LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 881, 14 October 1922, Page 9

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland . This week will see the ball depart from the fields for the present season to give place to. the bat, and it must, be admitted that those who are interested m football have experienced a strenuous season. Whether the standard of play revealed any great improvement is questionable, but I will not agree with .those who assert that the League code has deteriorated. If anything, it has improved, and will go on improving, provided, of course, that those who have charge of the management are awake and realise that they are m duty bound to provide the best available to the public. The League is really m if s infancy m the Dominion, but it . is growing and only re,quires careful nursing and the right treatment to reach the same pedestal it rests upon, m England and Australia. In certain quarters the cry is, "But League's professionalism." What if it is? Nobody cares a brass button whether football is professionalism or not — what the public want is the best, and those who control the interests Of the League code should do everything possible to secure that end. • The attendances throughout the season at all matches have been consistently good and the Auckland League should be m the happy position of having a tidy sum m hand. This money is to be expended m making Carlaw Park an up-to-date sports ground and it v should not be many years before Carlaw Park is recognised as the one and only sports area m Auckland. The Auckland League have the chance, and. they should make the most of it. In ' congratulating " the "League upon the success of the season, I have to thank the various officials for the courtesy extended to. "Truth's" reps Nothing, was too much trouble to the officials and they can rest ! assured their thpughtfulness was fully appreciated. It is a pleasure to chronicle the doings of a sport controlled by men of their stamp. .

Congratulations to ■ the City team,, winners of the, senior, grade competition; also to the Ponsbnby team, who carried off N 'Roope's Rooster. Both clubs played consistently good foot- ' ball throughout the season and rather than "import-' .-ft^esh blood kept the same team together as far as was ' possible. , The visit of the Kangaroos was the big draw during the season, and the large crowds m Auckland who witnessed the first. match Were quite sat- ' isfied. But it was not so m the other games,' and some of the tactics em-< ployed by our friends from across the pond were not appreciated. However, the Kangaroos bore out the opinion always held that they are clever exponents of the League code, and it will be years before the same combination and art of the game will prevail amongst New Zealand teams. Still, that time will come for certain.