SOCCER SIDELIGHTS PASSING NOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 674, 28 May 1929, Page 13

SOCCER SIDELIGHTS PASSING NOTES

4 (By

Perseus)

The Soccer Boom: The first round of the senior A championship is due for completion on Saturday next, and so far as the season has gone the round ball game has taken on a new lease of life. With the new constitution working smoothly and harmoniously, the code is booming again. The large crowds drawn by the fascination of the night games in the mid-week matches, and the growing gates on Saturday afternoons, are welcome signs of increasing public support, and there is a cheerful spirit of optimism and enthusiasm among the many enthusiasts who are devoting time and energy to pushing the game ahead.

A Busy Hive: On© has only to drop in at the popular headquarters of the Y.M.C.A. on a Tuesday evening to realise the hearty fashion in which everyone is pulling his weight, and the active army of volunteers who are giving their services willingly and freely to foster the interests of the players. In one room a dozen enthusiasts are attending to the minor division, and catering for the hundreds of junior players and schoolboys. Next door the referees are in conclave, providing officials for all games, and interpreting knotty problems of rules and laws. Across the hall the judicial committee sits in judgment on offenders, and weighs the evidence pro and con before admonishing or punishing. The junior division committee are assembled close by, and the earnest delegates from the second and third division clubs conserve the interests of players in the critical period between minority and seniority. On the first floor, the senior divisional delegates now enjoy a large measure of self-government for the clubs, and nearly a score of representatives work well together in a sporting spirit of give-and-take for the good of the game. On the top floor, fittingly enough, the new Board of Control sits in earnest, assembly, weaving all the work of the committees below into a cohesive working system, and guiding the destinies of tho game in matters of major moment. With the machinery running so smoothly, and such harmonious working of the system, the progress of the game is only a natural result. Our Debt to the Navy: The glorious game on Saturday between the sister cruisers for the Soccer supremacy of the New Zealand Squadi*on was a striking reminder of the debt we owe to the Navy for fostering the game in Auckland. Elver since the naval depot was established at Devonport, the senior service has been a staunch and dynamic factor in developing the game. The original Philomel team, of whom Batty and Jock Corbett are still in harness, gave the code a great fillip in

some thrilling duels at Victoria Park, when the cruiser and Shore finished level in the senior championship, and played three furious draws before agreeing to share the honours.

On Mr. Neesham’s Selection: The sole selector of the A.F.A. carries the fullest and continuous confidence of the players and bankside critics, and his e*ect for the first big rep. game of tho season cannot call for much' adverse criticism. Batty, the evergreen, will again don the gloves to defend the

Auckland citadel, and In Gerrard and Reid we have two backs with the pace and skill to “repel boarders.” The half trio, Tinkler. Christie, and Jones, are tried and trusted experts in both attack and defence. Innes and Kay were foregone conclusions as wing forwards, with Hislop an ideal partner for Kay, and Spencer as still the star centreforward and goal-getter. There would not be much to choose between Dunsmore, Chalmers, and Humphries for the position of fifth wheel in the Auckland vanguard to partner Innes, and Mr. Neesham elects Dunsmore for .the tough battle. It is doubtful whether there will be much change in the team when Auckland meets Wellington for tho F.A. Trophy challenge, and the Auckland selector has never yet chosen a losing combination in those games. It will be a harder task to pick the naval reps., but the eleven which takes the field next Monday will take a lot of beating, and the Auckland team is up against a tough proposition this time.

The Triumphant Trams: With only one more game to conclude the first round of the senior A championship. Trams still hold pride of place with an unbeaten record, and it remains for Y.M.C.A. to make a name for itself on Saturday by lowering the green and black colours. Trams had a narrow escape from crashing at Devonport last week, while the Young Men’s defence was strong enough to keep the strong Thistle front line from scoring but a penalty goal. Y.M. has only lost one game, and a win against the champions on Saturday would leave the competition in a very open state for starting the final round. Xot that anyone will grudge the transporters their well-earned post of honour at the top of the table. The team is keen and eager to a man, and after a hard day’s toil go to their training with a zest which is an object lesson to the younger players who find themselves outlasted and outstayed against the clever old 'uns.

j He considered that the amendment de- ! J veloped back play at the expense of j the forwards. It was impossible to j screw the scrums, and halfbacks could ; never be caught in possession. The rover was having quite as bad an effect, on the game as the old wingforward. It had been maintained, he said, that the abolition of the amendment would have a bad effect on back j play, but was there anything wrong i with the standard of back play under ! the old rule?

Mr. Cleal considered that the amendment created infringements, and made for bad scrummaging. AMENDMENTS VALUABLE

Further arguments in favour of the retention of the amendments were advanced by Mr. G. Murdoch. He said that, played as at present. Auckland Rugby was crisp, bright, and open, and met with the full approval of the public. Mr. Murdoch also supported the no-charge rule. It was not fair that a player should be denied the right to make use of his ability to kick merely because of the faulty handling of the man holding the ball, lie claimed.

According to Mr. C. E. O. Badeley. all New Zealand unions had permission to play under the amendments. Their failure to take advantage of this opportunity was silent testimony to their opinion of it. This delegate also considered that the imaginary line rule had slowed up back play. It had defeated its own object, and the wingforward had become a bigger parasite than ever. SUCCESSFUL AUCKLANDERS Referring to Auckland forward play, Mr. A. Tilly cited McWilliams and Hadley, who had been the best tight work forwards to go away with the 1928 All Blacks. In regard to tho screwing of the scrum, the amended rule was no obstacle. Once a scrum was screwed, it was no longer a scrum, and tlie rule did not apply. Mr. Cameron considered that a lack of uniformity in ruling was responsible for the dissatisfaction. Grammar had a grievance, but a uniform ruling would solve tlie difficulty. Mr. F. E. Sutherland opposed the motion on behalf of the referees. 3le admitted that different referees had different interpretations of the rule. The difficulty was that referees found themselves in trouble coming back to club Rugby after controlling representative games. There was no doubt that the referees were faced with knotty problems. That might be an argument in favour of a universal rule, but the referees were content to play under the amendments. Other rules, such as the kicking into touch rule, had been adopted throughout New Zealand, and it was possible that the imaginary line rule would alo become universal even in South Africa. INDIVIDUALISTS Mr. G. Dixon made an appeal for reverting to the old rules. “Today,” he said, “a team is composed of 15 individuals and is not a team at all.” Mr. S. Garland claimed that the fault was the referees and not the rules. “We want a school for referees so that they can be properly trained,” he said. A Marist delegate described the point under discussion as “a storm in a teacup.” Under present referees’ ruling teams were playing under wha.t practically amounted to the old rules. The speaker suggested that as a decision should not be arrived at in a. hurry, the meeting should be adjourned. If there was to bo a reversion, it should not be until the beginning of next season. * “Don’t sacrifice your club football for the sake of winning interprovincial, international or intercolonial matches,” was the advice given delegates by the chairman. An amendment moved by a Marist delegate that the meeting be adjourned until later in the season was- lost by a substantial majority.