will be on the wing. The Watts brothers will undoubtedly be missed from Somerville. Both Eric and Clive Watts have retired, while Glanville will not be playing this season. Cochran, from the second grade, will replace E. Watts at centre-for-ward and Picup, formerly a Christchurch representative, will take C. Watts' place. Morgan, from Taranaki, will fill a vacancy in the halves. University has been slightly re-organ-ised. Henderson will play in goal instead of Forest-Brown, while Miller, formerly of Wesley, will play in the half-line. The forwards have also been altered. Papatoetoe will undoubtedly form a much stronger side. Airey, formerly of Wesley, will be in goal. The backs will be much the same, but the forwards will benefit by the addition of Maddren, of Whangaroi, and F. Chapman, the Auckland representative who last year played for Wesley. Y.M.C.A. should form a solid combination. 1" ormer Wesley players of several seasons experience form the nucleus of the team. Ireland will be in goa., while Burton and Surman will make a solid line of defence. The halves have not vet been finalised. Kitf and rveate, both from Wesley, will lead the van. Beere, also of Wesley, will be the centre-forward, and Brown, one of last year's junior representatives, will be on the left wing. The remaining position will probably be filled by buckling, who has represented Manawatu \fter a little practice the team should develop into a well-balanced combination.