"PLAY THE GAME."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 765, 14 March 1910, Page 6

"PLAY THE GAME."

■ eepLt to kecent steictuees: . ■■ :. Thee "was ginte a : .-stir, ; 'itf. ;tle Ponefc'litibtball. Club: on \ '-. evening viek'.MxJiW'.-.CiSef-.a.pi suitable; juncture.'; .commenced; ■ febfarksS'on? •''"• fiugby; : •■ im imtwrtaffl'MtafemOTtHb''makp;'paSigricli? "■■■ as it'affects".theiihononr of'thisandotlier: ■'■;•■■ clubs." !'"'MriiCpifey went oh to say"'that' : -et 'a: recent football Meeting: Mr. Weir, ■;■■ th'e'captsin-elect of the Wellington Club, ■'■.."■■. had'.remarked as follows: . ."There... are ; many, whothink-the -winning of ..matches ~ is. thVonly thitigi to. be desired." Sorely there is something more, to be desired . than; that?.-; For myself I would sooner ':-. that we , nerer won a.match than'.that'.we- •" ghould resort to",some.:of v the tactics'pf onr opponents. I would be/very sorry fo.see the Wellington:-Ctab,-resort to, ,stK;h''. tactics." ■ ■..-...■.- '-\-j ::>" ; ;:;.::■;;,'l ■:.-.' ;Of course, continued the speaker, ewry- ..'■ body:,'-had_ to ..take,'these remarks in a '■ general -sensedv.butj.he''thought iffembeTS of other' clubs should not let them paiss ' -.wished, at. once to-refute ■_':.■ eay imputation of unsportsmanlike.con- ." duct on'the part'OfiiheVplayers; corarected; ■with the Poneke Club.'■'. There might bete would not say that: there;.were not-r i '/". some ". of their clnb whor had. ■■'. at one time,or another done.things .which Trere hot in accordance with the/canons :ci the'-game, :but on the 'whole'the team was as.-clean as-itiwas, possible .to, find. Itebonli not be forgotten .that.the're. ; werej ■■;'' memhers of other plube'who" could play their own tactics.':-...! ' • ■':(.: . , ~. _■■': The; ; speaker. :went\on. to .say that the qucstionvof the ',laws of the game had also, been raised, by Mx. Weir.• He (Mr; - Coffey) • 3id not .believe that .the ..proposed . . alterations were goinj* to, improve New Zealand: Etigby,'except. in one ;.vregard;. ! What : was n«deo more than improve- : ments .;to the -laws ...was the carving off.' •/.' .the;.'many hpn-understandable rules. The laws, had been so. tinkered with in '-the , ,past thatjit .was absolutely, impost Bible for a; player to keep then all in ' nrind..;,;lt\was not so much the standard ■ of-players, that. requiTed to be improve* as the standard of refereeing.- "Wnat.we '..'■ want,','continued Mr. Coffey, "is referees ."■•■ who won't play to; the gallery; men who : .won't go on.: the "field with','tEe fixed detef- ,: ihinatipn that they. are : going to .teach the. players,,; but men who will interpret the ' rules. in-;a common-sense manner. I shall be. sorry" the day we..prodnie. a-.race ; ': of.professional footballers.. ■'■■ 'lnfrapportiiig'- .'■;' teimbuisement; to-players': for .actual, loss.. . incurred/.I deny, that-I am encouraging professional: football. important facr . lor,, in the' development of, good footballers . is,, eipert coaches..and players who are nQt. prepared -to- accept the advice tendered -."them 'should,;stand,■ aside to. make room, for'others who. would.. Years ago, ' w.hen'.we had no .referees'..'association, no objecti.bns^were.taken.tq.the rulings.'But nqw : ;w'e: have.-an, association.'which ap- ,: pears :.tii- eiiet .merely: -for.-'; sikb . of. . meeting'together-to. discuss ; points;;:-; ■;:.^";: ; . J,"-'. , ;'-■..',..- w ,,■-,.. •*•,'.--.-., •; ''Invmy-.opinion:'the : ,'All Blacks' 'were primarily.responsibk -for the.ihtroduction, of. the f .questionable..tiictics , ' in'.- In' the. olden-days a? player/went Qut .-. play-for. the love'., of the game, and herneVer(complained:of the robustness of ,- the. play.; -some teams 'play it. . simply, with:;(rhe-.object 'of'getting' the : , best of-their opponents." -It- amuses me to' . hear, the; remarks' of .players' l who have teen.'in;obscurity.for some years,'for they really . don't -know ; . anything . 'about- the matters, which';are now up , for' consider- .-' ation'.";; (Applause'.)' ■' '... \ "V; ; . • .'.■.,.■: