LEAGUE FOOTBALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24253, 20 April 1942, Page 2

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

NEW SEASON OPENED SERIES OF TRIAL MATCHES Impressive form was shown at Carlaw Park on Saturday, when the Auckland Rugby League's season was opened with a series of trial matches. There were more of last year's players in action than was expected, and a number were members of the fighting forces on week-end leave. In the principal match, Ponsonby put up a very creditable showing against Richmond, which gained a very narrow win. A number of junior players took part ia all games. The results were as follows:—Richmond, 7, Ponsonby, 5; North Shore, 24. Marist, 13; City, 10, Otahuhu, 10; Mount Albert, 22, Newton, 5. Richmond appears to have a, very powerful set of forwards, some being over 14st. G. Mitchell, Hadley, L. Davis and Hilton played against Ponsonby and J. Satherley, L. Williams and Broadhead -will be available when the season officially opens on Saturday week. Richmond has secured the services of B. Sullings, a former New South Wales wingthreequarter. He scored a splendid try on Saturday. Webb, the Auckland representative halfback, showed good form, and younger players in R. McGregor, Kenney and Davies may gain places in the senior team. Ponsonby included a number of junior players and the backs did well, especially the five-eighths, Morrell and Wetherill. R. Scott, Williams and Carr, of last year's team, are available. Mount Albert, which defeated Newton in the curtain-raiser, gave a number of new players a chance and the club is expected to -play a prominent part in the competition. Cowley, at centra, ,vas outstanding, and others to impress were Renton, Clements and Bowen. A recmit to the code among the forwards is R. W. Fowlds. H. Leatherbarrow, the New Zealand representative hooker, Sout-er, Zane and Cranch, will form the nucleus of a good pack. Newton included a large number of new players and Green, halfback and Miwa and McLennan, threequarters, played good games. Tho forwards will bo strengthened by the inclusion of Duncan, from the Eden Rugby Club. Younger forwards to show up were Drakovich and Brophy. North Shore promises to field a team nearly as strong as last season, judging by its form against Marist. North Shore won the championship, and 10 of last year's side turned out on Saturday. Hunt, Fields, Graham, E. Scott and Ruthorford are again available. A new back to the code. Meredith, is a likely type of fullback. With the presence of McArthur. halfback. Chatham, five-eighths, and Brown the rear division lacks little on attack. Tho Marist thirteen fieldod several really promising young players and those to impress were Costello, McWilliams and Donovan. J. Simpson was the best forward on the ground, and he scored two fine tries. The Marist pack included Anderson, Barchard, MctLeod and O'Gorman of last year's forwards. City and Otahuhu played a drawn game and again a number of juniors were Wed out. Legge impressed most among the City backs, and Dais, a recruit from the -Eden Rugby Club, was also prominent on attack. McManus, Brassey and R. Grotte will be playing again and City will have a very powerful pack, including H. and W. Mataira, Findlater, Donovan and Apainger, a former Fiji forward. Among the Otahuhu backs to impress were Mullins, Hulme and Taylor. The forwards are light, but fast in the loose. An amalgamation of these two clubs would produce a well-balanced team.