ASSOCIATION GAME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22543, 7 October 1936, Page 20

ASSOCIATION GAME

PROLONGED SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION UNSATISFACTORY POSITION Although the summer season is at hand, the Auckland Football Association, through its usual policy of arranging an excessive fixture list for the season, has yet to complete its two major club competitions. Several games still remain to be played in the championship, while the Falcon Cup knockout competition has been barely started. Apart from the fact that the grounds are now too hard for football, clubs should find difficulty in fielding their best sides during the next few weeks owing to the attraction of summer sports. The same position arises season after season, with the senior competitions finishing on an unsatisfactory note. It will be at least two weeks before any finality can be reached in the championship, while it will take considerable manoeuvring by the association to finalise its Falcon Cup competition within three or four weeks. The championship competition has been one of the most interesting for several seasons, and it is unfortunate for players, and to the detriment of the code, that its decision has been left so late. Four teams, Thistle, North Shore, Mount Albert Old Boys and Ponsonby, have chances at the moment, but it is expecting too much for th#» players and followers of the game to show a 113' great degree of interest at this stage of the season. Neither is it. fair to clubs that they should be embarrassed by trying to retain their elevens at full strength.

PROMISING JUNIORS SUCCESS OF METRO-COLLEGE The code has some very promising juniors and the game should benefit next season if the proposed coaching scheme is adopted. The Metro-College third grade team won both the championship and knock-out competitions without a defeat and many of its players gained places in the Flyger Rose Bowl team for under 21 representatives. Comrades rind Y.M.C.A. are also clubs with good juniors, and it is noticeable that when these lads are promoted to senior rank they generally outshine the older players. Such was the case at St. Heliers Bay in the match between Comrades and MetroCollege. Grimmer, a fourth grade player, a gave a polished exhibition in the Comrades goal, while Matthews, another fourth grade player, was a success at right-half. The performance of the Y.M.C.A. Rovers seventh grade team must constitute a record. This team won the championship without a defeat, scoring 100 goals and having oiilv one scored against it, and that one a penalty. J. Neesham, a son of Mr. P. Neesham, a former Auckland and New Zealand representative, was responsible for over 50 of the goals. The team was also successful in the knock-out com-jK-tition, and it finished the season with the splendid record of 125 goals for and three against. NEW RULE ENFORCED EFFECT ON GOALKEEPERS A new rule relating to goal-kicks lias been enforced in England this season. The ball must now be kicked direct from the goal-area into play, and not tapped to the goalkeeper, as was formerly the custom. The object of the alteration is apparently to prevent centre-forwards from attempting to charge the goalkeeper, standing too close before the kick is taken, and so wasting time. One sporting writer comments that in several of the first matches played this season there was possibly an unforeseen beneficial effect, for many goalkeepers, who can punt a ball further than they can kick it off the ground, made every attempt to keep the ball in play instead of letting it roll behind.