Ten-Team Senior League Proposed

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31121, 26 July 1966, Page 18

Ten-Team Senior League Proposed

The secretary of the Canterbury Rugby League (Mr D. G. Gaynor) last evening proposed 10 senior teams next season.

It was decided to discuss the proposal further at the management committee meeting next Monday evening. Mr Gaynor suggested adding Woolston and Shirley to the eight senior teams. The 10 teams would play for the Tavendale Cup on the first nine Saturdays of the season.

tlve wing, "who has been offered senior matches by at least two other clubs.” 'The Woolston club feels confident that If advised early of our obtaining senior status we could procure the men required to keep us among the ranks of the senior grade,” concluded Mr Reddock. Mr L. R. Huston said he was concerned at the standard of the new teams. "There is a marked difference between senior and senior reserve. They will not hold their players If they get hidings every week," he said. Woolston’s top team under senior reserve was plavlng in the under 13 grade, said Mr R. Woods. Shirley was still definite that Its transferred players were returning, but he knew that they were not, said Mr J. Anderson. "A combined team from both dubs wouldn't hold the lowest senior team," he said. Transfer Granted H. H. Puha was granted a transfer from Woolston to Linwood subject to the suspension rule. His four-week suspension period will constitute the first four matches next season.

The competition would then be split and the top section would play for the championship and the Massetti Cup; the bottom six would play for the Gore Cup. The third phase of the plan concerned the O’Brien’s champion of champions round, with the top four teams playing a one-round competition for £lOO prize-money. Status Inquiry Earlier at the board of control meeting a letter concerning senior status was received from Woolston. The Woolston secretary (Mr R. C. Reddock) requested verification of the club's senior status in 1907. "We are losing players to senior clubs because we cannot provide them with senior football. One instance was W. A. Flavell, who joined Marlst and would not have done so If Woolston had had a senior team,” the letter said. Another example given was that of B. Perkins, a Canterbury senior reserve represents-

A letter from the Linwood secretary (Mr G. N. Nuttall) said that Puha wished to play senior football and had been under the Impression that Woolston was a senior club. He formerly played for Glenora In Auckland.

The decision was made after a motion by Mr J. D. Shearer that Puha be granted a transfer subject to his playing senior football, lapsed for the lack of a seconder.