League Opening

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 647, 26 April 1929, Page 8

League Opening

CHAMPIONSHIP STARTS TO-MORROW

Devonport v. Ponsonby

WHAT promises to be a most successful season will he ushered in to-morrow by the Auckland Rugby Football League when it commences its senior A and senior B competitions at Carlaw Park. Preliminary games were played last Saturday, but to-morrow is the official opening of the season.

THK chief match of the day will be the clash between Devonport, last season’s championship winners, and their erstwhile rivals, Ponsonby. Shore should be as strong as ever with Alf and Leu Scott in the van. Hutt, Payne, Fagan and the Peckham brothers will form the backbone of the Ponsonby side, while it is still within the bounds of possibility that the former New Zealand representative. Delgrosso, will don the blue and black jersey for yet another season before saying good-bye to the game. He held Ponsonby together in wonderful fashion last season, so that his captaincy would again be a valuable asset to them. St. George, Ruby and Casey will again form the nucleus of a very strong van for Devonport, so that for the first game of the season tomorrow, the battle should be between two sets of keen forwards. • Newton is down to play Marist on the number two area at 3 p.m., and another good match is promised. Newton this year is minus the services of the peerless Dufty, who has transferred to Ellerslie, but has quite a good -back line left in Murray, Hardgrave and Little. Tykes will again have the assistance of Brisbane, Brady, Johnstone, Graham and Campbell. Jim O’Brien may also turn out. Richmond plays Ellerslie at Ellerslie at 3 p.m., and Kingsland-A.thletic meets City on Carlaw Park No. 1 at 1.45 p.m Senior B Grade Parnell.—Kerr, Anderson, Hosking, Tattle, Lunn, Porteous, Davies. McGrath, York, Broekliss, Sloman, Wilson, Ritchie, Veart, McLaren. O’Donnell, Lyinburn. Gardiner. Bartlett. oiahuhu.—Philp (2), Faulkner, McDonald.* Marcroft. Materson, Eustace,, Ellery, Haggle (2>, Jury, Murray. Gordon, Whale, Whye, Levy, White, Pitcher. Point Chevalier.—-Sorby, McPherson, ■McLaren (2), Monaghan, Humphries, Kindly, Cal’ander, Goodwin, Bowden, Pitman, Walker, Smith, Carroll, Godkin, Horton, Duncan. Surtees (2), Morrow. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE QUESTION OF TRANSFERS At a meeting of the executive of the Auckland Rugby League on Wednesday evening Mr. G. Rhodes presiding. a lengthy discussion followed a notice of motion by Mr. H. Solomon, that all flnanc*aL me mbers of any club shall have the right at the end of each season to nominclub they intend to play with the following season. In supporting the motion, Mr. Solomon

said under existing conditions the transfer rule was a farce and players should have the option of going to any club they desired. Mr. H. Douglas opposed the motion on the grounds that a strong financial club should concentrate on getting the best players available. The motion was lost. The Richmond Club advised the withdrawal of its team from the B section. It was decided to advise all clubs of the position and call for the nomination of a team to fill the vacancy. The Mangere Club advised that a new football ground had been secured in the district and it was decided to play the match between Otahuhu and Mangere senior B there next Saturday. It was resolved to place a wreath on the cenotaph in memory of fallen soldiers. Regarding time in senior matches it was agreed they shall be of two spells of 40 minutes’ duration, and the time of starting shall be decided each week. Messrs. E. V. Fox, E. K. Asher and H. Avery were appointed selectors of the Auckland team. The following transfers were approved: W. J. Perry. Parnell, to City; H. J. Paton, Parnell, to City; J. Keane, Parnell, to Newton: W. Molloy, Parnell, to Richmond; K. H. May, Northcote, to Ellerslie; J. Telford, Glebe CSydney), to Richmond. Ten applications for registration as senior players were received. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY The following fixtures were arranged for Saturday:— Senior Grade A.—Ponsonby v. Devonport, Carlaw Park No. 1, 3 p.m., Mr. L. Bull; Newton v. Marist, Carlaw Park

Battling forwards in to-morrow’s principal game.

No. 2, 3 p.m., Mr. P. Rogers; Richmond v. Ellerslie, Ellerslie. 3 p.m., Mr. A. McKubrey: Kingsland v. City, Carlaw Fark No. 1, 1.45 p.m., Mr. T. Ohernside. Senior Grade B.—Point Chevalier v. Parnell, Carlaw Park No. 2, 1.45 p.m., Mr. F. Thompson: Otahuhu v. Mangere, Mangere Domain, 3 p.m., Mr. G. McCowatt; Northcote, a bye.