FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 550, 3 July 1909, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

RUOBY. (Bi AnisTonums.)

?:::;:/••;/:; W-ill some -wise:man's, son diagnose this ; : ''.':« l ;.-\-case P. A- sheet-full of pale i "l"rojan,s,','."heroes , '- •'■::.:■■; i--'<>spoiehts' '-:of : :;,Rugby,";:;:etc., ; ; y= I 'which used ;to bo Posted, 'every::Saturda,y >'.; •-.: ; : : evening': seoms to. Havo loft the'country..under ' ,: • ithe; lashi;of:,ridicule^—no;;doubt in searoh of, . ; ■ ;V'; w^rk.::.- , . A street-full of:. expectant -eyes has. ;■■;■■•;; ,\ ;; missed the. .usual ; fifteens 'which were '•. wont v ; •"':'. ;to be Post-edfor "suporhumari.,effprts,''-;and' :. x:..; some ..complain : that;: when-theirnames- are : omitted .the rost is dear at a .penny. '■_ A beati- .' : - full 'of::poh"ce, : with an oye'to'the■,'missing', .per- ,; '■-. :.'jii6iotis'sheet-rull and',tho-:diistUT.betlsti'eeMull ■ ■: '''v mentkraed. aboye, stato'thn-t';a bull's-eye: in a: :> v^;..-dark'rpofli(disturbs ; the flies'a ,-gopd.deal—'; !'; 'V' .the aif.'has:lately been ithick-shot with'iflying :-;;;.: pieces.: of .iPost-ed; personality. .' Andy. whis- .':;: peririg"'gentlypast'tho empty shoet-full, and :;; .':'the:escited streeWul'l, !and the warning '.- 'full comes the'voice'of sweet Peace, wnisperV' ing charitably to Aristobulus:-"Don't kill tho^ ''.::. Poor-man at the piano; he is only doing his ■':-?;--v-best.":-.v;v-;;...- ; ; :: '-' '■■■;■;. -V'-i-;;''-v-'-y■■:: -.■■'.■.:'.■:. ; - ';: 'But the man at the piano must beymodest; i';v :::■'. he: must not/attempt ; bravwra' pieces .befqre :,::,•'•-; he can;play scales. He must.not write verses ,'"';■-'-.. V' before he, can record faots. A. referee in-: :;' -: ; \ that very often,'in : readjnfr /the •; i^:.. 1 -.usual .accounts .of football '.he,' bad failed to ';.:; - '■recognise. "Drbp-Kick's- , -version of the very .:; ;■. 'inatch',' which., being the ;. ; . :. : -Bamo'game'-at^a-lii'. If, this ibe true,.and recent -'■'.: ; :.:: occurrences, as the evening papers say, ■ 'lend ;;.■.'■; :;.cplour.tp, the fact,"';then VDrop-Kick;" , in !■■ '"■' '■'r : - Btartidg out to throw pebbles of; rhymed per- ■-.:'' : • \sonality"--at' others, '.must-beware lest the huge ,'■'• ■■:-. ■'. bripkbat of Fact, comes' crashing: througK'the , .: v glass-house of ,Incomi)etence/ in: which: he ; : : dwells. On' May 24 i he:Post-ed the scorein ■>;,,"-,:. the,:Oriental-'Welli'ngton.-match as /being, : 2s :..'■': points'to:6, .whereas if-waeTea.lly.;2s points- ;;;'']"; in : B. .''Last -week, in'. .'■/ .'■. Petone encounter, ; ho eet'out the.scorer, pf the '/v'/;;: .best, try <of the:day .as WalEhe,: whereas, it •'.'VVV.v was';really;Mitcbinson. '-.";'■ ■- : .; ";'■ -V ■:}/■' ._""• ■' ■ 'V; . -■;■';/;..,. '■•. ..^.Gently'-then.Vor.'at'- least ; as;.gently'-as may ■■■ -'■■, k be, it isto bo stated that ."Drop-Kick" may.be :.;■'■: ■■■ ':■■'. 'an estimable,/ citizen,' , but i.e.-is a .disastrous; :':: ; :y^r recorder! to [have only ;t'(. ■.β-p^lemeniary'notion'.of the meaning;bf.-thp; ~; words in .which.he wallows.': The following re- : iri-arkable esfcract is f rom the "Post" of Juno .:. ''.;,■' v . Manning: was the pick of, 1 '; ■'.'■^'-"v priental/fprwards—he ls.AMPinDious ;• ;'.■/.' v/; :,,;-too,'';arid ■ took./Mathesori's- ■■ place quite f'■ ■'v-. , ; ;;c'competently,:'when that' player twisted.-: ;:'7;-: :V ;i^his/knee';;/■-.-;;■::':' ; k v . ;: ;■;-■:.■::;'■;■;■' ■■- '■'/• - ■ •:';■; :>,: ;'■: So, ;taking: the whole "thing by-and Jarge, it : ... >eeems , that ."DTojp-Kick"._has locked: up a good, 'V-^}'-'' l '--.'de^l..'of-;his-,ti'ine'.ii.:'devis^':rh^sd;^rsbn-' ; ; : l 7,:alities.'•.;:ln-^thβ s mealltime,:;his;English, his ,;': /.facts,^and , other,, essentialmatters, have, ; ■'"•'■ .?0- -broken;.loose,>and'-aTe: in:danger pf .being. :■/:,;-.- 'caught-any day; -and taken.to the:destructor,' ../■ v :J ; ,On his football, I'do : as Ma;rt..Twain: : , t6!yßssa'nlt:th'e';'cTOkery,6f_a:Cons'tanj :■"■;,-.'..--;.; tihoplerestaurant—rl:'pass. '?.'■:;>;■''; y• - ! ■';•;: ■■*-'.'.'.: ;■ :.;:,':':''.Frtin -another source;comes, a'-noteT-a .very .;.: ;";;^ genialfiibte, ffoni: just;..such: a:writer,,.'as::one, : '/;:;;;■"would like/to shake/hands:-With/hardj 'and.. v';' :: ,. live"-'wiih':.in tho_': lA>tus;:islarids;:''every ; day.. :.::...■. Touahing tho'..original partlpf -this: :contrp-■ ':.'_)■ •;:,. : rersy--natriely j whether the meretricious,:.oal- ;.'' ■ V culated,/' and commercial; mention ;,of ,;lpng 'v, v , ,.'sfein^s.'of.'.n^es'fo'r.^. , goja3;plßy" :and general j<, -~:. conspicuotisriess, '.'.mJßb.tr.be JkilUng'.-;/ Rugby ■\ pf:. /'.;■ football,'he;statos that first it'is;:.and 'then ; '-'■■■, ;-.-■. - A it' isn't.r.aud. then -it. nearly- was,'.-and,finally/.' ': / v ij,.itiwasn'tl;:;':Lastly,,^vith>:a- fatalism ''worthy \ ; .:-;. /.. of :,'a,'TiiTk,_ie'aske i ."What does it matter if it V'.;;;' :.;■:•■■ is: ?';'•■■(Veril.y.'.it;isvari earnest 'world—^ver' : oit-'' ;.-;.■ ; ;:,ffard:>and^^ard.;;fto 'f!■.'■(:■' : ''l r:^: "''': "f-. :■ ;■' ::i:;- Vwith>7l3^pn^atd|^o ; ■fficm-coin-,v-; : ■ Datarits,,Poneke',.did* ; aUithat could,be done— :-'>;.:Ci, svent;dowhl raud 1 took,the''edge-off ; -;. ::j their *.bapk' play,' /and,- then v it:- became Jonly/ii. -.•'■ : ; ■'■ -Questipri, , of .>^w'long"-;'ffiirf©^ , 'ineh-.,and--"■■■•& ; ?/v-;/cpupte-ofexMnsive passengers: could^-staid :-iA?.- '-: n P-^aS!ainst ; ; .fiftecn;.:'Uusr)oilt;. plajerL'i-lf/it' ■ .-; -. another'half-hour! it iwould have ; :';: been , : a the '.thirteeiPoneke' work-' ).i'' r fi- erswere thbfpuglilv tiredihalf- an hourbofore - jthe - two''.walkers; were still -'3ralk- ;■■'-:>' ~:'■.'/ ing: /One of them"only: touched the 'ball'twice ff-f:;- 'during i^the.game;/-; / .'•' ; ~V-. \f ;'■ ' : -\ -?:/< : - ; ',; ■;.-•:- ■ \: r of' : t: ■i^ s .qaestion<of/wa!beTS;and'-jvor]cers i is of; .' :; -j the .essence : niatter.;Ryan.'s .lost try is ~'■:■;;. ['.'-only"a detail,' arid-.thpugh,"rio.-doubt,';it: was' ;;: .- ' --'.'/yastly . argiied; aboU't ..on; , Saturday '.evening, - ■ i-i)h * n <lywill;sti!l.-;b'e'.drawn,';put! at. agonising: .■■,.'. ""•; ■•■: length in , pressnbtices to-da-y, it .only ineans / % '.■."•;■;. this: -:That::Ryan;;will'have.:to (as no' :-.-;;. , doubt,ho has now learned) to touch down his : ':;:.- ■:, tries m. future.:;. It;was a fine! try, -worked for , -: ;: . s ; "mid :inade/ by /-Mitohinson, r arid Ryan—and ; r /.,.. only. ;-Ryan—was ''to <:■. blaime ■ for. , 'throwing' it ;■':.; ;;/away; .yThß' : refprep had ■ with , : J . it,.and;is, in no! wise blameable. Mr. -Caftils . ~,■:.•.^-.business! ? s:not'.;to/ i nake the rules, but'to take ;-'^.''-.!.->>t| :r"...'-.' ':are:earnedfont.'" '-'"' ; .t:'' ■'/ : ■■:?:'■*.{<■:■■:.''■ '■>*? VA .^%«JI /WhiroVl!!Have/at-you! : Theincomi -,-.:; : : pleteness ;of >:the vwritten /word -to'■■.■'describe ':« n :is/considerable,:ibut', nothing de- --- & : H . Bcribestho/firstmovoin the'gamo'saiwell as ■:;- ; --ihUd!:;;Jt: , means .that: Petone' had' realised , ;.■•; , : . :,: that their.'defenoe:in.:the .Oriental match,had :;,:;, gaped ;fio!.wide:that ; a horse"and cart could V ■ -j. • ' -have been .backed'thrpugh , ..it.-;,i'lt ; ;'means/that :'-v-Y.-V^ey.-'-'h^j V sia^ • , : '-.: :.parts of: a back attack .arov'the five-eightb.si ■;\'-:ri.v..?'iind'-goOT- 1 ;'. -I/ ,-;Thudl: c It .means that;'all"hands'.ik,/the/ ship! ■, .: ,'.',•■ that.; bore , - Peto he's f ortunos. knew -the ri"h t •„. rope to pull;-Vit'-.means"- ; that!! Walshe .arid' ''■■••.■ ; .-,'.',-Flanagan'-..57ere : :-cpn'tmaally:'bitting-. ; -:Albther' >;;:;:■ 1 Thud 1 V,This;;iastod , the'-first- -.: ■ half-hour.-'; All that; time iriy : syriipathies .'went v. :: ; //;'out. extensively: "towards' Walshe and. 'Flana- , ;■::, : Eanjipr fivereighths, is-themost/'difficult posi- ' ::.- '■ ,ti6nVon. the;field;X lt;\is difficult'-.chieflyvbe-;■;/•:cause;it:is ;'so;'easy for humbler, adversaries; . , v^ ;to stand::right.forward-fas far as v :the '/;.;' -Tule'will -let theni), ; and> administer—Thud I !;:->:. -Thud!.,. Thud :"":',;:■/' ■•'■■■:,'-

There is, however, a connter move for tb hoary, old , capo- of "marking clown th backs," and Poncko played it. They "turne< on' the forwards. Then those who wor attending to i\Yalsho imd Flanagan- foum urgent appointments elsewhere—stoppin, .rushes, and so on. The pressure on th Poneke five-eighths eased down a little. Jus a little, but quite enough to pormit the fol lowing to dawn—Flanagan, Valshe, Mncnin BON, . . ~, Tho scoring of Poncko in tli lirst spell requires no other explanation. ' But it calls for a littlo word of just ono little discriminating word. • There were times when tho rush oF the thirteei I'onelco workers threatened to bear tho wholi i opposition down without tho aid of the backet all. At this stage Petono had to di{ deep in tho waistcoat pocket of ltesourco ' After some fmnblings, it produced a dofeii sivo giant and a blob, of mud. The defensive Colossus was James Ryan, and tho blob o mud, when ho was finally dug out in the dressing-room, was discovered to bo Greon , Also it calls for a last word of , blame which seems to mo to bo moru to the poini than anything else. Indeed it explains the result. Among the cloud of rushes whicli dotted tho forward efforts of I'oneko with "superhuman efforts," six forwards wdro con- - etantly opposed to' eight. In a game of the "last ounco," it could not last and tho luxury ,of carrying rornid twe spectators in Rcd-and-Black jerseys was hound to tell. Th? Arrowsmiths'try and the M'Farlano goal were only trickles in the ' great Petone* flood'which would havo burst over Ponoko if tho gaino had gono on much longer. It was a good Eaino.Vbomiding wjth rough-and-ready fcothali—l ,do not mean roui;h footlxtll—but', if Peicno c.ui v sit ticht and shut their-mind3 against the • corroding influences of the dayj they ought ,to win some nioro matches. Meantime, no K , doubt, they havo boon lying back on a OncGfttno reputation, and meantime, also, some other toam, with no reputation, is also lying low nnd waiting for them. With 42 points to nothing, in favour of Oriental, it would bo superfluous to give a / lengthy description of tho OrientnlSoutfoorn gamo. Let it bo said, iowevor, that the contest was not such a one-sided affair for tho ;Ni hole period of , the match ns the score would suggest. For ,tho first fifteen minutes'of play a fast and even encounter was witnessed, but from then

on the clovorness and nippiness of the Orientali;backs,told, and they raced over their opponenxs ahyhpiv; - :■ ~.'?: •• . ■-." -.-Injuries sustained in -tho' match with Ponek&on tho previous Saturday were responsible lor the absence of Matheson and Vercoefroui the Oriental team;. Tho .tatter's place..was takoa by Afai&cy, and Hubbard was proinot&d from :the: second fifteen and nlled iUatheson'o usual' place—wing-three-quarter.- Hubhard's try on Saturday showed that he isnot far \f rom senior calibre, and the way:in which ho ran round the whole of .the lteds.,ivas-atreafto witness..;.; '■■ . .; Roberts revelled in the game, and quickly ■ metiHe-d such a delightful freedom of action and.confidence in his men that the game reEoityod itself into an Oriental practice, the J3jack arid Whites apparctitly being serenely non-conscious of Southern's presence. Gar,and Sturrock' wero generally notiwablo in .the:-Oriental' passing: rushes,:and all performed capably. ■ ■ of tho Oriental forward division, played with great vim throughout. Ever'on.tho alert,-.he was easily the best of hard-working pack;- ; . i V Nlf ~-,;.6ae:; man-'' in/the.' Southern team desen'es praise for Saturday's game, that man is Hunt./.Hunt,' as half,iimpressed many of ,fhe onlookers by .-.the way in which he stood:up against Orieutal's,solid attack, and, .when an oppbnent raced his way, Hunt in-variably-tackled him—and, tackled him low. -There-were' a good, number :.of.the Southern .team who displayed a- ; disinclination ,to tackle—especially was. this the case.when the opponent had any reputation- Tti a player. This, as every' footballer krioivs, is nob "the game,'!- and Eonie:.of : the Keds could take' a lesson in collaring .from Hunt. Among tho Southern ■ forwards wore to be.-.scen.'.ono or twbof' tho "walkers,", and lone, player's casual pedestrian eifortß, and looker-on style' of- play, were so pronounced that a.disgusted Red supporter on the line 'was- beard to expreis.the opinion that ."unless 4~^ v was care-' i'uL ho would catch a cold." r : .;: ; , V; I: : was" sorry tb.'see.Houlihan.ifiguring as a spectator on Saturday. He took part in the •previous Saturday's game .when ne was', not n't, and, as thbresult of. a cous'iiltatibnwith his, medical adviser, ho'; has' had to from. tho. arena' for .a game or two.. Even as aft onlooker he could not have lhad 'a very pleasant afternoon. .No one "likes" watching' .iiis'team being douo.fo , death, asiit were. -■:■' Fast and.patchy ;is the.description that fits the'Athletic-Victoria,College'match. , : A fairly broad-minded interpretation of -. tiio ;' 'advan■tage" rule by ; the referee' was responsible for ■moderate- whistle-blpwing .during ltlie; game, and-aseven-a-side-like quickness : about the play.; The general anticipation,. : : ,was ; - ; 'that Athletic would have a fairly'easy win, butthe Blue supporters, like many othersj were''inclihßdv'to,underrate the;, abilities I; of the Collegians; Athletic' were soon disillusioned oil the point, arid so may any other, team, be when, the Victoria Collego.naen have their: "day-out.";,'. ' ! V-'...:■' ; ; -':-,: ■'• 'i--:-:'; v i '::;,>■ ■' -Athletic'pressed mattes.at the'ouiiet, and. had Victoria.College clearing'their lino tm;4. and agafn, the efforts of the defenders being :ofton assisted ,by faulty work iby Athletic-y/ith'-d considerable part of J.he.first spoiL gone- and no score registered/ .the Athletic '.'barrackers' " . tone became ; somewhat V./dftv pressed, but/at this juncture, Week , ': indiilgerices: began to tell ' on.-the jCollegians';-and '.the. 1 , AtJiletic. gloom was dispersed by a try. obtained by Murray, i . This, was the only tangiblo result of the first'spoil, but, immediately on. resuming,' the.-Athletic' ■players could :be heard, urging, one another; ■to i"havo. i go," and they -did so with a right goad.wall,. Bell putting'on .two trie's in quick: su'ccession.r (both ■ unconverted), -and' -MfKerizie following his example shortly after-: wards, by touching down.behind the posts. .•Murray's successful kick at goaljgave Athletic: tho bandy lead, of :14 points, with only about ' arquai'tor.of; pr.tho'spell.'gpn.er *It. then seeiriedas'if the Blues would parallel the porforin'an'dfe' :',bf , - :ot!iMlta;fc'!;oh\f |ttoF adjacent 'gtouridj'. but,?this was'.far .troiri'-'being|'' the .case, ■ ' : as' Victoria 0 College: now,' woke up' in earnest."; ■;'■■ The -Greens kept:pegging ,away I'jritU. harrying. forKard'rushes/but.>,it-was:not .till. ; closo,up6n :timo.,that;.;Preiidoville , -- ; ;was. l pla^j'in-.\a.''ni<M. - through,O'Loary'tefforts). and'.touched down , . Amodeo. 'distinguished ■.himself ; .'placing a r.eally .fino goal from a .difficult angle;'..-' ''■;. If-the game.was not: frequentlypunctuatod. with^... of .play,--.it;had.'at...times kaleidpscopio,variety, attackera./rery. often tbeing quickly called, upon to assume the'.-role pf 'defenders. -There, was not. v a ''great •; deal 'of'back-play on-either side,! Athletic perhaps shoiving to better-advantage. ' The forwards I bore.the greater.portion;of the- battle,, and the'honours:in scrum and 'lopse were about evenly: divided. ■ ■ ■■': . ' : - :; ; ;:;'-;.■-'-.■,■'';...V>.'; ;■: .'■;: Do la Mare, as usual, did some solid-work for.'.College, "and another-, tower; of .strength araorig'the Greens was Huihphrey O'Le'ary. Prendoville's play was /also conspicuous. Richardson,, Evenson, Bell,'' M'Kenzie; and Murray can be ' 'mentioned in dispatches" /for ■Athletic. 1 .,; .;;?■■■'• ; .-i'';: ■: ',V'f '-'.",•'' ; '-; \ ; .. : ''.- ■ iDenham, a West Coast player, and Who represented "Seddon; Land" against the. last .English team, filled'the position of, -fiveoighttia creditably, for 'Athletic iagainst- Victo'ria: College..:; A .nuggety; stamp, of .'player, 'he should prove very useful when he gets' to know, tho'style of play of his fellow-backs.'' , ■ 3 - Jones, who had 1 charge of tho .yietona;College-Athletic game : on Saturday, ,;is inclined to:a liberal, reading of the' "advan;and' the result' was .an''absence i of'.superfluous .whistling,', and a'fast-moving game. ;Mr.-Jones is the youngest member of tho Referees' Association. Hehasyhad four: years' experience in .controlling local 'games, i. only missing one Saturday during that period.. Saturday's was; the second occasion on which ho, has boen:delegated ;to ; take charge .of-'a' senior game, and, although- suffering from.'the elfectsof ialluenza, ho proved himself just the man for the position. ,-.'-' ;' ; ' -- : '; :.- : ; Althpugh the ;senior .ground : at Petone. is of a sandy composition,' and.does,not easily become soft,'its., surface, last' Saturda y, was decidedly than ever, before this iseason—and Melrose'-' and' .Wellingtonplayers : slid 'abouii with '. heavy feet:'..' The match-,- should, have,, gone to "Wellington on |the.day's;play. v: '' .....-•■." ';.::':::'". : . ; , -.:: : .':,'■ ' ;,' Towards the', Yellow! and- Blacks made good-efforts,'and L; Bridge andrCarr j almost reached line. Miinro, too,: madp ■a'.break,; which-would have had ; atory ending, for the ultimate losers, had' he deemed'it..pradeht/to'.transfer to Hill. ■ iThe latter; could', have run' in without difficulty. ■ There was' a'murmur ■ of disappointment in flio'-Wellingtqu' cdmp when ,L.' Bridge missed hisjkick ~at goal;; -A .successfull kick would haye'meant-a,drawu gamp, but Briclge'mado ajgood-; attempt. '.'Successful' .potting ~is -like-everything _else:- ,it .depends :on. carry r •ing out.:a -certain practice. .This.;, practice, and : how to carry it. aut'ois,/unfortunately o'no ;;of .;the: arts; which , •• been'.' lost. Indeed,' /.latter-day', footballers '■. ; do, not ■carry' , '-out much prictice'-of any sort.'. .-•■:".■ :.;Patters6n,:.who;played full/back for. Mel-, roso,; is,prpm'oted from tho juniors, :in:which, grade.ho, was. a -smart This ;was. ; his '-first,' senior.'. match, and he made a;fair showing.:, '; : .:':. '': ■!■;.-.-'.' ; :'.■.",'-.V^ : All: through the match the Yellow and Blacks.!,,i - cfused\ to .collar■■ low, and■ their tackling .'.yas of little; avail in consequence. The■,fprw,ards,-;also,"might take a hint; .an untrained' footballer ;'has: insufficipiit. interest .in the-sport, little esteem : fpr his club,-.'and no thought : ,for. 'his. physical''"conif6rtV' '■;■'' ■'. ' ■ "I:think we;should; congratula-to tllom,.on thpir;'sentence'; that ,is the"way: to' stop it;'.' remarked a member-of the. N.Z.R.»U. .'•: on Thursday night, when a letter, was read from the Hawko's. Bay: Rugby Union advising that tivpthirdrolass: players had, boon disqualified for, five years for usinj* certain language: to the -referee.'. ;Tr.c 'N.Z.R.U. decided- to make the disqualifications general. ',:;". :: '