AUCKLAND.

NZ Truth, Issue 472, 4 July 1914, Page 11

AUCKLAND.

The fixtures m the League championship last Saturday were not ex- ; pected to provide anything sensational and any follower of the gome would have bet evens on picking the treble. All the gobd- things won, but not so easily a^i waa : expected, and the only one-horse race was City's win over I Newton by ' 21 points to 8. Newton's defeat, like many more of their losses, is due .to two things— they have no confidence m each other, and, more important still, the team includes a couple of loafers who seem to be anywhere but where the ball Is. On Saturday City won all the way and at no part of the piece did Newton have a winning show. Otabuhu nearly, though not quite, brought oft the surprise of tho season when they mado matters very lively I for Ponsonby at Victoria Park. I Everyone expected tho "ponies" to bo running across and scoring Just whon It pleased them, but, as often happens, everyone received a shock when the first spell ended with the points even. Certainly, Ponaonby had been doing most of the attacking, but tho Otahuhu men were' playing' tho game and puttlnET-up a very solid defence. However, m the second half the "ponies" put a lot of dash into their play and though Otahuhu increased their score to nine, the blues tacked another seven to their scoro of the first half, and won by 13 to 9. There was not a • great deal to choose, between the teams till well into the latter stages, whon OUhuhu fell to pieces and could not stand tho strain of the "ponies" constantly hammering away at the defence. Grafton, thanks to Jfwcrson. mado a fair showing against North Shore at Devonport, particularly Jn the second half, when it was just a toss-up.

Shore won the game -m. the first spell when they rattled up- nine pointSj, before the : "Grafters" had warmed up' to their • work. Shore did most .of-, the attacking m a fast game, played and finished 4 without the usual scraps sandwiched m. Once again Ifwerson had the pleasure of scoring all the points registered by Graf ton. The result of last week's games leaves Ponsonby and North Shore level m the premiership. . Geo. Gillett stepped himself out for" I the first time this season, when he put his arms through the sleeves of aPfinsonby jersey on Saturday. Jawgewas right m the thick of it while his wind remained, but this soon left him. A little training and a match or two will put him right The dog m the manger style of play } is no good m the Northern Union j game, and Tobin (Newton) wants to send the ball out to his backs instead of trying a Parnell shout (lone bander) every tome. He is not quite good enough to beat the opposition all by himself. *