HOCKEY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23811, 18 May 1939, Page 5

HOCKEY

By Centre Half

FIXTURES July 15.—South Canterbury v. Otago, at Timaru (Seniors and Juniors). August 29.—Canterbury v. Otago, at Dunedin (Seniors and Juniors). THE SENIOR COMPETITION The following table shows the positions of the teams in the senior competition after last Saturday’s matches: P. W. L. D. F. A.Pts.

SATURDAY’S MATCHES Last Saturday’s games were not such as to attract a great deal of interest, the better of the two played being that as between Albany and University B, which was won by the former with a fair amount to spare. The University team did not appear to the best advantage, particularly in the circle, and it was here that Albany won the match The Red and Black forwards played well together and got through or around the defence time and again, while the Blue forwards found Albany’s defence very solid. Had the latter played as well against the University A team, the result might have been different.

Albany has a hard match to play next Saturday, when it will meet the present leaders in the competition, High School Old Boys, and a gpod match is expected, Old Boys got into form early in the season, and now have a team which will not be easily beaten. Last Saturday Old Boys met Collegiate, and did not require to take the game too seriously. Collegiate was unable to put up an adequate defence, but on several occasions got away with movements which promised well. These occasions gave the Old Boys’ defence some concern The first round is nearly complete now. University B has played its five matches, but Training College has vet to meet Collegiate and University A, the latter game, which should have been played last Saturday, being left to an arrangement between the clubs to be played off in mid-week. Old Boys will play Albany next Saturday. This latter match will conclude the first round for Albany, and Collegiate will meet Training College this Saturday to finish its five games. The leadership at the end of the first round lies between Old Boys, University A and Albany. If Old Boys defeat Albany on Saturday, they will have 10 points to Albany’s 6, and University, which should experience no trouble in beating Training College, can make no more than 8. If. however, Albany manages to defeat Old Boys, all three should be equal. Even a draw would give Old Boys the lead, REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES With the first round completed, the selector (Mr R. T. McKelvey) will have had an opportunity of sorting out the promising material, and no doubt he will be considering the idea of putting some players into training for the representative games which will be coming along shortly. There should be no lack of a good forward line this season for the province, though a left wing may not be easily found, as several teams have shown much better form in this department than last year, and the question of defence should be equally easily solved. The half line, however, may give the selector something more difficult to think about. Matcjies with South Canterbury, Eastern and North Otago are now being arranged, and there is a proposal to hold the North Otago match at an early date if the sub-asso-ciation is agreeable. UNIVERSITIES’ TOURNAMENT The interuniversities’ hockey tournament is to be held at Christchurch this year, commencing next Wednesday, and Otago will defend the Seddon Stick, won here a year ago. The following are comments on the Otago University players who have been seen in action in club games here this season.

Goal—Dr J. R. J. Moore is a good keeper, but does not put enough dash into his attack of oncoming forwards. His kicking and stopping are good, but a goalkeeper should command the respect of the opposing forwards. Full-backs, —WT S. wood (left) and H. C. Garlick (right). Wood is a great toiler without being brilliant. He uses a variety of trick moves to feed his halves and forwards, and his positional play is good. Garlick speculates a lot, the result being that he gets his team into trouble on occasion!. His ground shots are generally clean and hard, but not well directed. Half-backs.—C. H. Baird (right), J. C. B. Warren (centre) and G. Milne (left). Baird, the captain, is a heady player who last season was one of the best halves in the New Zealand Universities. This season Warren is playing the best hockey and should easily find a place in the New Zealand University team. Warren’s stick work is superb, and his directional play excellent, but Baird is not far behind him. Milne is a junior from Canterbury and is showing promise. Nevertheless, the writer would prefer to see the reliable Gash playing lefthalf. Gash is unfortunately unavailable owing to a broken clavicle suffered in a recent motor accident. Forwards. —Right-wing, I. Ryburn, plays good hockey at times and he should prove very useful, for he Is an experienced player. His positional play is a fault. He is not as good as Walton, who is playing occasionally for the B team. R. B. Duncan (insideright) is a newcomer to senior hockey, and is a hard toiler. He combines well with both his . right-wing and centre-forward. He is quite good m the circle and has registered some fine goals. B. O. Ryburn (centre) is Otago University’s outstanding forward. His stick work is excellent, and he is a prolific goal-getter. He combines well with Alldred and Duncan, and is playing hockey of the standard produced here by Lowry a season or two ago. A. J. Alldred (inside-left) is undoubtedly one of Otago’s star men. His stick work is excellent, and he is very smart in the circle. He is combining well with Ryburn, but he is not using Alexander, the left-wing, enough. At times he wanders out of position. W. S. Alexander (leftwing) is not impressive, and is inclined to introduce too much body play into the game. His centring is not good, although he is a trier. There does not exist the combination on the left that has been in evidence the last three seasons with Hubbard and Alldred together. The writer is inclined to think that since Hubbard has retired and Alexander taken his place Alldred has chosen for himself a solo role, and this fact has possibly affected Alexander’s play Possible N.Z.U. Blues are as follows’ —Dr Moore (goal), W. S. Wood (fullback). C. H. Baird, J, Le B. Warren (halves), B. O. Ryburn. A. J. Alldred, I. Ryburn (forwards) WOMEN’S NOTES A GRADE COMPETITION The following table shows the positions of the teams in the women’s A Grade Competition:— P. W, L. D. F. A.Ps.

COMPETITION ADVANCING The University and Training College vacation had the effect on Saturday of reducing the A Grade games to two, University B defaulting to Brighton and the University A-Train-ing College match being left over for later attention. The two matches played did not have any notable effect

on the competition, the only point of interest being Brighton’s move up as a result of its default win. King’s demonstrated its superiority against Momona by putting on the large score of 12 goals '-o 1, but Momona showed up to advantage from time to time and Justified the recent comment that this team is showing a steady improvement. King’s has a very strong front line this season, and the goal-shooting on Saturday was a decided improvement on the standard that has existed in Otago lately. Otago did not have an easy game against Dunedin which is also playing a sound and improving game. Dunedin may yet become a factor in the competition, for there is little doubt that this side can defeat the lower teams. As has been the case in every match ibis season, Otago’s halves were the dominant factor in the game. Dunedin’s attack being cleverly stifled for the greater part of the time. Otago played a bustling game aid lost few opportunities and Dunedin was forced to play a defensive game throughout.

H.S. Old Boys 4 4 — - 24 8 8 Albany 4 3 1 — *31 11 6 University A 4 3 1 — 31 6 6 University B 5 2 3 — 20 22 4 Training Col. 3 — 3 — 2 28 0 Collegiate 4 — 4 — 1 36 0 Collegiate 4 — 4 — 1 36 0

King’s 3 3 _ _ 31 1 6 Otago 3 3 — — 17 3 6 University A 2 2 — — G 2 4 Training College .. 2 2 - — 13 2 4 Brighton 3 1 2 — 1 15 2 Dunedin .. 3 — 3—4 11 — University B 2 — 2 — — 17 ' — Momona .. 3 — 3—3 24 —