HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 12

HOCKEY.

' ... ■ ;.:" i .'-i;,-.:.-'{BT-."B'uiir-psr.''),' : -' : :';-.■?■ ' ■■> '.yThe meeting of Auckland and:We]dmgtoii : at Da's's 'Bay. next' Sateday, should, be -the most iinterestingr event witnessed in-, hookey--'m ;'New : ..Zesiian.dVduririg the. .present , season.'... .Wellington ' ha.ve•, de-; fended their .rights; to' the: shielde'riy, defeating- all-comers'-so"far. thiis season, and ' Auckland,' "fiom>. whom':•., the. shield was.■ wrested last- year, havey'now only one week 1 -to go. liefore attempting.:, what should .prove to be, a■: real-battle of the -with'.Wellingt6n.;;Hockey. has its admirers like all other .feporte, and; Auckland .may justly, claim,, to he, the greatest ; stronghold "in:, New Zealand- for this ■■. class. of nedd ganie, but; lingtoH ;.have, held the shield •■hockey hasi gained I 'ground in this 'city,'' ; '6d i'ar. ; ..as; popularity is' concerned; ~v The, : one : grea,t thing:-how'.' is for the Wellington 7 -eleven to "defeatvAuckknd again: next ■ Saturday. Auckland . wiLi:no doubt'be ''somewhat handicapped : playing : ■ on. s, ; ;. Day's . ground, and if. they lose.theVchances" are' that Wellington ;will.;.be'-'calle(l '.upon: to'; meet,' Aucklan- earlier.next ■, season., A well-kriown v 'critic : in ..this: city..mentioned to'the'ivriter that the..locals hadtnothing to fear.'.'.That may be. It,is a;question that no:6ne"can.answer now. ..Erorii "what is khownl.the .visitors will ,be,.a hot" lot;, particularly'-in the 'forward rank. "r'.Jt 'is understood-"that /the 'ijickland.: captain wiirmake-his-final selection , just before, the match.'. The team arrive.on/Jtmrs;', day, and leave on the Monday, .following the match.;'-' . .■ ... '■■■'■'■)',■'■ ■' : .-:-': : V. : '--.- > ; Last.Saturday .the "A" and'".B".,' teams played a'triul. match.iu: Wellington,, and' at tlie end of the first spell two goals had been registered.by.each side.V::The"B's had played the' first spell ?with.:lg>fo 'menshort, and the: second /spell :.with one man'short:.' The :"A's",'had:the best of .the second spelt. They did not,.however,; play up to expectatjons; G: Davies, .who has:bcen micluded in the representative team !after , '.a ; .lbng spell, played vw«ill.:E. Parton'has been dropped-:liow;; owing ; -to his. not having played so: well as was the case. earlier-':in the. :'.He;_has. had/ a Igood;.run,>,considering .that, this ;isvhis first year pt representative. the selector' has'seen-'cause- for Parton 'and substituting; G.' •'■;-Dayies/ i .aS' the right-wing .'forward. ■■ This is'.a new ■position 'for Davies,';he :.having played inside-lpft fol , .some', considerable time,; and how the'new, post will :Mt; him-is in doubt..-'.v-' ■•' ■■■■■''".' ■:. ~. ■■>■ -i,v. ■ '"'.■'.''■ "'< ■ The 'Seleotor evidently 'inclines to'.the belief that Davios: will be marked a lot, and----, the left flank; will ■-.- thus! have more "chance of penetratiag the opposing de- ■ fence,;.,-', One,' point -in .favour: of .placing Davies .on the: extreme .right ia 'that ho usually 'manipulates the 'stick with- one' /-hand;-!and;- therefore,- has '."a" tendency, to 'drive to'the'left.'-' The 1 Stfack Brothers are having a-good run this season, and should give.fl.igood account of themselves. ; .Geo. Strack .will. need to keep his. forward line well fed ; 'all through.:. Short,: crisp,.-and well-directed .passing rushes: should Wellington .considerably.-., Loader has earned; his: position- as: outside-left. ■•{Hβ has • been'fplaying -remarkably.-well all through this season... Getting his;shota inharda'nd quickly to Dnvies Iwill, lvithdiit doubt,:,be ■ one//of/.the ; -features .of Loader'? ! p}ay.._ That he .can".drive -hard and' accurately ,there, is no doubt.,.'. The, writer 'nrge!i':the' local forwards not.'to forget .their : partners.. '■'■■'■;• ":;.. < :; Smith shci'dld; play a very fair game.: He.might rtniomber that a'goal fronroffside is better' left, unscored,'as -it-.onlyr tends.to spoil: the game, i--There are oc-casipns,wheh:afull-back can easily-place ■an ■ opponent off-side, and .it is for ,fast forwards-to watch this point.. The .local half /line may'prpve'weak, with the ex-, .ception of,centre. /The;full-backs, Hick-, son> and Harty, are' too. : Trell-k'noivn".. to' need furthoricorament.'.-... ■'■ ■ ... .;; ;•'.

; The : Auckland- forwards...will.,lie a-solid ;body. Of the halves, . Cavariagh; centre, playnd,, against Wcllinston 'at Auckland last year.'.. Shirriffs, full-back, 'was: also in that team,, but it ■ is doubtful, if ■ he will playnext: Saturday, although ' he .is ~coming down: There, are three 1 fullbacks accompanying" the ' team. Bloom-neld.-.goal-keeper,- will be in goal in'.the shield match.. , -Last.season he did not represent -Auckland against. Wellington. ■ but : time has proved Jiinvto be "a. capable goal-keeper, ...:Jacobsen, : . Mather, aiid ; Mason, assist .'in. making.'iip a clinking .goo'd fqrward line; "Jacobpen may.: not :be on: the. wing, as: on. the' former occasion. Mason was centre'last .year. Auckland;S.':::right-wing v last year was, qveT-stronj,\ < . ;':. •■">?■■■■ ■'_ ~ ■■■■'. ''■'.-"■-: . ".': One local; critic-has ..placeil his opinion in favour of-Wellington. He.states,that, with, a grand' forward.' line and .first-class full-backs, Auckland .should ,be defeated easily. .Time will: show.i,'how much'this tipping 'is; worth.. • : '-v:■::/•■;- i.'.. h';:><"■■: . PlayersJri general'wilUbVglad to'/know that the , 'rules, governing 'shield matches have been altered : br the."New. u Zealand Goiincil, and the alteration take's • effect from. the. beginning..^next : season. -Two' oxtra spells-only,.will, be. played if both, sides have drawn, at call •of i-time, .and-if at the finish .of the-eltra spells, neitherside has won/,.: the. holders - of the/shield will, be win.;' Other alterations appeared-in: The. ■ Dominion on lasfi'■'.■■.•'■• ;-..'' :;■:,■'■'■. :i. ■ -'.:■ ''■-;■:::.'>-■':.{ ■'.. •:....,..