HOCKEY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23201, 27 May 1937, Page 4

HOCKEY

By Centre-half POSITIONS OF TEAMS The following table shows the positions of the teams in the senior competition:—

THE GROUNDS Such was the condition of the grounds on Saturday that hockey could be played only after a fashion. Actually, both Albany and High School Old Boys displayed more than reasonable form considering the hazards offered by Tonga Park No. 1 ground, but the condition of the surface could not but lead to rough play, and at some stages of this match the tactics employed were a little questionable. The southern end of the playing field was a matter of'inches deep in soft mud from which an odour which can be described only as horrible arose to assail the nostrils of the players. Field markings were, of course, conspicuous by their absence. It is just a question whether the association was justified in playing its matches on Saturday. Fortunately there were only two—the University A v. University B game being left over in the meantime on account of the University vacation. Of course, with one day's matches already postponed, and the prospect of another interruption early next month, the association is naturally anxious to lose no time, but it may be offered in argument that even this important factor is insufficient reason to send teams out on a ground where conditions must of necessity lead to hard play and possible injuries. As it happened, there were no serious mishaps, but hard knocks were the rule in the AlbanyOld Boys match, and some might easily have been followed by nasty injuries. GOOD DEFENCE Albany found High School Old Boys a different team.from last year's, and the match was keenly contested. In the first half, Albany was defending the south end, and Old Boys were set a hard task to score, the extensive muddy patch which reached from the twenty-five to the goals effectively preventing accurate shooting. Despite this handicap, Old Boys battled hard, and had the Albany team extended to keep the ball out. Albany had to thank its new goalkeeper for its immunity on numerous occasions. The new custodian is D. Densem, who showed every sign by his play on Saturday of becoming one of the safest keepers seen in Dunedin for a long time. At the commencement of the season, when the club was faced with the necessity of replacing its trusty goalie, Twose, it appeared that this position was going to be the weak link in the Red and Black team. Now it is apparent that such is far from the case, for if Densem can keep up the form he displayed on Saturday, Albanys goal, will be as well guarded as any in the competition, and considerably better than most. Densem displayed keen judgment in coming out to meet the ball when the occasion demanded, and equal circumspection in staying in the right place in close play. His kicking, despite the greasy nature of the ground and the ball, was accurate, and on more than one occasion he contrived, not only to clear dangerous shots, but to send the ball where it would do most good. While not, perhaps, as keen in his judgment as Densem, Callon, Old Boys goalie, also played a game which did him and his team credit. Callon was more inclined to be rash in coming out to meet the play on occasions when it might have been safer to stay in the goal mouth, but it must be said in his favour that not one of the goals scored against him was the result of a shot that he should have stopped, and on one occasion at least he was decidedly unlucky m falling and being unable to get up again m time to intercept Ainger's shot. , Both sides owed a good deal to their centre-halves. For Albany, Hobson was always where the fight was fiercest and he consistently fed his forwards with long, accurate passes, which were the means of opening up attacks. Webb, also, played a keen game for Old Boys, but he was. on the day, more useful on defence than on 3 Edginton led the Old Boys forwards with good judgment and sunported his outside men well. lne day was not. however, one when combination told, and the majority of the scores resulted from opportunities quickly grasped by the man nearest. Both Old Boys' wings, Botting and Williams, did their utmost to put their side on top, and it was due in some measure to the speed at which they carried the ball down-field that the game was played at the speed which was maintained, in spite of tne soft surface. . On Albany's side, Rennick worked as hard as usual, and, apart from a tendency to drop back out of position, did his share to keep the ball in the air. His one shot at goal went astray, largely on account of the rough ground.

P*S AND Q'S IN HOCKEY The fourth article in this series deals with quietness. It is strange how so many players who would otherwise be counted as good spoil their play by not observing one of the simplest unwritten laws of the game. This defect marks them down at once as being third-rate or showing lack of self-con-trol. A player is sometimes left out of the actual play during a game for some considerable time, during which he has ample time to observe the rest of his team. When he sees one of his team mates miss the ball, give sticks, or make some equally simple mistake, he is apt to criticise their poor play. In fact, he feels that he can do much better himself, and with some fervour expresses his disgust and calls for the ball to be passed to him in no uncertain tone. His colleagues, who have been doing all the work and receiving very little praise for it, are not likely to pass the ball to one who just criticises them. Thus there springs up in the team a feeling of disharmony and lack of unity. This spells disaster for the team. To be a good team you should be quiet, for quietness means that there is understanding among the players, which does not need shouted orders. Quietness means that the team is functioning smoothly. It means, too, that all the breath is being saved for further effort and hard work. Quietness shows that each member of the team has self-control. If a player is able to control himself from talking aloud, he is usually the player who is most wanted in a team. He may think what he likes, about his colleagues' play, but he should say nothing that will mar the match. Again, he may not agree with the referee, but, as a player, it is not his place to say so. A referee has the final word on all points in the game, and no player can gainsay his decision. Should he question some ruling, it is not out of place for the player to ask after the match why the referee gave his apparently contradictory decision. Referees will be only too pleased to talk over such matters. But let the player show his disapproval by. arguing with the referee or a player on the field and he is at once under censure. It is clearly a case of thinking twice before you speak. Only recently cases have been dealt with of players who frankly lost control of themselves in the heat of the occasion. To be given a warning by the Management Committee is surely a disgrace, for it not only marks a player down when he is on the field, but also when he is off the field.

Quietness, too, reveals confidence in your captain. He may have occasion to give one or two orders, but these are always brief and' to the' point. Obey his decision without question, and you will earn his praise, besides that of your fellow team mates. Lastly, by being quiet on the field you will improve the standard of. play, for you will think more than talk, and thinking is one of the essentials of the code. Quiet, thoughtful players, then, are what are wanted on the hockey field, for they are marked by their keenness and eagerness to assist the game. /

Goals P. W. L. D. F. A.Pts Albany 4 4 — — 27 5 8 University A 4 4 — — 23 2 8 H.S. Old Boys 5 3 2 — 20 7 6 Technical Old Boys 4 1 3 — 7 17 2 University B 3 1 2 — 3 10 2 Training Coll. 4 1 3 — 6 18 2 Collegiate .. 4 — 4 — 4 31 0