THE HOCKEY GAME REVIEW OF RECENT PLAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 201, 26 August 1936, Page 4

THE HOCKEY GAME

REVIEW OF RECENT PLAY

The annual fivc-a-side tournament for the Atkinson Cup was played at Gonville Park on Saturday afternoon and resulted in a win tor Wesley.

— By

"STICKS”

Play was of a rather uninteresting nature, the grounds being in poor condition after heavy rains and the weather conditions unpleasant. Wesley, however, again demonstrated their superiority. There is no denying that this side has greatly improved this season. The junior competition conculded on Saturday and resulted in a win for Technical B with 17 points. Intermediate and Gonville came next on the competition ladder with 14 points each. The juniors have shown considerable improvement since the competition opened a short time ago and played an Interesting series of games. On Saturday next a team of Wellington. colts will engage a similar side which will represent Wanganui in the annual lixture. The game will be played at Gon villa Park. As yet a few more billets are still required for the Wellington visitors. The Wanganui women’s side which is to compete in the Dominion tournament at Blenheim leaves by the 12.4 express on Friday for Wellington. They will connect with the steamer Tamahine, the sailing of which has been delayed until 7 p.m. for the convenience of player* and supporters travelling to Blenheim. The tournament opens next Saturday and will last for a week, concluding on September 5. Blenheim is prepared to give a royal reception to the visiting hockey players and other persons attending the carnival week. The town hall is to be decorated with flags and streamers, and at night illuminated with coloured lights. The Come-to-Blenheim Association seems to be the driving force behind the preparations. On their showing in the Test match against New Zealand the Fijians were certainly an improved team, and with their superb stickwork and their physical fitness, with a little careful coaching should develop into serious opposition, says the Evening Post. Although the match resulted in a substantial win for New Zealand, yet the local players can still learn one lesson from the visitors, and that is In regard to stickwork. The Fijians certainly excel in this respect, even though their all-round standard of play may be lower than that prevailing in New Zealand. One weakness which seems to be apparent right throughout women's hockey in New Zealand is that teams generally adopt the wrong wing for attack.

If teams forgot that they had a left wing, and concentrated all their play on the right wing, it would lead to more open play, and an improvement in the standI ard of hockey. The lefv attack would still have plenty to do, and would probably develop into the scoring wing. It is difficult at the commencement to force right wing attack, and players will be prone to obstruction, which should force them into push strokes and flicking the ball to obviate infringements, thus increasing the pace of the game. Then, again, very few teams adopt any back passing movements, and appear to think play must always continue forward. Back passing. as evidenced in the India v. Wellington men’s game some time back, combined with no?i- innpl nlay. must prove successful. On last several possible openings were lost through both teams hitting the ball forward too hard, the ball either going out or to the opponents, whereas a short back nass to anothe r nlaver of the same side who could direct the ball through a better attacking opening would have made for faster and more spectacular play. There is no doubt that the Fijians have ghen various New Zealand associations something to think about, and it is honed that the result of the tour will eventuate in play of a more scientific nature being induced in, that is, better stickwork. l°ss hard bitting, and an endeavour to retain I possession of th<» b*’ll by buck passing. The scientific game can be successful only if players retain their respective positions on the field, At the outset of plav in the Test match it was apparent that both Diavers and umnires were troubled slightlv by the similarity between the uniforms worn by the Fiiian and New Zealand teams. The New Zealanders with their black gym. dresses and white blouses, and the Fijians, in black shorts and white blouses, were clad in uniforms that did not make It easy for teams to sort out their own players, esneciallv during fast phases of the game. This difficulty could have been overcome to some extent if one of the teams had worn, for Instance. a brightly coloured sash or necktie. However, it is quite understandable that teams represent mg their country in an international game would not willingly have their uniform altered unless there were a real necessity for the change.