FOOTBALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13996, 31 August 1907, Page 10

FOOTBALL

OTAGO v. AUCKLAND.

The members of the Auckland' Representative football team arrived in Duncdin by the first' express from tho north last even-. ;ing, and were met on arrival by several members of ilie Ota-go Rugby Union,.and subsequently 'driven to the Criterion Hotel, where they will be quartered during their stay in Dnncxtin. At tho Criterion Hotel the visitors were officially welcomed by Mr G. MaedonaJd '(president)", on behalf of the 0.11.F.TJ., who expressed the hope that the visitors would have good weather and enjoy their stay in Duncdsn. Both the visitors and themselves were in similar unfortunate positions in that neither of them had so far been victorious, and doubtless, on the Caledonian Ground on Saturday, they would each mate big efforts to retrieve their respective positions, Mr F. Murray, manager of the Auckland team, briefly replied, and proposed tho (oast of the "Otago Rugby Union." Mr Macdonald, in extended a cordial invitation to the visitors to the reunion of ex- . representatives and officials to be held in the evening. Tho Otago-A-uokland match, one that is always looked forward to with a considerable amount of interest, ■ will bo played at the Caledonian Ground this afternoon, commencing at 3 o'clock. The ground is in excellent condition, and the weather gives every promise- of being fine. A slight .change has been made in the Otago team. Beimel, who was picked to play at centre, will not be taking part in the game. Danscy has accordingly been shifted back to fill tho broaeh, while Fullarton (Southern) ha 6 bec-n chosen 'to do duty behind tho scrum. Mr F. T, Evans, of Christchuroh, will control the game. A record attendance is expected, and the tramways manager (Mr Alexander) purposce running a special service from the Gardens to the Caledonian Ground as from 2 o'clock. The following is the Auckland team:— Full back. D.Millar. Three-quarters—J. Twiname, G. Murray, W. Hcgan. Five-eighths.-C. Dillamore, R. Magcc, Half Back.-C. Coofc. Forwards.-.!: Hall (wing), F. Ilerringj E. M'Cormiek, A. Francis, J. M'Guiro, I. Smith, H. -Hay ward, and P. 'Williams. ' /RUGBY FOOTBALL REUNION. A LARGE GATHERING. A smoke concert and reunion of cxreprcsontative Rushy footballers and officials was held in the Choral Hall lost evening. There was a gathering of considerably over 100 past and present exponents of the Rugby game, tho playing period of some of tho former dating as far back as 1877. Several members of the Auckland team were also present. Mr G. M'Laren, an ex-president of the 0.R.F.U., presided. On his right was Mr F. Murray (manager of (lie Auckland team), and on his k>ft Mr G. Macdonald (president, of the 0.R1F.U.). Among the vcrv old players present were R. 8. Allan and P. Nichol (1877), R. GalbraJth (1882), F. Smith, W. .T. Strons, and P. Y, Wales (188*), H. Trcsedcr (1885), lire ■T. B. Thomson and Hunter and R. Mill (1885). A. Downes and A. Gibson (1867), T. Sonntag (1888). A. Esquihwt and J. Duncan (18S9), and n host of others. The Chairman said it gave him vcrv great pleasure to preside over such a gal boring, a gathering that comprised many of the old players who in tho past had fought and bled in the football arena for the honour of their province. He had a sheaf of apologies —close on 50—from old players who were unable to lie present. There were several very old faces missing, some of them men who had played for their province, and had now crossed that bourne from which no traveller returns. He Teforred to such men as J. P. Maitland. fiVt president of tho unioti from 1881 to 18E6; also H. Rose, W. D. Milne. Q. M'Kiroion (1875), A. Northcoto. \V. H. Fowler, W. C. Kennedy. Andrew Wedderspoon, D. Fraser, R. Eraser, A ; Armit, J. 11. Stephenson. D. M'Kewen. W, Bailey, and others. He felt and trusted that all these players had readied that goal which was every true footballer's iroal. Tim Te'ating of the incidents of the eamo in its earliest sta-ges thev would doubtless hear from pome of the old "prehistoric" players of 1875 or thereabouts. Mr G. Macdonald .'"resident 0.R.F.U.) proposed the toast of " The Auckland Team," coupled with the name of its manaqer, Mr Murray. ■ They had always looked to get ?ood footl--n.il from Auckland. They were all keenly looking forward to meet them on the morrow, and if ever Otago had a chance of lowering Auckland's colours they had it now. They knew that the Auckland tourinir team had been deprived of some of its beet members. Some of them had_ lx?en unab'o to join tliem, and others had departed with the professionals. Judging, however. In- the men thev had seen that night, the Auckland team were a verv likely lot. Further, in the hasty gathering together of a team there was in-' variably to bo found a lack of combination, o{ which tho effects were often disastrous. Neither team had so far placed a win to its credit, and both teams would naturally make big effort* to puM off the match.' Mr Murray, in reply, said that,) looking round the hall, he saw tho faces of many who hod battled for Otago against Audiland. They had, on tho present tour, left, a number of plnvers behind: but,'at tho same time, thev had a team that could hoM its own, and that they could call a good one. Mr ,1. Hutchison proposed the.toast of "The Ex-representative Players." .He apnrecinrod bwhlv the honour conferred upon him in beine asked to pronose the toa.st o[ ex-reprcc-ontative plavors. ' He owed it possibly to IV fact that, he wa* the oldest, member of the O.RF.U. present, and also to the fact- that ho had a knowledge of early football that extended back to a very early date. In those days the came w*s played in a mil-* different *Ho from what, itwas now. There was also a- very much different stylo of reporting in thosedays. That was, very obvinnn when one read of such details as a player " p'ottini a trv," and other- Hinge. cn ua ||,- M hv\. As far as one could judse. the public then also knew very little about tho game. There was little press controversy as to the seloction of teams, and fewer " Disgusteds " and ' Well-wishers " than one met with in present times. Of <h" Otaro team cf IB 7 ' which played at Wellington there were still among them two members. He referred to Messrs K. S. Allan ami Pat. Nieho!. Another member of the 1877 team was Mr Mills, who was lhe n one of the most prominent of Otago's forwards, and who nlayod continuously until 1885. In the following vear 11878) >hem came into tho team J. 11. Murray and. Henry Rose. Then in 1880 there was G. S. Ttolwrtson. who was really the first, to introduce scientific dribbling into tho game. In 1881 there was Jim Allan, one of Otaco's finest forwards; also i .p* Ho sti " stained recoflectiora of the first Otago-Wcllington match.' Tho Olago team played in red-and-bluo and the Wellington team in colours of very varied hues The Wellington full back, ho remembered stood under the goal posts throughout the game, as in the Association gnme. He (the speaker) was fortunate in seeing the next Otago-Wcllington match in 1585. Although lost by Otago, desperate efforts were made by the backs to turn the fortune' of war in favour of their side. Another player of 1881 that they would all remember was Jack Taiaroa. In 1882 there' wore J. Allan and Galbraith. t.n 1883 there came Braddon, from Southland, one of the finest, backs they 'had ever seen. The teams of 1885 included such men as'' Bob Fraser and H. Trcscder and R. Martin, while those of 1886 contained A. W. Morris. Dps Hunter and J. B. Thomson, and R. Mill. The year 1887 saw some of the finest men they had even had. Thev wore Alex. Downes, also R. Isaacs. A. Gibson— two brilliant forwards.—and last, but not least, Pat Kcogh. In 1888 there were some -valuable accessions to the game. There was W. Thomas from Oamaru, also r. Lynch, P. Anderson. J. H. Stephenson.D. K. Torrance, J. R. Montgomery, and T, Sonntarx—all of: them very notable players. Tlie year following' taw G. Resticaux, 0. Crawford, A. Ksquilani, and J. Duncan. Of .7. Duncan it had been written:—"A fast, showy forward, rather inclined to shirk the serums ami vo »et offside, but very dangerous to (lie opposing backs." And he remained dangerous to the opposing bach until 1903, after » career during the greater pan of •which ho was one of the foremost fyjurcs in active foot- . ball in.the colonv. There were a host of others of Inter date. such as A. Laurenson (18901, W. Johnston (1891). (i. McLaren and .T. Raker (189?.). A. Armit, W. Rcxs. and J. Torrance (1893), Seobie Mackenzie (1894), P. J. Priest. Gee. Stephenson. A. Mason and F. Given (1895). A. Hob«w 11897), T. Gross and A..N. Foil 08981. E. Booth (1900). W.Munro (1902). Fell had! somewhat electrified the Canterbury team on the occasion on -which he - played a;rainsfc that province, and later figured prominently in Homo football. There were also other players, such as Pnrteous, and of moro recent date Casey. M'Donald, and others. The old games had been full of incidents that one enidd not foreet. such as in the match of 1883 between Auckland 'and Ohco and in 188+ Otago v. Canterbury, when the latter secured if? first win by a potKl Ko.il by Francis. Tn 1886 there was the rnajoh befw.een Ofego. and ■ New Sjjuth

Wales; which O(a_eo won. No one could fail to remember Pat.Keogh. In tlie first match against'the Englishmen ho had to stand <lo(vn owing to ill-health, but. witnessed the game, and to such purpose that in the second match, in which he took part, he,boat tlio Englishmen at their own game. They ■ would all recall his try, which he scored under the posts, and 'his triumphant jump on crossing the line.' That match was lost by Otago by 4'points to 3, but it was a moral victory, for in the second spell Otago was compelled to play one man short. There was the (sensational match against Auckland in 1595. It was one of the finest games he had seen here. Then there was the memorable contest between Wellington and Otago in 1897.' He would say nothing rooro than that it was memorable. He would couple tho toast with the names of R. S. Allan, 1\ Nichol, and R. Galbraith. Those wore Hie players who in the past had helped to build the mound for Otago football. Never, lie might say, had Otago football been of an indifferent standard. They had never suffered' a big defeat, and they had had many* glorious victories. No province had ever been ablo to despise Otago football. Oiago players throughout the long years of Rugbv football had been a splendid lot o[ players, and moil whom one would always Ire proud to meot.—(A.»t>!aii9e.)

The toast was replied to by Messrs R. S. Allan (who stated that the game had made no' progress since its early days as far as dribbling was concerned), P. Nichol, R. Martin. T. Sonntag, Dr .T, B. Thomson, Arthur Gibson. H. 'lYesedcr, It. Galbraith, J. Baker, and Dr Hunter, all of' whom related various reminiscences, most of thom humorous, of football as played in the early days.

The toast of " Past Presidents " was proposed by ■ Dr Hunter, and responded to by Messrs Crosby Morris, Hutchison, M'Larcn, and P. H. Campbell. Mr Campbell referred to the. professional element that had entered into the Rugby game in tho colonies. They were told, ho said, that professionalism was going to take hold of football in New Zealand.—(Cries of "No!") If footballers were going to play the game simply for what they could get out of it, then the sooner' tliey got out of it the better. He would be sorry to say that professionalism' was goins to take hold of the Rugby game here.' If they wanted football, and good, clean football, they must have amateur football. AH that the governing bodies could do was to try and put it down in every possible way, and so long as the Rugby Unions did that they could not'do more. The New Zealand Union was doing its best. He did not think that tliero need be any fear that professionalism wan going to obtain a hold in New Zealand. It had been said that footballers were not being treated sufficiently .well. What was the Rugby Union doing for football in Otago, and what was it making out of it? _ And why was so much time and service given by the men on the Rugby Union to .the support of the game? It was simply becau-e they had a love for the game. If they were to have true foot Kill in New Zealand they mii6t—and he was sure all would agree with him—have the amateur game. Tho loast of " The Referees' Association." coupled with tho names of Messrs I), Mimro (president of the Referees' Association) and F. T. Evans (Christchureh), was proposed and responded to. During the evening an excellent and lengthy musical programme was gone through. The gathering- was, as a whole, attended with most [conspicuous success, and in the point of number;.of old players present quite a memorable one.

ASSOCIATION CHARITY BANNER, The contestants for the Charily Banner, Northern and Mornington A teams, meet this nfternoon on Culling Park, when, bearing in mind the form displayed by the teams a fortnight ago,,a eplondidly-fought game should result. ■Mornington A aro keen on wiping out the stain of defeat inflicted oil, that occasion, and will strain every nerve to achiovc that ond, whilo Northern are equally determined to ajrairi place their names on the banner.' The ground promises to be in' capital condition, and the spectators may rest assured they will see a fast, open, and exciting gamo. .