HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1527, 24 August 1912, Page 12

HOCKEY.

[By "Bully-off."]

WHAT HAS COME OVER THINGS? Ideal Weather,, but What Play?, . ■ Binp weather, really springJike, was the kt of the hockey men on Saturday, and if was 'thought that good bright "games would happen too, .but—alactf"' and. , alas! —what-has o'ercome;senior hockey?'

The United-Karori match certainly was ad exception, but the standard of play in. the other two senior games was simply shocking.- There was no life in them, no sting in the hits, and an entire absence of that keen sporting epirit so essential , to ivhat some poet ot other called "tho rigour of the game." • How inconsistent our senioT . With our football confreres it is different—at least so one supposes. Whenever their best teame meet'good games result, but with, uswell, there's tho rub. Let; us look for a moment or two on the College, team in. particular. They aro a good all-round team, and yet in their match with"' Government Life Insurance—whom on performances they should'have beaten by at least 5 goals— they could, only get home with a margin of 2 goals to spare. It is unaccountable. Their forward line, consisting of Salek, Griffiths, Bc-we,,and the two Stracks, are a fine scoring lot, and yet, as!it appeared on Saturday, they simply could not shoot goals. Times without number they were in' their' opponents , ' cirole—in fact, they . almost lived there—but no goals came. This, too, was not because -the defence was good, What is the reason, then? The Ups and Downs of the "Form" Barometer. Is it because the games are interrupted Saturday after Saturday ? One is inclined to think that thbre is eomethihg in this. Never before has the weather played so much havoc with the hockey. And then when tho games have been played, the conditions havo.been so wretched that tho standard of hockey has deteriorated. Kepresentativ-o fixtures have also interfered with the competitions. In short, wo seem to have reached a stage in senior hockey where interest is decidedly dull. At the commencement of tho season Karori appeared to be so strong that their ultimate success was looked upon as very certain, but now Wellington havo beaten them, and then they just manago to vanquish United'by one goal to nothing. At present the-y are only two points ahead of College. Thou take the Collegians' performances. United defeated them badly in the first round, and they in turn soundly thrashed Wellington twice by 12 goals to i and 6 goals to' 2. Yet they can only beat Government Life Insurance by 2 goals. These are very curious vagaries. Supposing We Woke Up. The writer has attributed the cause to baJ weather conditions; he has also blamej tho representative fixtures for interfering, but it is his firmest convictic-n that the real reason is lack of training. It is late in tho season to discuss this matter, but tho form shown in recant matches is proof. Nothing_ in life is to bo got without hard striving, and supremacy in amateur sport is well worth striving for. When muscle is pitted against muscle, science against science, endurance against endurance, strategy against strategy—when a.ll the qualities combined are brought into play—then what better spectacle is there for the spectator, and what keener enjoyment for tho sportsman himself? Tho season has yet one month to run, so there is plenty of time before us for a move on better things. Let us start now with tho resolution Ihat tho games will be brighter and bolter. Change the Shield Team. On September 21 the Wellington eleven will play Canterbury for possession of the Shield. It will, however, be necessary to make one or two alterations in the team before it goes down on its errand. Mi'ildowncy should bo dropped in favour of C. Davie3, and M'Oregor .should fill Piirton's plncu. Ono ennnot resist tho conclusion that both theso alterations would _ strengthen the team. The forward line cannot be improved upon, while Dwyer in goal gives every satisfaction, J