LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Observer, Volume XXXVII, Issue 38, 26 May 1917, Page 10

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

On Saturday last the followers of Lpague football had the opportunity of witnessing the first of the competition matches. "Stable secrete" are already in circulation, and if all is true the competitions will be as keenly contested as in previous seasons. Some of the old birds are again, donning the jerseys to keep their respective clubs, alive. Opai Asher, Joe Bennett, L. Farrant, Griffen and Stannaway have been seen training. Already some of the keen followers of the g&me are picking their fancies. Both City and Newton have been frequently mentioned as having chances of fighting out the final of the senior competition. Karl Ifwersen, the popular skipper of Grafton is up on final leave, so will not be playing for the Athletics this year. W. Curran, who played for Newton Rangers when' League football was just started, is back in Auckland after spending a few years among th,e heads in Etifgland. Billy was a very fast threequarter and a dangerous man when near the line. They say that he intends donning the red and white jersey again. If so, he will be a decided acquisition to the Newton team. Both Grafton and Otahuhu are finding it hard to raise senior teams and would be pleased to hear of. any intending "players. The Otahuhu club has- suffered heavily through the war, more so than any other club. Takapuna is the latest recruit to Northern Unionism. Forty-three lads there have formed a club to be known as the Pupuke Club. One team has entered in the third grade competitions to play in all red jerseys. The latest league player to give the supreme sacrifice for the Empire is S'ergt.-Major Fred. Spinley, a younger brother to the League Secretary. Fred was only 22 years of age and was a keen member of the Albion* club, showing great promise. He was killed at Laqnicourt on April loth with the Australians, when his company was entirely wiped out. Official report states that the story of the fight will live a» long as Australian history lasts. His decease will add another to the long roll of honour. Jim Johnston and Somerville, secretary and delegate respectively of the Thames Old Boys' Club are in Trentham waiting orders. The Telegraph Messengers are entering two teams this year. Manager Sinclair is proving his worth and is to. be congratulated on the way he controls his lads. At a recent meeting of the League it was mentioned that not one , complaint was raised against the team during last season. Truly a good record. Bob Pollock, City Rovers' champion on the League executive, has turned a lecturer, following in. the worthy footsteps of Chairman Dick Benson. Both gentlemen being good propounders of rules, laws, regulations and the fine points of Northern Union Football, etc., have started lecturing to the various chil) members.

Alex. Hurley and H. Tyer, veterans from Northcote, have taken up the reins of office, and have organised two teams from the marine suburb. .

At the last meeting of the League the decision of the Junior Advisory Board to suspend a player ordered off last year until August. 15th this year was confirmed. The ;case in question was one where, a junior player was ordered off for unspor.tsmanlike conduct. The culprit failed' to appear before, the after repeated warnings, so h« was suspended during- the pleasure of the League. On appearing before the League last week for the first time he was taught a lesson, and suspended for a definite term. Young players take heed.

The Northcote Ramblers Football Olub holds somewhat of a. record. There is not an'eligible man for the first division playing, and - not one in the whole club that has not.offered his services. The clul> has fiftythree members at the front, of whom seven have been killed in action, six of these all within one week.