FOOTBALL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14983, 9 August 1919, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

(By Spectator.)

Unfortunately the match between Poverty; •■ Bay representatives and returned . soldiers was - marred by the weather, conditions, the ball becoming very greasy and hard to handle. ' The I\ls. team underwent practically a complete change, the R-.S. team being also . altered as from published list, but still anticipated a 'handsome win for the returned men. 'Su«h, however, proved a wrong conclusion, due to 'the excellent play ot the High School -backs and the superiority of the P.B. forwards m the loose. After the initial play I considered that unless the R.S. compiled a good score m the first spell with the heavy wind and rain behind them, they could not hope, to winJ ■>•■'.- Their forwards, who, considering the conditions; , should have proved . superior, failed tp make the - necessary -t < use of their weight, and their backs failed against the steady, clever handling of the High School backs. For the returned soldiers Fairlie, at full, after becoming used to. the .sticky ball, played a really useful game. Morrison at three-quarters put m some hard, useful work. R. Hansen, grafted -hard but handles badly and might; use his head more. Walters, at half,. played. a very fair game, but hangs on a. trifle tooMong. Deveiy '(five-eighths) played out of. his iplace : he is a j forward only, and a good one. Hall: 'I do not ,adimte_ some pf the tactics of this player, which seem quite unnecessary; otherwise he plays; headily. Kay played a useful back, fgame, but lacked the necessai-y . condition. McGuffie, Winter, Heenef and Lariglands all played hard forward games, but I consider the soldiers lacked -.a-, fast following-up forward. ■•.■:;, ,v ; , .;.. „. \. ;, . ; .;;. ,•' ' Langlands, f or- the .Rep; team, played a very useful game,,;. \H_e is just a little too to move, A but; his display was 1 generally good., Awarau. played a good! gam c . as wing three-quarters. :. Ha runs strongly,, and runs Joo^ Priestly and Pittar v were really ■; playing., up: to fine effort. Mouat. played his .usufa,l safe, plucky gariie. Hundleby saved his side again and again— he should turn out a top-notcher, Bull at half olays a very plucky, game and gets the, ball Way to his backs tn excellent style. Cbtte'rill and Winter, the Old boys' hookers, played a real hard game and got the. ball from the scrum consistently. 'Winter is a great grafter for his- weight. Potterell is always on the ball. , Paki Matene cbiir sistently. shirked the heavy, work-4-a very poor display. „ St^yens'pn.— T^his player .is out ou his own . aa a followerup. Time after time he left his other forwards behind. He also grafts hard and should receive consideration from the selectors on his play. Thompson is also a very useful • forward and is always near by. .Patty is an honest toiler and will work his place m any team. Bell, though' playing- out' of .his,, placo 'as rover, was always m thethiek of it.-r-A veiy keen and. useful player. Fleniming played a fine hard : game and is very dangerous- m anything- loope.