FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 May 1924, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

TARANAKI REPRESENTATIVES. TEAM TO MEET WANGANUI. REVIEW OF PLAYERS’ FORM. The North v. South Taranaki match at Eltham on Thursday could have been of very little assistance to the selectors in selecting the team to meet Wanfanui on Tuesday (King’s Birthday), played as it was in the mud and fain. Consequently the selectors did not have the opportunity of putting the finishing touches on their work by seeing the players that were sorted out by the divisional selectors in action under conditions that would enable them to give anything like their best. In selecting the team to uphold the honour of the province, the selectors, therefore, were in a somewhat difficult position ai\d in criticising the team this must not be forgotten. No doubt the team will be criticised very freely, as probqbly every district considers that its chib possesses one or more members that would do better justice to the position than some of the nfen chosen. No doubt, too, there is a good deal of justification for this opinion being honestly held, as they have probably sen their club men play several times under much better conditions than they saw the selected men play in the trial game, which was perhaps the only occasion on which they have seen some of the men play this season. CHANCE FOR YOUNG MEN. Moveover this year in Taranaki there are comparatively few outstanding men in any position, but there are a number of good average men, about on a par. and consequently there may be many men left out quite as good as those included. On the whole the selectors have done their work well. They have not gone too much on past reputation, but have included . several young players, who will thus be given the opportunity to make good. If they fail they can be replaced. Forward, the team should be well up to the standard of past Taranaki teams, as the forwards, while not of the physique of the old time packs, are very speedy and possess plenty of “ginger.” Exception may be taken to the inclusion of Fryday as a hooker, as he usually plays further back in the scrum or as rover, but he has shown that he can hook and he should mate well-with Robinson. the Hawera hooker. Both are also fast and very dangerous in attack. As anticipated R. Paterson is lock and should hold the scrum together well. Chadwick (Hawera) and Walters (Stratford) are the supports. The former is the Hawera winger and he has been playing a dashing game this year, being always on the ball, though perhaps a little apt to get offside. Walters is a very promising player, who was perhaps the best forward on the ground on Thursday. Ki veil (Stratford) and Matene (Clifton) are the hack row men, and the former is worth his place, though on Thursday’s play O’Rorke (Opunake), Morrison (Tukapa) and Ike (Okaiawa) must have run Matene very close. G. Taylor at rover justified his inclusion, his footwork being particularly good. WEAKNESS IN BACKS. The backs are not so reassuring. There appears to be no outstanding half or wing three-quarters available this year. Crowe is probably the best of the club half-back?, and. while his defence is very sound, he does not impress on attack. The five-eighths, B. Roberts (Okaiawa) and McGregor (Hawera), providing they work together, should be a bright combination. Roberts is very solid in defence, handles the ball well, is very nippy and, providing he gets rid of the ball quickly, should be hard to keep out of the position. McGregor, when played wing three-quarter last year, Was a disappointment. This year at five-eighths, he has shown distinct improvement, being very fast and quick to seize an opening, while his defence has improved out of all knowledge, and. should he go on, bids fair to rival his brother who is playing in a similar position for the South Island.

D- Johnston at centre three-quarter is the right man for the position in the absence of H. Brown. There is, however, a shortage of Wing three-quar-ters, and the selectors have placed Ennis on one wing. The Tukapa player is seen at his best as an Inside back, but he can fill the bill as wing threequarter very well. In playing K. Meuli as wing, the selectors have experimented, as in his club he plays centre threequarter. Many would have preferred to have seen Ross in this position, but Meuli is fast, tackles well and has the opportunity of making good. With Sinclair out, Priar is perhaps the best man for the position of full-back and this year is playing up to his best form. Sheehan, the emergency back, is a decidedly useful back who can be played anywhere from half-back to wing three-quarter. The team travels to Wanganui on Monday evening, the ’bus leaving New at 5 p.m. and Hawera at 7 p.m.

1 DEWAR SHIELD AT STRATFORD ON TUESDAY. THE DRAW ARRANGED. The Dewar Shield will be contested at Stratford on Tuesday, 24 teams from all parts of Taranaki having entered. The matches will be played on Victoria Park, play commencing at 11 a.m. The draw is:— No. 1. group on No. 1 ground.—Old Boys A. v. Tukapa; Kaponga A. y.’Opunake; Stratford A. v- Eltham; byes, Hawera A. v. Clifton; Patea. New Plymouth High School A., Waimate, Star A. No. 2 group, No- 2 ground.—Stratford C. v. Cardiff: Star B. v. Midhirst B.; New Plymouth High School B. v. Old Boys B*; Kaponga B. v. Celtic; byes, Kaponga C., Midhirst A., Toko, Stratford B. ASSOCIATION GAME. TARANAKI TEAM TO PLAY WANGANUI. The tema to represent Taranaki in the match against Wanganui on Tuesday next at the A. and P. Showgrounds, Hawera, is:— Goal. —Renwiek (Hawera). Backs. —Edwards (Manaia), Beare (Hawera). Half-backs.—Pooch (Hawera), Nich-

oils (Kaponga). W. Brown (Auroa). Forwards. —'Ramsay (Hawera), Freakley (Kaponga), Smart (Auroa). Campbell (Hawera). H. Pollard (Kaponga). Emergencies. Budd, Betteridge, Thatcher (Manaia), G. Brown (Hawera). NEW PLYMOUTH MATCH. The following A and B. teams will meet at the Showgrounds to-day at 2.30 pm.— A team.—Herdson. Parwell, Bandell. White, Matthews. Sykes, Skogland, McCronie, Brce, Howlett, Woodhead. B team.—Holmes, Mells. Harlow, Shepherd, Thompson. Corringe. Pickering, Durnwell, Brown, Davies, Harris. THE LEAGUE GAME. AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES’ TOUR. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received May 30- 10.15 p.m. Sydney, May 30. The combined Universities’ League football team sailed on the Maheno for New Zealand.