THE FOOTBALL FIELD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7687, 23 April 1903, Page 4

THE FOOTBALL FIELD.

NOTES.

(Ey QUIDNUNC.)

As the season commences on Saturday, a few words concerning the prospects of the various clubs will be read with interest. Taking the teams in. the order in which they finished last season, Linwood will be without the services of Ormandy, Phillips arid Gaw (backs), and Cross and O'Brien (forwards). Their places will probably be filled by Scanning, from Wellington, and Fraser and J. Green, from the juniors, in the back department, and two forwards from the junior ranks. Christclnirch will lose Harper and Rice, although the former may play occasionally, besides being without Irons, from the forwards. Thompson, the speedy Auckland three-quarter, and Lawrence, from the junior, will fill 'the places in the back division. H. Avers is again available, and L. King, the old Mei-i---vale player,, and late- of the Nelson representative team, should also be found among the forwards. The Sydenham team will, be nearly the same as last season. A. E. and S. Love should strengthen the backs, and .Walsh, a forward from Auckland, should also be of assistance. Albion, loses Lavery and G. D. Gray. The former may return later in the season,- but Gray is settled in Wellington, to which place J. Moore, also of the Albion Club, has gone. D. Mahoney has decided not to play. The places will probably J)e filled from the- junior team. A number of old faces will be missing from the Merivale team. P. Menzie-V Drake and MTigue have retired from 1 the game, and business may keep Voyce from playing. O'Malley, from the Old Boys' Club, will probably take the place of Menzies at wing three-quarter. R. Corsbie, an old member of the club, lias returned to Christchurch, and Avjll be found among the 'forwards, and possibly J. Ford, the cxChristchurch Club player, may obtain a place among the seniors. It is possible that Johnston, the Albambra five-eight, will be available for the team in, a- few weeks. Two or three junior forwards .may get places. The Old Boys lose Pope, who lias gone to* Melbourne, O'Malley, who has joined Merivale, l&enttie, who has gone south^ and Carpenter;. who lias relinquished the game. The vacancies will have to be filled from the. Presidents' Gup ranks, or from, last year's school team. Rico, late of the Christchurch Club,, has thrown in his lot with Canterbury College, which team will brobably have the assistance of several players from the North Island, who

are now attending the College. The Lyttelton team will be composed of most of the players who won the junior flag for the club last season.

From tihe above it ay ill be> seen tttmt Tast ywiit's Senior Clip winners, Lvnwood, will scaacely bo so strong, at the commencement of the .sipason, as they were twelve months ngo. As to the Christ church, team, unless the new players strengthen the forward division, the* club will be. in a. bad way. There is none in Christchurch, if in. New Zeuhm], who can fill tine place of Harper at centre three-quarter. a.nd hi.s absence will demoralise, the hack play of tiha o!<i club. Tiie Sydenbam Club, which two years ago slairtwl with practi rally a. ne.w team, should play a. prominent, part in the compcti'iion. The play-ers ho.viJ had two &oa-sons together, and, judging by the- improvement, shown last, year, they should be a haird team .to ben:t this reason. Last season Albion had built up a strong back combination, but ifc will 'be greatly weakened this year, and unless the club has uueartihed some heavier forwards it cannot, hopo for much success agaan-st-' the stronger teams. The prospects of MeTivale ai"<> nob very bright, a.s there does not seem any cha'nee of combination, either forward or back. The club badly wants a good ka.cte.1 1 to pul! ic together again. The Old Bays, although they have lost a few of their players, should make a. better fight, the members of the team having another year's a,ge and a .season's oxperiemce. Canterbu'i'v G'ol!e£<: and Lyttelton, the new aspmuute fo^ senior honours, are coming out a,b a good time, a.s all ih^ teams a>re weaker than they have been for some time. Indications point to Linwood wi.ran.ing the* cha?npiorish.ip rather easily, and to Sydenham and GUri?tcliurch filling the places. The High School Old Boys scarcely know — so owe of them approximately remarked—whether to ba glad or sorry at meeting Canterbury College in their opcining match. Certainly the ex -scholars' prospects should command respect against the academical debutants, but then fleet backs, such. a.s Rice and Moyes, bohind tho maroon pack may open out a new puck of tricks. Both teams are in good wind, and; the Boys a/re reported to be knobby and, lumpy jfrom a. month's semi-Sandow eixercise. so that a, fast game should result. The annual general meeting of the Canterbury Referees' Association was "held in the 'Clarendon Hotel on Thursday evening. Mr F. T. Evans was in the chair, aaid twentj r -three members were present. Eight new members were elected. A sub-committee was appointed to include recent rulings in the "Rugby Union Annual " for 1903. The decisions of the New Zealand Union's Appeal Council Avere discussed, together with .ulings from the English International* Board and the English Rugby Union. It was decided^to submit several questions "to the New Zealand Rugby Union's Appeal Council for rulings. I notice that a northern contemporary suggests the advisablcncss of sending two managers with the New. Zealand team which is to visit. Australia- this season. Keeing that the affiliated unions were called on to pay a levy to make up the deficiency on last season's 'North and South Island match. I think the funds of the New Zealand Rugby Union might be more profitably spent thatx in giving a trip to two gentlemen.

At i\\ mcotiag of the Otago Rugby Foothail Union ili'lo.ga.tes on h'-a-turda-y night ib Wiifl decided to foam a. loot.baHers' a^eidtnt fuml, apart from the control of the Ol<ig» Rugln r Union. "Lynx," 1 in the. Auckland "Herald," stats:? that Harry Frost, who is now located in tlie northern city, may be induced to again don the jersey this season. 1 have tlie best of reasons for stating that Frost is not likely to do anything of the kind.

Th© Auckland Jtughy Union has a balance for the. reason "of £932 ; £125 was distributed io the clubs for Uainiiig halls. The bulk of the balaaice will be required for the coming southern tour. The Alliam.br* Football (Jhi'b joins Iho other Dunedin clubs in protesting ;ig;iins>t the action of iltk-gates to the Ofgu liugby Union in deba-niti;* lioJolkni'pers from aJvertusing in lilu: Rujjby Union's "Anjiiuiil." Regret wufi i'.\pre>ivd that party feeling of t li rs kinil Avns inli'odiK'fil into fooitball tojiics, a.nfl the opinion, held was that the. ([titrates should receive, instructions froim their clubs Ixvfure. acting aa they did.

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