LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19896, 16 September 1926, Page 4

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

By Forward. The medal competition was advanced a stage farther on Saturday under .splendid weather conditions, everything being favourable for fast and open games, The spectators on the Caledonian Ground were treated to two of the most interesting displays seen there during tbe season, surprise movements being so frequent that the play was closely watched from start to finish. For a few weeks the exhibitions given by Kaikorai were rather disappointing, and it was expected that City would have a comfortable win agains them on Saturday.

The Hid team, however, surprised the onlookers and probably surprised themselves, by giving a fine exposition of the game. Un the day’s play tliey wore quite as good as City, and the latter were rather lucky to secure a win. Both sides handled the ball with freedom, and the play went from one end of the field to the other with great rapidity. Kaikorai had the lead; at three stages of the game, but each time City drew level. Well on in the second spell City led for the first time during, the game, but in a few minutes Kaikorai equalised the figures, and it was not until five minutes before time that City scored the winning try. Kaikorai have every reason to feel pleased with the game they put up, and if they can reproduce Saturday's form they will have every reason to bo pleased with their performance. They have some smart players, who should improve'considerably with further experience

A teature of the game was the nurooer of minor casualties amongst the Kaikorai players, several being put out of action, but fortunately only for very brief periods. After numerous indifferent displays this season, Kaitangata .struck their best form on Saturday, and put up a splendid game against Pacific, the latter being defeated by 15 points to five. The losers played well at times, but their effort was not as good as that on the previous Saturday, hen they beat Athletic by 8 point* to 3, and for the greater part of the time Kaitangata dominated the situation. Kaitangata opened the scoring, and at one stage led by 10 points to nil, but Pacific got a try just betoro the fiist spell A nice potted goal by Keen brought Pacifiic’a score

up to five points, but a little later Kaitangata scored again, and from that stage the country team never looked like losing. J. Crook, T. Crook, F. Crook, Forrester, and Prescott were a tower of strength to Kaitangata. They were in the thick of the fray all the time, and were nearly always prominent when any outstanding work was accomplished. Timlin, Maxwell, and Keen did a lot of useful work for Pacific. Christian Brothers gave a brilliant display of the code at Milton last Saturday. The spectacular passing movements by the back division were a treat to witness, and it was small wonder that the residents of Milton were impressed. Such a fast, open game, played on a rough ground, could not fail to impress any body of spectators. Athletic were very disappointing ou Saturday. The whole team appeared to have an off day, and their half-hearted showing was in striking contrast to the splendid display made by Christian Brothers. Both M’Kay and Webber, who are looked upon as two of Athletic’s Star players, were far from being hi form. Webber made several wild passes, which was very unusual, while MTxay appeared to adopt a go-as-you-please style. Athletic appeared at their best in collaring, as they stemmed the strenuous onslaughts of their opponents most successfully on several occasions. But the whole team lacked cohesion.

The last of the senior inter-club games will be played on Saturday. At present Christian Brothers have a lead of three points, so that their place at the head of the medal competition is assured. They have played excellent football for several weeks, and have well earned the place of honour which they occupy. The junior grade match between City and Christian Brothers, which will be played on Saturday, may be the final in that competition. At present Christian Brothers are two points ahead of City, but they have played one more match than the latter. If Christian Brothers win there will be no need to carry the competition further, but if City secure a victory another match will be necessary. In Auckland on Saturday week, Ponsonby, who met Marist Brothers, looked a beaten team, but with time up and the timekeeper waiting for the ball to go dead, they notched the winning try. The Grafton third grade team (Auckland) intend to make a trip south and play a match in Christchurch this month.

Several young players new to the code made an appearance with the Athletic team at Milton, and show every promise for the future. Two lads who were very prominent were the Buchanans. I. Buchanan, the lad in the back division, is a fast runner and has initiative, while G. Buchanan, playing with the forwards, is a hard worker.

Several members of the League All Blacks now In England suffered severely from sea-sickness on the trip across the Pacific. It is stated that C. Gregory was one of the worst cases.

M’DaUghlin, one of N'orthcote’s best forwards, Buffered a broken finger In fielding a ball prior to a recent match, and could not take part In the game. It. Carter, a former Pukekohe High School skipper; played for Klngsland senior recently, and put up a great game. He scales 12.18 and is 17 years of age. He scored two tries. An admirer of the clean, honest football played by B. Mackie, of the City Club (Auckland) gave concrete evidence of his appreciation last week, when lie nskM permission of the A.R.L. to present Mackie with a cap. The matter was referred to the City Club. By defeating Marlst Brothers on Saturday the Hornby senior, team • secured possession of the Thacker • Shield. The winners will be open to challenges from champion teams from other South Island centres, the rules for the Shield having been widened this season. The challenge matches will be played In Christchurch. A brilliant exhibition of forward play was given by Tom O’Connor for: Christian Brothers at Milton on Saturday. This player seemed to rise to the occasion, and simply revelled In his work. He was always bn the ball, never seemed to tire, and his strength carried him through half the opposition time and again with several players clinging to his body. O Connor 8 exhibition greatly pleased the crowd. On his present form he' would prove a topnotch Otago or New Zealand representative forward. Brien played well for City on. Saturday, and should be at his best in a couple of weeks. He is now picking up the fine points of the League game. On Saturday Kaikorui proved the value of training. Their backs and forwards combined well, the result being the best performance bv the team this season. In the closing stages they were going well, while the City players were run off their legs through want of training. Kaikorai were unfortunate to lose on Saturday. One try in particular should not have been allowed against them. When Huiit scored for City he was easily five yards offside, but the incident escaped the referee’s notice. The try was converted, City thus getting five points. Prescott seems to be a decided success as a forward in the Kaitangata team. He and Rodgers are a pair of great leaders. Kaitangata’s success on the last two Saturdays ‘shows that they are a hard team to beat when they have their best team in the field. The iunior match between City and Christian Brothers on Saturday is expected to provide a close finish. If both sides are at full strength the public should see a good exhibition on the Oval. It is interesting to note that both City and Ponsonby have had to plav-off for the Auckland championship for years past and on each occasion the result has been in doubt until the final bell. . Hornbv will probably put it over City unless they devote more time to training in the next two weeks. There is no doubt that City have a good side at their best, and are quite capable of holding the Coro fup. All that, is needed is strict attention to training, without which hnv team might defeat them, ns was proved last Saturday. The value of straight running was evidenced on Saturdav in the Citv-Kaitangata match. Most of the tries scored by both sides were obtained bv a player beating his man and going straight for the line with his supports handy. It is surprising how short the distance is when players resort to straight running. They are over the line before the other side wake up. It would be hard to speak individually of the Christian Brothers backs, after their splendid showing at Milton. Every lad was brilliant, the passing being crisp and faultless, while the work of the forwards was also of a very high order. Quinn. Woodhouse. Fitzpatrick. Fitzgerald,, and Blacklrdge wore, like Tom O’Connor, always prominent. Cusack iourneved to Milton with his team, hut as he was still offering from a slight iniurv to one of ’■ls knees received the preview* Saturday Pa did not don the green iersev.

Two Auckland players named VVoIIs and ' T awkes proved their keenness recently hv taking Part in two games, first for Devon-

port intermediate and later for the third open. In both outings they acquitted themsejyes very creditably. . . There is every indication that the visit of the Christian Brothers and Athletic te&ms to Milton has aroused the interest of the young country blood in the coue. It was pleasing to see such a large crowd lining the sides of the ground, while the game was in progress, and the comments heard on all sides were very favourable. “This came will do me,'* one enthusiast was heard to remark while another sturdy country lad said it was “a tip-top game, and had Rugby beaten t£> a fare-you well. The enthusiastic meeting held on Saturday evening clinched the matter so far as the code making an impression was concerned. There is little doubt that League will soon bo well established in Milton. Balclutha, and other southern towns. . As the result of the receipt of a letter from the West Coast League expressing regret at the Canterbury League s action in deciding not to visit the Coast this season and requesting that the decision be reconsidered, it has been decided that a team be sent provided the West Coast Centre pays all expenses, or. alternately, allows 60 per cent, of thii gross gate, and guarantees two-thirds of the expenses. In commenting on the match between

City and Devonport (Auckland) the wew Zealand Herald states that the amendments to the plav-the-ball rule were watched with 1 special interest and both teams gave an ' excellent interpretation of the rule. It cer--1 tainly speeded up the game and the player” "ave every assistance to the referee in the control of the amendment. A challenge to play the winner of the Thacker Shield competition for the shield has been received by the Canterbury Rugby League from the winner of the West Coast competition, the Runanga Club. The match probably will be played on September 25. The Addington Club also has challenged the Christchurch winner of the shield, but the trophy will not be at stake. l In the annual report of the English Rugby League full support of its clubs is asked for in carrying out the programme of the New Zeaalnd team s tour. The first test takes places on October 2, at Wigan the second at Hull on November 13 and the third and last test will be played at Leeds on January 15. in addition there will be matches played against England and Wales, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumberland, and ■. Glamorgan. The itinerary comprises some 36 matches —a pretty stiff order, and will find out the weaknesses of the team before the last Last season (says the Christchurch Star) the Marist Third Grade team had the proud distinction of having scored 18J points, and of having had only two points scored against them. ihis yeara team, whose personnel is entirely different, have eclipsed this record. In the competition they have scored 211 points, with only two registered against them, which means they have not had their line crossed Besides winning both competitions, they annexed the trophies for the tournament held on the Kings Birthday. Much of the credit of tins fine performance is due to the teams coach, Mr F. Greenless, who has taken a very Ine interest in them all the season. . A general meeting of the Grey League Football Club was held on t nday evening (says the correspondent of the Clfristchurcb Press), when Mr H. Moore nresided over an attendance of -over 40 members. It was resolved that the West Coast , Centre be requested to furnufc a copy of the minute relative to senior Rugby players participating in a junior League fixture. It was urther resolved to forward an appeal to the New Council outlining the position in connec tion with the protest and further that the Grev Club refrain from participating m anv - League fixtures until such time as a definite decision has been reached on this matter. The club alsd expressed its full confidence in the delegates. Messrs H. Moore and J. Thomas. The meeting was convened as the result of the dismissal of the Grey Club’s protest by the VUst Coast Centre against the Club nlaving G. Brown a senior representative Rugbv player, in the junior match Grey v. Kotuku. played at Cobden. , At a general meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Football League last week a letter was, received from the Addington Club protesting against a try scored by V’™ l ; a member of the Hornby team, m a mate! against the protesting club. It was stated that the player was out when he scoied the try, and that the touch judge raisea his fla". The referee said that the ball was well inside when; the try was scored The touch judge stated that the try was scored inside the line, but that be'v, knocked by a player s legs immediately afterwards, and at that moment he involuntarily raised his flag. said he considered it was not a tr y at all Mr T, Kirton contended that Mr Allen could not give evidence. Mr Allen asked the touch judge whether he raised the flag before Vivian scored the try. The touch judge (Mr Davis) reiterated his previous statement, and said . emphatically that he did not raise the flag before the trv was scored. Mr W. Healey said they were losing sight of the mam point: the touch judge had his flag up. If the referee had awarded a try and then he saw the flag up, he would have to alter his decision. Mr Kirton supported Mr Healey. Mr G. G- Main' considered it was a fair try, and he moved that the protest be dismissed. Mr F. Smyth seconded the motion. Mr Allen said that he was perfectly satisfied that it was not a try, and he would not support the motion. The motion was carried. The exhibition game played at Suva by the New Zealand team will long be remembered by the boys, who state that the hospitality extended to them was wonder*U Harry Thomas, the only Otago representative in the. All Black team, was successful in winning the deck quoits championship on the voyage Home, securing a prize of the value of £2. This, the winner states, comes in. verv handy.

NEW ZEALAND TEAM’S FIXTURES. The fixtures of the New Zealand Rugby League football team in England for the present tour are: — September 18—v. Halifax. September 22—v. Castleford. September 25—v. Barrow. September 29r-v. Widnes. October 2 —v. England (first test), at Wigan. October 6—v. York. October 9—v. Warrington. October 13—v. Featherstonne, October 16 —v. Hull. October 20—v. Bradford Northern. October 23—v. Oldham. October 27 —v. Leeds .October 30 —v. St. Helens Recreation. November 3 —v. Salford. November 6—v. Huddersfield. November 10 —v. Bramlye. November 13—v. England (second test), at Hull. _ c ~ November 17—v. Wigan Higbficld. November 20 —v. Bailey. November 23—v. Keighley. November 27 —v. Swinton. November 30 —v. Lancashire County. December 4—v. Wales, at Pontypridd. December B—v.8 —v. St. Helens. December 11—v. Wigan. December 14 —v. Yorkshire County. Decmeber 18—v. Hunslet. December 25—v. Pontynridd. December 27 —v. Broughton Rangers. January I—v.1 —v. Hull Kingston Rovers. January 3—v. Rochdale Hornets. January B—v. Cumberland County. January 15—v. England (third test), at Leeds. January 22 —v. Wakefield Trinity. January 29 —v. England, at Paris. THE ALL BLACKS AT HOME. The New Zealanders have made a good start on their English tour by defeating Dewsburv by 13 points to 9 points, especially as they landed in the Old Country onlv about a week before the match. The -Northern Rugby League’s official guide for the 1925-26 season shows that Dewsburv was placed eighth in the competition out of 27 teams. Its record was Matches played, 36: won, 20; lost. 14; drawn, 2; It scored 310 points and had 269 points scored against it. The percentage of wins was 58.35. The 1907-8 New Zealand League team beat Dewsburv and Batley combined team by 18 points to 8 points. Complaining that the doings of the New Zealand Rugby League team in England wore not receiving the publicity thev deserved iu proportion to the great number of people interested, was voiced by the president of the Canterbury Rugby League (Dr H. T. J. Thacker), on Monday night. Dr Thacker stated that he had received n cablegram about five hour? after the match and the information in the following morn ing’s newspapers was from private sources.