COMING EVENTS.

Observer, Volume XV, Issue 822, 29 September 1894, Page 15

COMING EVENTS.

Dec. B— A.A.A. and C.C. Carnival.

The season just concluded is not by any means a satisfactory one to look back upon. I don't say this because we have not been very successful in our representative matches, although this is not a pleasing feature, but more on account of the disorganisation of our local football consequent upon the large number of foreign matches played. For this reason it was found impossible to play more than one round of first fifteen cup matches, and something like ninety of our senior players had perforce to stand down during half the season. This cannot be good for the game, and is more to be regretted because it appeared probable that the second round would furnish an unusually close contest for championship honors.

Auckland footballers have so long been accustomed to look upon their city as the hub of the universe, in so far as football is concerned, that they cannot realise that they, as players, can be in any way to blame for the reverses met with during the season, or that there can be any natural reason to account for them. Such being the case, an excuse becomes necessary, and the excuse put forward by a section of old players is the district scheme. They argue that in the old days all the best players were collected into a couple or, at most, three clubs, and that consequently a high standard of excellence was attained by these clubs, which invariably supplied the bulk of our representatives. Wnereas under the new system, players are compelled to play for the district in which they reside, and as there is only a small proportion of food players in any one district the stanard of the whole becomes lowered.

This is to a great extent a true bill, but it was precisely because of the increasing tendency of the best players to gravitate to the strong clubs, thus rendering the weak clubs weaker until they finally ceased to exist, that the district system was introduced. In 1891, when the new scheme was first given a trial, we were practically reduced to two senior clubs, and as it was absurd to imagine that these two clubs could continue to play each other during a whole season, it became absolutely necessary for some change to be made.

The district scheme has certainly done all that was expected of it. The number of players engaging in the game each Saturday has largeiy increased since it came into force, and the opportunity of inducing promising players to meanly desert their clubs and join one of the stronger ones from motives of personal aggrandisement or other motives even less worthy, n© longer exist.

One reason I would put forward to acoount for our decadence in football is that during the last few years a number of our most promising players have left Auckland. If proof of this is required, it is found in the fact that nearly every foreign team which visited us this season contained a proportion of old Auckland boys. But to my mind the chief reason is to be found in the spirit, or rather lack of spirit, which actuates our young players. Every club secretary knows the difficulty he experiences in getting his team, • if it is not winning matches, to attend the practices, and bow many junior matches do we see each season 'lost by default ' simply because the players haven't pluck enough to roll up and fight what appears like a losing battle. Depend upon it, the only way to succeed at football, like everything else,' is to stick at it on the ' never say die ' principle.

It is a great pity that the efforts of the A.R.U. to arrange a match for Saturday last between the jNewton and Parnell district clubs were not successful, more especially as it was intended to donate the proceeds to local charitable institutions.

Such a match would almost certainly have drawn well, and realized a respectable sum for the purpose intended.

The Naval match was very rough. Otago defeated Southland by 8 to 3. Masefield's defeated Fraser's in the Domain. Telegraph versus Post Office at Potter's last Saturday. Post Office got the best of the annual scramble at Potter's with the Telegraph ' bojs.' Westney secured the Telegraph score. Barron at full was no better than Barclay. Appleby was well to the fore for Masefield's. Niccol took the ball cleanly and passed well. Kelly, Burton and Rudd were ever prominent for the P.O. Rice was in evidence at times, but was run over once or twice. Marriner and Blandford scored for the P.O. with two fine efforts. Dacre with his Association dribbles was of great value to the clerks. The customs people were a bit civil to the shipping clerks for once. Edwards at half got in some smart work and was a useful man in his place. ' Daddy ' Cottingham was wild with excitement when Post Office scored. Place kicking was not the best feature of the shipping clerks play. Todd, though stripped, made a better barracker than player. He scored ! Watts, Brown, Bach and Copeland worked hard to pull the winning wires, but the P.O. was too good. Barclay at full was a frost and was moved up forward where he slightly improved on his back play. Ted Inglis on the wing showed he had not forgotten how to play, though evidently out of form. His try was a good one ; he scored first blood for the officials by picking up smartly and dashing across the line. The shipping clerks and civil servants met at Potter's on Saturday to conquer or to die. As neither side conquered their funerals will shortly be announced. Warnock made some useful runs and scored for the ' sailors.' Of the official backs Oliphant, Bullock and Poland were the pick ; one or two of the others showing up at times. Speight was perhaps the best official forward, but there was little to choose between the lot. Poland played with plenty of dash and should have scored for the Government more than once. Law played Insurance on Saturday, 22nd inst., and after a close match the former won. The score was Law 12 points and Insurance 11. Both sides played a good game. The match was played at Chesterfield, Mt. Albert. There was some doubt - about Oliphant's try, but I was in a position to see, and think it was fair. New South Wales still in a winning vein ; they beat Nelson on Saturday, making four wins to their credit. Otway for Fraser's led his men in a determined fashion, but was over matched by Masefield, Ronayne, Masefield and Co. The rival banners of the houses of Hayman and Partridge had an airing, tbe black and silver proving superior to black and gold. A strange thing happened in the Mercantile match, the ball was dribbled across the shipping line and thence in a semi-circle round tbe goal posts into play again, where one of the ' sailors ' picked up and kicked into touch. It is with great regret that I have to chronicle the death of F. Marshall who played last season for Suburbs, i red was a jolly good fellow and was well liked by his comrades, who missed him greatly when he left for the South. No particulars are, as yet, to hand, but an accident is looked upon as the most likely cause, as he was in the best of health when last heard from. The annual football match, lightning jerkers versus wax-boilers, came off at Potter's paddock last Saturday. The weather was beautifully fine and there was a fair attendance of spectators, mainly employees of the postal and telegraph branches. The play on both sides was fairly good. In the first spell the ' jerkers ' had all the best of the- game and secured

8 points to their opponents nil; but in the second spell the ' wax-boilers ' fairly romped over the ' jerkers ' securing two tries, while their opponents were unable to increase their score made in the first spell. The game ending Post Office, 6 points ; Telegraph, 8. For the winners Cox and Marriner secured a try each, while Kelly, Rudd, Fletcher and Astley played a splendid game. For the losers Mason secured the only try by a piece of smart' play, while Bach, Hickson, JBrown, Copeland and Alick Carlaw were the most conspicuous. The game was played in a most friendly spirit and the barrackers did their part of the performance in a most earnest manner, 'Daddy' Cottingham and Hemus being heard to advantage, and as each try was secured the exhibition of tumbling and somersaulting by the barrackers of the respective teams would have put a like performance in a third-rate circus to shame. None of the fair employees of the Telephone Exchange were present, which accounts for the indifferent play of Messrs Ballard, Marriner, Best and Forgie. At the conclusion of the game both teams were separately photographed, and each time as the cap of the lens was removed, a loud cracking of glass was heard inside the camera. The Postal players intend calling tenders for the supply of 'roosters' to adorn the Telegraph premises and to commemorate their victory.