PROFESSION LEAGUE

NZ Truth, Issue 868, 15 July 1922, Page 8

PROFESSION LEAGUE

Its Popularity ia Sydiey

A New Plymouth resident who returned recently from a visit to Australia commented on the great hold the League game has m Sydney. The players are professionals, being paid for practices and matches. They are highly trained, as may be expected from the fact that m the season they do practically nothing else but train and play football. Really they are like the gladiators of ancient Rome, providing for the interest and amusement of the multitude, from whom they receive about as much homage, especially from the younger generation. No objection is apparently taken to professionalism, payment of the players being regarded as part of the game. - ; On the other hand, the Rugby Votaries are strictly amateur, as m this country. The Rugby game is not as fast as League, possibly because .the players are not trained "to the minute," as is the case with the others, 'and consequently Rugby games command comparatively poor gates.

The Maori League players were boomed before they arrived as the team that nearly defeated the Springboks last season. This statement, of course, was entirely wrong, only one or two of the members haying taken part m the match, but a good gate was aimed at, and the publicity department of the League Union did not worry itself about trifles of that nature. They succeeded m drawing the "crowd, who, 'however,. were disgusted with. the poor showing of.' the Maoris, who were outclassed m. 'every department of the game.. The fact that they did better subsequently was to " be- expected by those with a knowledge of the huge amount of. betting indulged m m -Sydney. Betting is,- indeed, the bane. of. League football m New South Wales, and may m time bring about its discredit, if not downfall. It can readily be conceived that if men are paid big sums to play football, they can also be paid bigger sums to' play "stiff." It is this possibility that makes . the average New Zealander keen on retaining and supporting the amateur Rugby game, end opposing the introduction and development: of the League game.

Rugby m Sydney seems to" have, improved slightly, during rec,ent years, .and supporters of the old game are looking forward with interest to the coming of the New • Zealanders this month. They expect to be able to- give them good games, and are not without hope of lowering their colors. The visitor's impression is, however, that our men will be found far superior to the Welshmen. But for the breakaway to the League code it would have been different. The fact cannot be disguised that the. 'best footballers m the State •are to-day playing under League colors, and therefore the New Zealanders will not be meeting them. Nor is there any likelihood of 'their ever returning to the amateur fold. They are m the game chiefly for the money attached to it, more's the pity, and the excitement- loving crowd prefer League to Rugby.