Seen Through Manawatu Spectacles.

NZ Truth, Issue 65, 15 September 1906, Page 3

Seen Through Manawatu Spectacles.

"Pair Try," the 1 Palmerston North foot-ball scribe, makes the following ■comments upon the Wellington players' individual performances' against Manawatu. . ] •korc* ■ Spencer's; kicking, fielding, arid m fact, his whole pejformance m "*' the position .• of full-back, was spl#&iil. ' The'.litie-ki v ckina;.spec lal1 al : ity, of tOe WelliMiji&ti .veteran .was heartbreaking to^tne'bp^osMp. .forwards, fl^&W* lfoa« for hi S) skilful V mmk Ttopi^p^e ; "All Black" rep^ntati ( Yp ) :Rav ; ftwft j yery ".in-and-au^Jdisplay t ,,His fielding was j most erratic, 'and he* fombflecl the ball with was re",markaW« tur|...whioh nearly led, on a Couple of occasions, i% to t-.cores being •registered as the,-, outcome of;, his faulty Work. His' kicking was „ also .wi tout merit . . .-,..-■,• RftmsdenV catching* .lacking and. • passing were, strong; and i sound, ; and. on no occasion throughput the., game could. a tactical blunder 'be detected. . : Ryan, the other wine' three-^narter, gave a clever- representation of this important position. Hi's line kicking -perhaps was not so successful;- but m. all other departments his -work was creditable and We assisted great- . lv. <m^-*he • success 'achieved by v his team'N<- ■ ■'■'■ >•■■■ • M ' : ''■■'"; •' ■ ' ;

Roberts^ of Black" fame,'. . proved' himself a tower of strength to Ms sidfc. 3Jie" manner 1 iff which net broke - T throußh, ran straight, - -kicked,: fielded; and passed was. a revelation m local 'football; His defensive work was irre'proaohahle. . ; He went down/ unflinchingly to some ' 61- the • big rushes J:l of the Manawatu forwards,'; and exhibited knowledge- m: both at* tack atid defenoe"%biph"was invaluable' to^iis side: EtisTtone generalship imdoiibtedlv accounted 'for; the. ulti■mate result. > ; ;: -- . ; '•■' - ; MitcTrfnson, : secc>nd. five-eighth, ac- •■■ com pished a tremendous amount of 'jrpod' 'work,' and justified the reputa'^(ffbn -he -'has earhed ,as' an offensive arid defensive player., .In brief,' he '^proved ljimself a serviceable and un•.mistakeq,hly'"rescourceful player. A. D. -.Thomson played well. He, howevei;,,rt exhibited a ,. noticeable inclination\ to flinch . and dodge the yigorous^iushes of the. green van- .,* The / - forward idivision .were the" better conditdoned of the , two, /but the only department where they excelled their opponents was m short, <j ; uick passing and collaring. Spasmodically they burst . through fronv the line-out with -fine rushes, ihese efforts being; very workmanlike

and effective. Callum and: Standen were Vondrously successful m/ "fish,in;g'.' t4ie173.1l out of the scrums, and m . this connection > the 'Wellington backs received more frequent "and better oftportuiiitiesiKof ii displaying iheir abilities inattack than'Mana-' •watuv : Gross, Wright^ l Gildhris^: Hardham,i and Burns 1 were perhaps the mostv conspicuous > forwards ,a-r mongst the* visiting packmen'; • -! j ',