FOOTBALL

NZ Truth, Issue 114, 24 August 1907, Page 3

FOOTBALL

The curtain having been run*" 1 down on senior club competitions, the spectators at the Park on Saturday — and they were numerous — were treated to ,an inter-college match, a struggle between the two leading teams for possession of the Junior Cup, and a trial representative game m view of this afternoon's tussle between the chosen of Auckland and Wellington. ■'Trial., games are, as a rule, most spiritless affairs, but Saturday's exhibition took the cake for dreariness; and as a guide to form it proved absolutely farcical for the selectors requirements. The crowd took not the slightest interest m the tame proceedings, and everybody, including participants, seemed to be downright glad when an armistice was called. To me it appeared as if a few players would have done better to have shunned the oysters and trained on mussels. . On No. 2 ground, Melrose and Petone juniors engaged m hostilities for the junior- premiership of the 1907-8 season. The reds went off at a terrific bat, their forward brigade working like very demons, giving the suburbanites the sultriest of times m checking their onslaughts. When lemon time, came, ' Melrose had a penalty- goal to its credit, whilst the Petone crowd, had failed to draw blood. The showing of the reds was flattering to their supporters, who anticipated . that they would keep m the front up till- no-side. From the word "go" after breathing time,. there was only one side m it, and that was Petone. The suburban, men welted the floor with the reds, and gave them the father of a lading. The blue backs got slinging .the ball about, and though Melroso strove hard to stem the tide of defeat, they hadn't even a dor's show. Pc-tone's rearguard buckled on its real fighting armor, and the town nlavers were bowled over like ninepins. The latter must have trained on jellyfish, for they were squashed out properly. The verdict at the finish was Petone 18, Melrose 3. Some old rep. and senior players were to be seen on both sides with the light of battle burning fiercely m their orbits. Goodman and McInnes (M-elrose), and Smyrk, Mat Sharpe, Selwood, and ' Jack Ryan (Petone) have • a good kick left m them yet. All the same, I think that wlien senior players of standing ultimately slide down to junior rank, they should quit the playing arena for good. As instancing the difficulties >*til country football way down m Central Otago, it may be mentioned that when Matakanui travel to Lowburn (48 miles) it racpires to set cut on the Thursday night, and does not return home till tlie following Sunday night, playing two matches— Lowburn and Cromwell— en route. Some Berhampore residents are . angry, and have appealed to the police to "shoo" off the leather-kick-ing enthusiasts who swarm on a vacant plot of land and desecrate thehallowed "Sawbath" mornings by their yells to "Pass the ball, Ginger," or "Kick it here, Fatty." The staid residents who were made for the good old Cromwellian days, evidently, despise the "Better the day the better the deed" maxim. Or is it that the youngsters don't fork out a few bob to play within the oval ? A Wellingtonian who saw all of the seven matches played by the Dominionists m Australia, makes the rather bald assertion that seven out qi the nine tries scored "by Fryer were presented to him by his silver fern-leaf mates. Only on one occasion, says he, was the Canterbury man really called upon to beat his opponents. %v S-irnoT' ?"Ivnott is" a fairly good linguist m Maori. The story goes that on one occasion when the All Blacks were m Great Britain. Simon addressed about eighteen factory girls', who had called at a London hotel for a penny pint of beer each, m that language. The girls listened attentively for a while, but failed \ to make anything out of Simon's \ ca/fcacatic flow of Maori. In despair, they appealed to "Otago" Casey, who wickedly intimated to them that the' Taranakaite ! wanted all hands to ioin with him m a pint of beer. There was was no hope for Simon, but to "shell out" Is Bd. The Otago Rugby Union kicks against the proposal for importing referees from Canterbury to officiate

m Otago-Southlancl matches. .The Dunedin whistle brigade doesn't like being done out of a trip, you bet. After Dr. Hunter's remarks at the ; G-ilray shivoo, they should feel themselves competent for anything m the tooting line. It will soon be necessary to line the militia up, with fixed bayonets, around the Melbourne football grounds for the protection -of the players; if those excitable Melbournites don't mend their ways. A mad-eyed crowd of men and' women swarming on to. a .field to slousli and hat-pin an umpire, and to "deal it out" to players who have raised their "dandy," speaks more for the impulse of ancient savagery than the love of the sport and fair play, which is commonly supposed to be characteristic of the people of this enlightened century. It has been suggested by certain members of the Otago Rugby Union that the electric light should be installed at Carisbrook, so that teams could fiet practice on the turf. If put into execution,, the scheme should improve football, as turf training is infinitely preferable to gymnasium .practice. Sweeping statements published ,m the alleged sporting column of * a Sydney paper : "Vicious football means clean football !" ' .'-'Viciousiousness" is unsportsmanlike m any game indulged m m this fair clime of ours. Biting a man's ear off m a scrum cannot m any way make the toe-ball business any cleaner. Poverty Bay Union is not one of the wealthiest bodies of its kind m the Dominion, and a graceful act on its part the other day deserves all the more publicity for that reason. It had made engagements- to send a team to play Hawke's Bay and Manawatu, but owing to the inability of several good . players to obtain leave of absence,- the proposal had to be abandoned. In conveying this intimation to the Manawatu Union, the northern body said it would be pleased to forward a cheque for expenses should any have been incurred by the Manawatu Union, which replies, that it could not accept payment of the small expenditure incurred. A spectator at the StratfordPatea match a few weeks ago was compelled to make the acquaintance of the "Beak" at Patea, the charge preferred against him being one of threatening language to a constable, and with hindering the "man m blue" m the discharge of his duties. When the crowd was renuested to keep off the field of play by the constable, the defendant is alleged to have remarked, "What are you?" The bobby replied, "If you do not go back, you will 'find out." and with that pushed the accused back, and the latter intimated, "I'll make it hot for you before the ni"-ht is out," following it up with disjointed "threats along the line. A number of witnesses were cited to give evidence, and m the end the "Beak" dismissed the case. The second tost match m Brisbane is described as a poor an- exhibition 1 of Rugby as the most ardent supporter of the game could wish for, and it was very disappointing to have to watch two such teams as New Zealand and Australia dealing forth third and fourth class football. On more than one occasion I have made it plain that Referee Associatians and their conferences resolve themselves into nothing more nor less than mutual admiration gatherings. T-his is certified to by Dr. Hunter, of Dimedin, who, at the j Otago Rugby Union's farewelling of G-ilray, the 'Varsity and rep. threequarter, had the courage to "beef cut" such words as will make Dick Isaacs and his fawning following squirm as they never squirmed before. The Doctor knocked kite-high the oft-repeated argument of Dick and his mob that the formation of that useless • Rugby appendage, the N.Z.R.A. to wit, has been instrumental m bringing about a uniformity m the interpretation of the laws of the game throughout the Dominion. I take the following extracts from the Doctor's seasoned remarks : "The whole of the Union's attention might fairly be occupied m controlling the game m Dunedin. They had suffered as a club belonging to the Union largely owing to the fact that they had had to deal with referees who entertained different ideas of what constituted Rugby football from that entertained by themselves. . . . Some extraordinary results that had characterised their football were due, not so much to differences to their play, as to having had different referees. . . . A difficulty arose from the fact that the Referees' Association m Dunedin, like many associations, could not get away from the idea that it was a mutual admiration society. . . . There was no doubt about the refereeing m Dunedin being bad. The referees would at times show a persistence worthy of a better cause m ruling wrongly. .. . , When they were convicted on the rules, and it was clear that they were wrong, they turned round and said they have never given such ruling." What has the genial and healthy-looking Dick got to say to this straightout talk ? From his beloved Dunedin, too. Somehow the Auckland push always manage to exercise" a hypnotic influence over the manager of touring New Zealand teams. The writer knows from personal knowledge thehappenings m this direction when Jack Norris was Commander-in-chief m 1903, and now we hear the same subtle influence at work m the recently returned 1007 combination. What was the reason which prompted the selection of Nicholson m the last match of the tour though that player is alleged to have been full of- "flu," while such lusty forwards as Paton and Jack Spencer were kept m the background ? Small wonder that Jack Spencer roared so over his exclusion. The Melrose man wanted Wylie to call the whole team together and discuss the methods of selection, so it is alleged, but -"the manager turned a deaf ear to his request, whereupon Jack indulged m some straight talk which was not very complimentary to Wylie or the selection committee. As Spencer put it, he was picked by the New Zealand Rugby Union selectors to form one of the team to Australia, but was compelled to take a back seat m favor of a player whose qualifications were not thought •good enough to give him a place m the fern-leaf crowd, yet comes to Sydnoy osfensibly on a holiday and is at" once roped m by Wylie, who treats him with all the favor shown

to the prodigal son of Biblical renown. How xnanv. fatted calves were killed by Wylie m honor of Nics return to the All Black fold is not recorded, but it may be accepted as a fact that m the Aucklanders' opinion, Edgar was the biggest one of the bunch. What were the precise circumstances that led to Nicholson going | over to Sydney to watch the "All Blacks" perform, and subsequently J being requisitioned for active service! by Manager Wylie ? It is just likely that George Gillett can enlighten querists on this point. The writer was unaware that "Nic" was m such affluent circumstances as to be able to take a trip to Sydney m view of his financial position, and the step taken by the New Zealand Rugby Union when the All Blacks returned from their Home trip, "but, of course he might have made a big rise m Waihi scrip m ihs interim. All the same, this little business of Nics joining the Dominion forces wants probing f and it will be, too, at the proper time and place. The whistle-carrier m the Hawke's Bay-Auckland match did not please a northern scribe, who accuses the official, by name, Hopkins, of having wore one whistle out, and having to get another m pulling up the game for trivial breaches, while a number of glaring mistakes were allowed to pass unchallenged. His fairness, however, was not brought into question. His tooting performance,' judging by the Auckland writer's assertion, must have knocked Fred Laws' feat m the Petone-Poneke match a fortnight ago into a "cocked hat." The fact that so few of the tries scored by the New Zealanders against Queensland, N.S.W., and Australia, were converted seems tp show up m a strong light what a state the art of goal-conversion has apparently come to m the Dominion. In Wellington, this season, it has been execrable, and other parts of the colony do not appear to have much to boast of m this respect. One thing which makes itself plain to followers of form by the exodus of so many prominent pfayers from representative football by reason of their departure with the "pro" team, is the chances 'placed m tho way of younger players of proving thrir work arid proving distinction m the playing' arena. Looked at m this light, the departure cannot be regarded as altogether an evil. Before W. Tyler, brother of "Bubs" of that ilk, departed from Auckland to Join the professional team m Australia, he was farewelled at a smoke concert, when about sixty of his fellow-workmen at Seager Bros' iron-founders, presented him with an engraved sovereign purse filled with "thick-uns." His employers ; also gave the Aucklander a very serviceable leather travelling bag. The Otago Varsity team, which came out on top for the sccon:! time m succession m the senior competions, scored 301 points m its sixteen engagements. Zingari-Rich-monrl put up a record by beating the Varsityites twice, the only two matches m which the light blues were up-ended. Alhambra, Dunedin, and Southern, however, claimed a draw each with the premiers. The best record for a Dunedin season was established by Kaikorai m 1894, when the hillmen put on 260 points, and only had 4 recorded against it. One of the returned "All Blacks" gives it as his opinion that the most consistent back on the tour was Simon Mynott, with Mitchinson a close second. The latter' s showing m the first test match was, he says, a superb one. According to his statement, some of the big guns m the rearguard played terribly in-and-out on the tour. A most serious handicap to Queensland Rugby representative teams of late years has been the want of a good five-eighths. The Bananalanders are looking for much from N. Heaslop. They could do with 'quite a number of slick backs m the rep. combination, however. By the retirement of Harry Mclntyre, the Wellington Rugby Union, and football m general, has been deprived of the services of one of its keenest and shrewdest members and supporters. Harry bucked strongly against certain requests of his club (Poneke) m regard to the drawing of the Petone-Poneke senior fixture, holding, as he did, that m his position as a member of the management committee, his hounden duty was to do his best for the game as a whole, not for any one club. The Poneke leading lights did not see eye to eye with Harry m this direction, and m disgust he resigned from the Union and the Club, and has foresworn all further connection with the game. The attitude taken up by the Poneke Club is most repugnant to anyone who possesses a grain of self-respect, and the sooner it eliminates this policy from its deliberations the better it will be for its members and the club as well. At the same time, I think Mac should have held his ground until the season's operations were concluded, but the one fault m this able and popular administrator of the game was a lack of those (qualities which go to make up a grim and determined fighter. A decent admixture of aggressiveness m his composition would have done him no harm. There is no gainsaying the fact that New Zealand representative touring teams have been most unfortunate m regard to their manager. Edgar Wvlie, however, would appear to be desjsrving of the biscuit 'as the greatest • failure of the lot. It is said' that the men had the loan of Edgar from the jump, and the way they "kidded ?> to him would have been . humorous were* it not so painful. By the wav, is that useful commodity m the shape of onions likely to figure prominently m the exes of the trip. And is it a fact that Edgar humped the sack from town to the steamer's side? Jack Henrys, who was injured m the Victoria College - Wellington > match last month, was well enough to resume work last week. L. Svxnes, who broke his ankle m the same match, will be on crutches for some weeks yet. Harold Carey, who for the last nine years has been a prominent figure; m the active ranks of the Wellington Club, intends to give the game best at the close of tho present season. Carey, though he has never reached representative football, has been a .Great battler for his club, who will feel the loss of such a good sport.

Rumor, which is often a lying jade, says that McDonald,, the "All' Black" and Otago forward, has sustained a serious injury by a kick m the kidneys and the effect will probably be to keep him out of the playing arena 'for all time. I give the statement for what it is worth. On Tuesday I was advised of the total of.-, the gate takings at the first professional match m Sydney and the New Zealanders' share of the "spons" therefrom. The amounts, £602 and £310 respectively, must be considered as very satisfactory. The Welsh Rugby Union is able to show a "profit of nearly &4,000 on last season's operations. The recent tour of the New Zealanders m Australia, seems to have been one huge picnic) football being a secondary consideration. Oysters and stout m the early morning was not .m infrequent occurrence, by all accounts.