LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Observer, Volume XXXV, Issue 42, 3 July 1915, Page 10

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

The sixth series of championship matches trader the control of the Auckland! Rugby League were decided 1 last Saturday afternoon, the finishing scores reading: Graf ton, 10, v. Posnsonby, 5; North Shore, 11, v. Otahuliu, 10; City, 16, v. Newton, 13.

By their victory Grafton are now at the top of the-ladder with City and! Ponsonby hanging on to the second rung. North Shore are only two points behind the leaders and any one of the four teams are in the rxinininig.

Chief interest was centred in the meeting of Ponsonby and Grafton. The display was by no means in keeping with the occasion and the game can best.be termed' but a moderate display of the code. Grafton was the better team. Ponsonby relied too much upon individual effort. Another weakness of the rearguard, conspicuously noticeable in the first spell when the weather conditions were all in their favour, they could not pass the ball when going at top speed. The blue and blacks' failure to accept opportunities cost many points andl

it is hard to understand how this team can hold .so high a position in the competition.

Grafton did' not work as they should have, although, their game was much ahead of Ponsonby's. The black and whites' real weakness lay in the five-eighths division.

Grafton, despite the heavy wind ■agaiingt them in the first spell showed only too conclusively that something unusual would have to happen to rob them of victory. "When ends were changed however it was early Apparent Giraifton were masters of the sitxiation. Ponsonby kept their line intact for the first quarter and' then the issue was beyond doubt.

Considering the Grafton fullback, 0. Owen, is new to the position, he did very well.

The best of the threequarter line was Ifwerson. Not so prominent as usual, but it must be remembered he had to retrieve upon the failures of the five-eighths. He proved! a soturce of danger when in possession of the leather.

T>. McGregor certainly showed a fine turn of speed and dash when he scored', but there was nothing wonderful in his work outside that. In the first spell his hard 1 kicking simply enabled' the Ponsonby fullback to return in comfort.

Roope, five-eighths, was very weak, and the broken link of the back division. He proved too selfish.

J. Hines madie hie first appearance. He was willing and made many openings but them flung the ball away in the wildest manner.

lies. half, let the ball out well and showed good defence.

The best of the forwards was Havward!, athough both Mitchell and Warner indulged in good hard play.

Rogers' try was the result of fine following after his captain. but he was like certain Poneonby forwards too iincliined to undue roughness.

The Ponsonby fullback was only fair. His weakness is in fielding the ball.

Jones was the best of the threequarter line. Possessed 1 of a pnod turn of speed he nroved troublesome on attack, while his defensive qualities were very sound l .

A. McClymont', five-eighths, wns the best back on the With him in the same position in the Graftomi team what a fin* l combination they would prove. He initiated many clever openings, gave splendid l meases, and defence into attack in a wonderful manner.

Cross was very good. but was overshadowed by his partner.

Walsh, half-back, left little to be dlesiredl and shone best in defence.

Of the forwards Manning and McWhirter were best.

Cook and especinllv the former, are too inclined to x>lav the man instead of the ball. Hard play is appreciated' but unnecessarily ronijrh tactics are to be put an end to in a decisive manner.

Lon pcbottom met his deserts in beine: ordered off the* field) for questioning tjhe referee's djecision.

The amount of talk indulged by certain playens almost makes the spectator wonder if it is necessary to have a referee. Willing enthusiasts are to be found, who devote much time a.nd attention to the rules of the game, perfecting themselves in the interpretations to enable the players +o have their games in comfort. When, however, the fortunes of the game are going againet some teams certain flayers set up an incessant apneal which becomes a curse not only to their o+her players, but to the spectator. Those laggards who refrain from training are to be seen , well in the rear of their club mates, conspicuous! only for their endeavours to tell the referee what is> right or wrong. It is to be hoped.' players hrouejht before the League for questioning decisions will receive a wpU deserved punishment. When' will players le&ra to understand that what is often a breach in their eyes ie not one in the referees.

Referee Ferguson kept his game open and gave to the unbiassed' spectator no cause for complaint .

North Shore just got home from Otahuhu by one point. The game was willimg and play travelled rapidly u,p and dtown field. The suburbanites from down, the rail line had, if anything, slightly the beet of matters and can be considered unfortunate in not winning.

The League officials deserved a word of praise for their endeavours to erect a comfortable shelter for the press at Victoria Park.

The curtai.ru raiser at Victoria Park was provided by the fourth gradie teams Ponsonby and Rerauera. Some very good play wa6 witnessed, especially by the blue and blacks, Who ran out winners by seven points to three.

S'tmnyside fourth team ran up the huge total of 53 points to nil against who played short.

Fifth grade Poneonby secured 22 to nil agaanst Graf ton. Tredrea, Anderson (2), Condon (2) scored the tries, while the goal kicking effort of Tredrea, Francis and 1 Condon (2) increased the totals

In the City-Newton match played ■at the. Domain the play was , considerably below senior football. City must liven up considerably if they w'sh to Tnfl.inta.in their position in the comoetition.

Tobin, who was playing; a p-ood game at fullback for Newton, had to retire th.rons;h an injiiry fifteen minutes after the start of the p>a.me. Opinions vary whether City would 'have D-roved the winners had he .stayed on. This writer thinks not.

City's first try wns one of the very few bright incidents of +he Same. E. Asher secured! from the perum and the ball passed thmufch the Avhole of City's back division, enablinGC Barchardi to score tinder the posts, E. Asher converting.

Rope .alsn broke the monotony when lie tried to hxirclle Opai Asher, who got him by the foot, him appear an aeronlane. It paused the spectators but Rone would he well advised to cut these p-vmnnstics out or serious injury might ensue.

Bo'vlari at fiill for City .cave a wretched exhihition. Hie taking w«s very weak, and one try scored 1 hy Farrant was dne entirely to his fumbling on the line. At one neriod of the game he was lucky kickino - a speculator, but spectators do not favour th's mode of defence from a senior player.

V. Barcha.H, on the left win.' ,- . Tjlayed a pood same, and proved himself a first rate pcorino: man. He ishowed plenty nf nace. and seized every opportunity that came his way.

Mi r> char" also gpve a poor disnlay. He nlayed without any ."judgment whatever, and lost on« eertaini try l->v kicking instead of ■passins: to Barchard on the win or, who had n clear field. He certainly must tackle better when irp nsainst the istrons;er teams. ?>« the "tug n n last" system of tackling ""vas a disgrace to an experienced player.

"Opai" Asher hnd few chances, but gave a pafe display. His defence was very solid.

H. Tresize. who slaved in place of Keneallv fon the absentee list) was out of his , plao*> .therefore comment would be unfair.

A wordl of warding would r« + be •anr"iss regarding what looks de<"ifl°dlv like a trip. Referees bay* a bibit of seeing these things occasiona7ly.

Geo. AsTier and Ernie Asher era™? the best exhibition on the grixind. They both beat the opposing backs numerous times, and were instrumental in starting three scoring movements. . George's try was a brilliant piece of plnv, aid! reminded T".e very much of New Sou+h Wales Horder. In the forwards all worked very hard-, and Rnkatai deserves special mention. He played the best game seen by him for some time, and seems to be striking his old* form.

Sam Magee was good, although hampered with a weak shoulder. His dribbling rushes were a bright feature of the game. He was also tackling "well. F. Tresize played better than on the previous week, and was getting the ball his full quota of times. He will 1 undoubtedly make a "star" League forward. Francis was also solid, ard played a good game. He must get out of the habit of interfering with players on the ground, as that was a great fault on Saturday, but this is only his second League game, and he will doubtless., soon become acquainted with the rates. S. Barchard and Bright played good games. In fact, all of City forwards were good, the fault lying with the backs for their poor exhibition. Newton's team was strengthened considerably during the week, and they put their best thirteen in the field, which was weakened when they lost Tobin, who was playing very well at full Clarke was the best of the threequarters, andi his 'last try was the finish of a good passing bout by Newton Rope was patchy, but was well marked by Opal A silver, and consequently received very few chances. Biggs, at centre, was not at home. His play was marred somewhat by Potier, who hung on too long, otherwise he (Potier) gave a fine exhibition. L. Fa.rr.ant, at half-back, was very quick, and through his fast following iiip scored a good try. The forwards were an even lot, and played a good hard game, Simpson especially showing out, and. he is a decided, acquisition to Newton pack. Bennett was igood when he liked, but seemed, very tired. I is a pity that such a good player should mar his play by continually talking and appealing." The referee sees most things, and, to say the least, it is rather amusing to see a long red and white arm held) up in the air when the owner should be in the pack "doing his bit." Referee Fielding gave a good exhibition, and must be congratulated on the very, very few infringements missed.