LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 501, 7 May 1909, Page 2

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

A TEAM FOR AUBTRAUIA.

DEVELOPMENTS IN SYDNEY.

'_Mr.. O. H. Ford, vice-president ■• of the Rugby .Loaguo of New South .Wales, which is aflihated to the British Northern Union, ■ arrived in Wellington by the Mocraki on Wednesday to arrange'lor, a New Zealand team to visit that-State. The personnel of • the. team cannot yet bo , given, but it is stated that a powerful combination will loavo Wellington on' May 28, reaohing Sydney on Juno 2, and playing nine, matches in Now South Wales. Tho team, will thou go to Brisbane and play a.sorios of Queensland' matches, probably finishing, its tour at Melbourne. Mr. Ford is-also making arrange-' ments for a visit to .Australia of a"Maori team, who will go to" Sydney at tho end of, July. He has no doubt.that a-strong team will bo selected. '." - : ' :,

Tho organisation,'■ of tho: Rugby League : this season, Mr, Ford osplained/to aDojnwoH representative, is quite different from that, of last year. The loaguo.is only two years old, and during its first season matters, wero 'conductor in a somewhat exclusive and irregular manner,.'which,has now.been totally abandoned. Tho old! oxceutive, vconsisting< of l Messrs. Hoylo (president),. Trumper (treasurer), and Gilnan (secretary); lias given place to an executive comprising tlio Hon; E. W. O'Sullivan, M.L.A. (president), Mr. A- R. Miller (hon. treasurer), and Mr. T, Plielan '(acting secretary, pending,tho election of a permanent- paid secretary); : Mr.. Miller, is a runner of note in Sydney, and though a member of tho Rugby League, runs as anamateur, being scratch man for tho Ashfield Harriers. >. - ... - ■;.'.•■

"The public has not the least conception," said Mr, Ford, "of-what tho so-called professionalisni of tho leaguo really means. Our competitions aro,earned out in Sydney under oxaetly the same-conditions as those of the Rugby Union. Indeed, they aro perhaps more truly amateur, for while tho. Rugby Union has paid trainors, most: of our teams • train each other. Our men* receive no recompense whatever for not even their-train fares. They a:>suppiied■'■• with jerseys, knickers, and hosv and tho. only time they recc-ivoany is when they arc playing in. inter-Stato ' matches, riioy aro then allowed 10s. a day for loss of time. Wo have. at present nino first- grade, thirteen second grade, and seventeen junior, clubs playing in.Sydney,-and-wo havo. sufficient grounds to meet our present. ,first grade arrangement* and sufficient for'' our minor matches. This year several- prominent Rugby Unionexpohents' from tho Newcastle district'have joined-the ranks of tho league. Jlverything points to a successful-season, and liow,tbat>tho administration of itholeaguo lias been placed on a better! and more popuar basis we expect that' tho support given by the public will be much inoreased." Already that support, lias -been extremely, gratifying, for last season the league's pato money totalled. £5280, which is said to bo' much more than the Rugby.Union has ever taken, The Management and Finance Committee of .the league is-as follows:—The Hon. K W. O'Sullivan, Messrs. A. Knox, M'Quado, and Ford, and tho Hon. G. S. Beeby, M.L.A., and Mrv'Jy-B; Moffatt aro ite honorary solicitors: There is no bad feeling, Mr. Ford states, between tho league and union, which, work very amicably 1 side by, side. Mr. Ford considers that there is ample room for both games.,, Ho believes'.that, the, working matt cannot afford to play the-.game now on tho samo footing with the man of means. Mr. Ford stated that the ; league •'. team which visited. Great Britain' returned to Sydney last Saturday.by the Suevic.:'•, TJio team had a splendid tour, cleared all expenses, each .man'received £la week during the;tour,;.and they had- a few pounds ■ to spend among themselves on tho return" trip. Mr, Ford loaves for Roterua to-day, and from thol-e will go to:Touranga to ! comploto arrangements for tho Maori: team;", .

_ arrangomenV, were, made- yesterday m connection with' the'■ visit of a 1 Northern Union football team to Australia at tho end of,the, present month. ■.'Mri-.0.H.'-Ford a,' member of the management committee 'of the ; Nqw: South Wales 'Rugby., Football' League, visited Pctono to draw up an agreement with Mr. D.'G. Fraser, who is to' bo manager;of tho New Zealand team. About .seventeen or eighteen players;will make the trip,. most of whom have, played for the , Dominion cii.tho Australian tours last year or two years ago. Tlio porsonnel ! of • tho team,* which leaves .Wellington for, Sydney on May 28, is.not made known yet, however.' For a tour embracing nine matchos, the league guarantees a substantial sum, which Will mora than cover expenses. ..Tho matches to bo played are:— • .-.' Saturday,' Juno 5, Now South Wales v. Now Zealand,, at Sydney. ■.'•■•■■'. , .•'■ .Wednesday, Juno 9, New South Wales v.'- : New Zealand, at Sydney. . ■,-.-• Saturday, June 12, Australia v. ; Ncw Zoa-!' land, at Sydney.'. '-.■'■.''■■' '■■■■ -. r,-■ - : •. Wednesday, Juno 16, Newcastle v. Now> Zealandy at Newcastle. , . Saturday, Juno 19/ Queensland v.Now Zealand, at Brisbane. ' ' ■ •Wednesday, June "23, Queensland v. New Zealand, at Brisbane. • : .' .-■ Saturday, June 26, Australia, v. New Zcar land, at Brisbane. Wednesday, Juno 30, New South Wales v. New Zealand, at Sydney. '.■.'; Saturday, July 3, Australia v. New ' Zoa-V land, at Sydney, ■• '■ < -,- : a