ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1210, 19 August 1911, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

[Br Centhe-Half.] SWIFTS UNASSAILABLE. THE FAR-SEEING W.F.A. OFFICIALS. First Division Championship. From a glance at the following table it will bo seen that tho position hold by tho leading team in the first division championship is unassailable. Swifts must win, and they deserve their win if any club does. At first it appeared as if tho "red shirts" were to have a hard tussle, but. consistency and combination have won out. There is magic in these words, "consistency and combination." From what can be gathered, to-day will see tho last of the championship matches, and it is proposed to begin tho Charity Cup fixtures next week, judging on form this competition will produce somo "sure enough" lights. Following is tho senior division championship table:— i . ? "3 i , & 3 % i 6 -s S & £ Swifts 16 II 0 2 52-20 28 -Thistle .-. 17 12 1 4 40—20 25 Hospital ' 17 It 2 4 58-21 21 Ramblers ... 17 !) ' 3 5 30—30 21 Y.M.C.A. ... 17 7 4 8 26—28 18 Diamonds ... l(i 7 3 6 40—28 17 Hovers 17 i 3 10 27-3S 11 ■Wanderers 17 4 2 11 24—3!) 10 Corinthians It! 3 1 12 18—81 7 St. John's 16 1 3 12 IC—SO 5 Those Far-Seeing Ones. If some of the clubs were as wholehearted as members of the Management Committee over the ground in South Kilbiimie, there would be great prospect for Association in Wellington. Praise indeed is due to members of tho executive for tho way in which they have v.-orked to atfain the object. The brunt of the workappears to have fallen on Messrs. J. J. Roberts, IT. N. Holmes, A. Duncan, and 1. J. Courtenay. This quartet have spent time and labour, and now they havo the satisfaction of seeing their plans materialising. Not for a moment must it be thought that the work is finished. As a matter of fact it is only beginning. It is now the turn of the players, and that rather nebulous entity "tho supporters," to be up and doing. On September 11 a meeting is to take place at the iY.M.C \ Rooms, and it is hoped that every player, club member, and supporter—in fact, everyone who has any tiny spark of interest—will be there. During rim intervening time active preparations are- bein" made by committees to obtain as many shareholders m tho new company as possible before September 11, and "then, on that night, it is proposed to launch an active campaign for the purpose of making one swoop throughout the city to obtain shareholders. Somo will no doubt ask: What is tho reason for this exhibition ot energy? The answer is that tho. far-seeing W.I; .A. Committee intends to strike while tho iron is hot. Shares in the company are to be £1: 2s. is to bo paid application, Is. on allotment, and is. is to be called up monthly. Bv next season Wellington will be the possessor of another sports ground within easv distance of town on which the good old boccer game will bo plaved "until turther notice. It is jnterestinsr to note that 'Wellington ig the first.place in New Zealand to have a sports ground of its own for Association footballers only. And, scein« the genuine and honest enthusiasm which has been put into tho venture, does it like for like? They a l so avo being cat t for, and by this.means havo more opportunity for recreation purposes. Duppa Street Match Criticised. m»i hi ™ e aßai f h ?, d all the bcst of the luck and Diamonds the worst. Tho "Scotchmen havo improved tlipir forward line WaS i f Simpson has been droppeil, and two new men were tried, these being Meik eham and Douglas. Their play warrants them being retjiued. was tho best for.vard on the groundhe plays and does not talk. He tricked his opponents in fine style, and places nicely to his outside man. Bro.vnlee and Dieksoii nre two very useful halves, who concentrate their minds on the play and keep quiet Dickson ,is a fine, tackier, and takes a lot of getting past. Clapham and J.ydine were not any too tafe, but M Arae showed somo pietty work. Diamonds forwards did not seem to '»et going. Even their provcibial "ooloival" rushes uid not eventuate. Tho Blacks, in their (lnv, converted liiany a -.orner but hie bustle is not there now. Shearer and ?■ were tho best of the foiwnrds Joo Xaybr played one of his/hoc; games, and Harriett wuked hard. W, Roberts was not up to his best form. And, indeed, why not? .Now that Swifts havo won th« ch-ai-pionslii[) it would bo an interesting Innovation it a match between the chamPjons and the "Rest of tho League" wore played. It would afford the Selection Loimnitteo un opportunity to judge Hip incuts of players for the doubtful potions mi the Brown Shield team, and if pn approximate or probable representative team were pitted against the cl-am-FL 01 lV-i 1 'i pla -\ 7 0rt,1 w "tchii.(f should be provided. A team somewHt ~i M-cv.-s would be bard to r«at:-Gial, Cod; burn Hospital); full-backs, right, Roberts (Diamonds)-and Wallis .'Hospital)halve,? lurschbcri? (Ramblers), Hoots (Hospital), and Shaw (St. John's); for?S r '• (Ramblers). Tvrer x OSp -i a ' Iv , os -. <C°™thi C r.s), Phillips (Hospital), (Y.M.C.A.).Battle Royal at Porirua, A leading feature of this game was the duel between Ives, the Corinthians' contro forward, and Roots, the 'Hospital ceitro.half. Both players aro likely candidates for the Brown Shield team, so their performance was of much iiitere-t to the sptators. Ives' played right into' the hands of the enemy, being much too fond of the ball, failing to distribute it to his wing men, and a nsequontly paying tho penalty, as Roots gave h'im no opportuiity for "sand diiieing," b-u intervened with head or foot in a very disconcerting fashion, making the centre look very foolish, at times. Certainly he did not get a great cloal of suppirt from his wing men, but lnituraliy they required ii ball to bo of any help to him. bood ma'i as ho is, tho centre failed to recognise that fact. The head work of Roots was greatly admired by the in'lookers, and it is quite remarkable to observe tha aciur.uv and power with which he brads tho ball. Corinthians' forwards -ivero dashing, but were.not able to penetrate tho defence of Wallis and Cockburn, the left back proving a disconcerting obstacle, his coolness and resource being very fine. Cockburn kept a clean sheet for tiie sixth game in eight played in the second round, (i line tribute tt> his abilities, and he should certainly be awarded the 'modal tor the tet performance under the bar. 110 has lost 21 goals in 17 games, while the nearest record is 20 in 1G games by the Swift?, but as they havo bad four different custodians, and the medal is for a personal and not a elfib [eifonnance, it should go to the above-named keeper, who, on his display; this season, is the finest artist under the bar in Wellington. Hospital's inside man, Tyrer, showed some pretty footwork, scoring ono goal, and als;> having a hand in tho fourth I point YOivmlod for his side. Tho Corin- | thians' right'back, Richmond, was a stalwart in defe;icn. Jn fact ho was the mainstay of the "Strincs," his clean, hard volleying ami general play being -very good. Proposed Representative Team. A correspondent sends :iic his selection of what he thinks wo'ild lie. a suitable team to represent Wellington against Canterbury for the Brown Shield:—(Wai, Rowan (Rovers); full-lwcls. ( l.ipliam (Thistle) and Parsons ! Wanderers); halves, Kirschberj.' (Ifrimblois), Rickerbv (Swifts), and Itoots (Hospital); forwards, Smnllbono (Ramblers), Lindsav (Thistle), Vossey (S.vifts), Ash .'Thistle), Phillips (Hospital). The number of players from each club in this le.itn is as follows:—Ramblers 2, Thistle 3, Swifts 2, Hospital 2, Wanderers 1, Rovers 1. In my opinion the forward line is very strong, (be half-line still stronger, but the defence is weak. However, the eleven would give a very good account of rhc-jisckes, and Canterbury will havo (o be very good to hold th'e shield against such a combination. It will bo intc"resling to i.oaipare the personnel of my correspondent's ideal with the thiol selection of our selectors. There is a probability that Roots will replace Rowan when this takes place.