THE SOUTHLAND TEAM.

Southland Times, Issue 21428, 24 June 1931, Page 3

THE SOUTHLAND TEAM.

To the Editor. Sir,—As a subscriber to your paper for many years, and also a senior football player for twenty years, it was with the greatest disappointment I opened your paper and read the names of the Southland team to play Otago on July 1, to find the name of Frank Anderson omitted. Do the selectors not know that when Southland won the Ranfurly Shield from Wairarapa in 1929, it was mainly Anderson’s play that won the day for Southland. One of the selectors who went on tour with them and saw the match told me that even the bril liant Cooke had nothing on him. I have a copy of one of New Zealand’s leading papers with a report of the match and the words used were: “Frank Anderson is the best wing-threequarter seen here this year and should go a long way in big football.” Yet on top of that he wasn’t even asked to play for Southland last year. It must have hurt him to be an onlooker at the helpless exhibition put up by the Southland backs in trying to defend the shield against Wellington. Without doubt they were a poor lot, the All Black included. To add insult to injury,. I see by this morning’s paper that he has not even been asked to keep in training with a view to going on tour. It is a great pity this boy’s chance of becoming an All Black must be marred by three individuals who, to my mind, never played anywhere but in the scrum themselves. If they only knew it, Frank Anderson could be to Southland what Mark Nicholls is to Wellington, if they would only give him the chance. He is also to my mind one of the best place kicks in Southland. Hoping this won’t take up too much space in your valuable paper. I am, etc., GEO. L. LINDSAY. Winton, June 23, 1931.