FOOTBALL

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 75, 1 August 1929, Page 2

FOOTBALL

BOTES EKOM TILE "BASK. (By SIDELINE.) The next sensation on the cards is the senior play-off between Opunake and Star, and the Union wml to-night, decide on the locale of the match. Stratford gave a good exhibition on Saturday last, and put up a great score. A Stratford supportc who had visions of his team bei:\~ in the provincial play-off remarked that it was a pity they could not have made a few, of the redundant points on the previous Saturday. The reply to which, of course, is that in football you can d 0 Just about as much as the other side lets you. Celtic made no sort Of a show; but they are in their first year, and in-and-out play is not to be wondered at. Celtic supporters of the more optimistic kind spoke of the possibility of. a win against Stratford, and even Stratford supporters were prepared t 0 concede that the final scores would be close, but it was one of Celtic's "out" days and they had no show. However, the team i s by no means disgraced, and it remains to be seen if they can go on and show improvement in their second year. Tf a few more "spares" were available results might be better. Next Saturday, sees the final games in the senior competition, but, n 0 surprises may be looked for. Celtic may be able to put up a fight against Star. Recent sickness among a good many of the players had something to do with last Saturday's failure, and if all are fit and well next Saturday they ' may give the Northern Division winners a run. Stratford, may be expected to account for Inglewood, though the men from the north have to be kept watched. They play a good game, making full use of the backs, and theiir rearguard movements take a power of stopping. The return to the playing field of J. Steel and N. P. McGregor (Can- | terbury), G. Nepia (East Coast), J. ) Mill. (Wairarapa) and K. S. Svenson (Wellington), after these players (had announced their retirement, makes one wonder whether it is in ■ view of the British team's tour next season.—N.Z. Herald. Canterbury will have a pretty fair team t 0 go North this year, says a southern writer, but a lot will depend on the men now in Australia keeping fit. Scott, of Canterbury College, is a fine full-back, and another good one is young Roberts the Riccarton cricketer. Loveridge : Carleton and Hart should make a good three-quarter line, with Oliver Lilburne and Dalley for the other places. s I cannot tell, nor can any. one else, who the forwards will be, I but I know that Alley, if he were I playing, would be the best of the J lot. > There will be no deficit on the \ Australian tour of the 1929 All ' Blacks. At the close of the firsi ! three matches enough money was in | i hand from the big "gates" to paj the whole expenses 'of the visit. According to Rugby followers in the "Wairarapa, play in the district is not as clean as rt should be (says a Wellington paper). On .several occasions charges have been made against the C'arterto r team, leaders in the Wairarapa championship, of unfair tactics, and their display against Greytown caused a supporter to write to the press in no moderate terms. ' Aftei describing one or two of the incidents the writer of the letter contjnned: "These rough champions will have to cut this sort of Rugby out and play the game. The ill-feeling became very hot and strong among the onlookers, and onc o or twice the position looked very ugly." A little firmness on the part of the referee would settle ►> any trouble on the field. | Though a referee is not suppos- | cd to reverse hi g decision, the New | Zealand official who controlled a | test between New Zealand and New ty South Wales in New Zealand in 1923 I did so. Cliff Porter .was playing I wing-forward and "Blue" Greatorea | was detailed to play a similar game, | Well, the referee ordered them both jj£ to leave the field, and as they were | about to depart disconsolately, play. | ers of both teams crowded around | j the referee, and Ted Thorn said II pleadingly, "Don't send them off, I sir. It'll look 'crook' in front ol x the Governor-General." The reg force called the two players back and Lord Jellicoe sa w the whole 30 players on the field till the final whistle. SAn interested spectator at the big game, All Blacks v. Australia, in Sydney was • Mr Frank Butler, a veteran of the Rugby Union game

in New South Wales. A treasured possession of Mr Butler is a newspaper clipping published! eighteen years ago of the first New South Wales Rugby Union team (of which he was a member) that played Queensland in ISS2. "Neck-tight jerseys, long knicker s tucked into socks, heavy boots, and neck-scar- j ves in the vogue then for footballers," smiled Mr Butler, on Saturday, "but the football was just as good."