FOOTBALL CLUB PROTESTS

Chronicle (Levin), 21 August 1947, Page 4

FOOTBALL CLUB PROTESTS

final game m fourth grade COI^lTTION . The fact that two College third grade players had played ,in the Sinai game of the fourth grade competition was the subject of a complaint reeeived' by the management committee of the Horowhenua Rughy Union at a meeting on Tuesday night. A formal' appeal, together with a request for the. committee to receive a deputation, was sent from the Foxton Club. "This matter of the College team having advantag.es showered. in its Fap is unfair to fourth grade players throughout the uniofi," stated ;the ■ letter. The incident arose when two players, stated' to have been graded as thirds, were played in the' final of the fourth grade competition. The two players mentioned were D. Lambert and I. Mudge,1 who had been regraded on July 22. and June 24 respeetively. Since being regraded, Mudge and Lambert had not played three games in the third grade, stated Mr. J. D. McFarlane. They were not, therefore, third grade players. The College thirds had had a very heavy year, and it had been necessary to bring players up from the fourth to the third grade as the thirds carried no emergencies. If the players played in more than two games, then it had been necessary to apply for a regrading, added Mr. McFarlane. It was the opinion of Mr. C. Johnson, Foxton, that the College had been regrading players purely with the idea of winning the cup. The chairman, Mr. A. Gillespie, said that this' was not so and- that other clubs had done the same thing throughout the season. The Foxton deputation, consisting of Messrs. Anderson and Cooper, and the College fourth grade coach, Mr. Chappell, were then asked to state their cases. Mr. Anderson, as -spokesman, claimed that College were .trying .to win the game at any cost. The Foxton f ourths were a very young team, and 50 per cent. were playing their first year of football. "To have played all through the season and then to have to meet third grade players in their last match is not encouraging to young players," said Mr. Anderson. fhe chairman pointed out that other teams had young players also. Mr. Anderson asked why the players had been regraded with only two games to be played before the end of the season. Other clubs had had the same opportunity, said Mr. Gillespie. Mr. Cooper said that it should be the club's policy to put the lower grade players up and bring new blood into the teams to replace them. College teams had the privilege of changing players when they had two teams in the one grade, -commented Mr. Gillespie. Any other .club with twO teams in the one grade could do the same, he added. It was claimed by Mr. Chappell that the Foxton Club knew about the players in question, as they had asked him on the day of the game if he was going to field Lambert and Mudge. "I refute the suggestion that College were out to win the game at all costs," he said. "I would like to remind the committee that the College team did not object to the raising of the age limit at the beginning of the season. Even though this would have lessened its chances of winning." Mr. R. L. Robinson pointed out that College " would not have asked for the lifting of the age limit if they had been out to win at all costs. On investigation it was proved that neither Mudge or Lambert had played three games since being regraded. On the motion of Mr. J. Dunlop, the appeal was disallowed. The committee decided to refund the protest money to the Foxton Club. / •