LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 227, 25 September 1928, Page 14

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

PURSUIT OF THE ROOSTER.

PONSONBY-NEWTON DRAW

GREAT GAME AND HEAVY GOING.

With the end of the season moderately close at hand—the final game is to be played late iii October, when it will probably clash with quite a number of summer sports—the Auckland Rugby League is contemplating a season which has been most successful, and is speculating on the possibilities of next year. At the moment some better adjustment of the senior teams is being discussed, much for the reason that a senior B grade competition does not altogether meet requirements, either of the players themselves or the public who follow the fortunes of the various sides. There is no gainsaying the fact that the district scheme, which was once the feature of Auckland football, has much to commend it, and after that the best thing is a club scheme, which has at least some association with a particular part of the city, or one of the suburbs. Unfortunately there has been a tendency for good players to gravitate towards certain clubs, and for that reason there are teams which have but a slight possibility of improving their playing status. In spite of various disabilities it can be said that the senior League clubs of both sections are fairly representative of the different districts, but some of the B grade players are fully qualified for A grade, while others have no prospects of improving their football until they have the opportunity of taking part in a better class of football. Thus chief attention centres on the B grade, where as matters now stand a team has the right of entry to A grade only by successful challenge of the team lowest on the A ladder. The creation of a reserve grade is one of the suggestions that have been made, but straight away arises the difficulty that some B grade teams would be loath to be the reserve grade to any particular A grade team which happens to be territorially the nearest neighbour. The consensus of opinion is that there are too many senior teams with two grades operating, and there 'is a feeling that the true solution of the problem would be a search for quality instead of quantity. l FIVE POINTS ALL. A draw was a fitting reflection of the ebb and flqw of the Newton-Ponsonby match, and if hard luck was pleaded by one side the other could also claim a grievance with fate. Although football is popularly regarded as a wetweather game, the weather this season has been singularly kind, and it came as a shock to get a playing Saturday of unmitigated disagreeableness, with rain ad lib, a slippery playing surface, and a ball that became a still more elusive thing as the day went on. All things considered the Newton-Ponsonby match was a great struggle, the tenseness of which caused great excitement and enthusiasm in the concluding stages when both teams made heroic efforts to get the ascendancy. Right through the play was curiously uneven, much for the reason that while some players were hopelessly at sea in the mud, there were others who played right up to their best form. Both teams regarded systematic back play as out of the question, although in the game there were a couple of excellent concerted bits of play marked by free and safe handling of the ball. But for most of the way both teams trusted to their forwards, the backs for the most part using the exploiting kick and follow through tactics.

The outstanding personality on the Ponsonby side was Delgrosso, who went through a heavy day's work at full-back —further proof of his versatility—in faultless style, fielding unerringly, and kicking with splendid judgment. It was a splendid exposition of full-back play under the most trying circumstances. Of the other Ponsonby backs T. Peckham played brightly and trickily, while on several occasions Crooks' jinky running with fine speed off the mark enabled Ponsonby to accomplish much. In the forwards Hutt, J. Peckham, Stevens and ! Gardiner revelled in heavy going, Gardiner handling the ball much better than he often does on a fine day. In Somers, Purdy, Hall and Clarke the red and whites had a good quartet to match the opposition in what was essentially a forward duel. Cammick played neatly behind the pack and shot the ball out well, while Wilson and Dufty • combined splendidly, and put up a great defence. As usual Dufty's big range kicking was ah invaluable asset to Newton. When the teams were level at the bell some of the players made to leave the field, and it halcl to be explained to them that a special competition rule was operating which required, if necessary, two more short spells of play in an endeavour to find the vectors. Play therefore went on, and although Dufty missed pulling the game out of the fire for Newton literally by inches, the first draw in the Rooster competition was recorded, an unusual happening, which will mean a replay next Saturday. TYKES LTJCKY. There was not a great deal between Devonport and Marist on the day when they met in the knock-out competition on a rain-sodden ground on Saturday, but to say the least Tykes were a trifle lucky to win. One of their tries appeared to have been scored when the ball should have been dead. Combined effort under the conditions that prevailed was almost an impossibility, and juggling of the elusive leather was the general order. Nevertheless, the match was not devoid of , sparkle for sndivit|ulalists made a day of it, and the forwards made things willing

from whistle to whistle. Kick-hard-and-follow-up tactics were adopted by both sides, and danger was always to be expected when the opposing line was in sight. One would have liked to have seen the game played on a dry ground, as Tykes fielded their best team of the season, with the old Kirwan and Brisbane combination linked once more. This pair played well, and a penetrating run by Brisbane, supported by a fast follow through by his partner, paved the way for one green try. Brady and Hassan, inside, were conspicuous for much rush stopping, while Gregory saved Tykes time and again with his safe handling, clever that baffled the opposition, and kicking for the gap. He overshadowed his vis-a-vis, L. Simons, who nevertheless gave an excellent exhibition of full-back play, and rarely let anything or anybody past him. Essentially a fine weather team, Devonport could not work their scoring machine, which has been so dangerous throughout the season, and placed them at tha head of the championship, although individually Webb, Preston, Seagar and Len Scott were always doing their bit in efforts to stem the' greens' onslaughts. Their outstanding back on the day was probably T. O'Leary, a very promising young player with a" fine turn of speed, and a swerve rivalling that of Auckland's crack winger, Hardgrave. With more experience in the senior division he should do well in the future. The forwards were fairlv evenly matched. For Tykes O'Brien," Moisley, Campbell and Graham were prominent, while Rule. Ruby and Dixon were the pick of the Shore van.