DUNEDIN NOTES.

NZ Truth, Issue 327, 30 September 1911, Page 3

DUNEDIN NOTES.

Otago's luck was m on Saturday last, when they just managed to

land the mustard by ona point from Southland. Contributing circumstances to the luck, were that Otago .was a much improved team to "what it was on the previous Saturday, and Southland made its running too late m the second spell. A funny thing- a.bout the game was that Otago scored all its points m . the first spell and Southland scored ail its lot m the second. Also, Otago didn't have a look m m the second, and were being romped over by the Southland Scots. Southland's weak" part was its backs, who didn't amount to much and weren't, able to stop any thin? which looked like business. Otago 's team had undergone structural changes, which seem to have been a slight improvement, as their play was a lot better thaii the previous Saturday. Sutherland, the skippei', wasn't playing, and Ecihokl did the necessary for him at half. Williams took lurk hold's place at five-eight, and playtd a real good game there. Paton was missing from the forwards, and Symmonds took his place. Singular thing a.bout the teams was that two brothers were playing against one another. They -were A. and J. Norrie. A. Norrie was playing five-eight against Jimmy Norrie, the fast Otago three-quar-ter. Football must run m the blood, as both played real good games. Jimmy Norrie's play was a big improvement on his previous two Saturdays' performances, and he seems to have got a lot of his old dash back again. He was too quick for the Southland backs and scored cleverly on the corner m the early part of the first half. As usual, Scott was— weD, he was Scott, gjaA that term signifies a good solid full-back, who repeatedly saved his side from imminent trouble. As this scribe remarked before, big Sandy Patterson seems to be improving with age. Sandy went one better than all his previous performances, and the last one was good enough. Sandy was simply brilliant on Saturday, which fact Southland had prominently thrust upon them. Nelson was another good forward for ' Otago, and scored nicely for them. Writer can't say, whether he prefers Eckhold at Half or at his old . stiddy job of five-eight. Anyway, he is good m both places and got m some good work bfih'nd the scruxn. He got the leather cleanly out every time, and he and Williams put up some clever play. Casey is a great forward and grafted hard and with judgment for Otago. The same remark can be applied to Brown. I Black, the smart five-eight, had the ; hard luck to get injured m the first i spell and had to turn the game up !at half-time. Otago's attempts at goal-kicking were decidedly off, although Norrie had a real good try at one ol them, which almost succeeded. Easily the star item on Southland's programme was Martin, the clever full-back. His place-kicking was a bit of a revelation, and Otag o backs could study it carefully with credit to themselves.' One very* clever kick from the touch-line passed beautifully between the posts, and roused even dour Dunedin to enthusiasm. Likewise, he converted Scully's try m workmanlike fashion, and had the bad luck to have another shot fall within iDches of the bar. In other departments of the game he is good. *. McNeice, the wing three-quarter, is a very good player, and showed any amount of dash? His fielding was very good, and he spelt trouble several times for Otago. McLennan, who, by the bye, used to play three-quarter for Southern, was another good performer. Ivimey, the skipper, handled his jmen nicely and with judgment. The pick of a good lot of forwards was Ivimey, Biggar, and Miles. Last Saturday's match was the 19th which Otago has won out of the 40 which have been played by the provinces. Southland has got as its share 16, and draws have accounted for five.