ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1539, 7 September 1912, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

TBt "Centre-Half."] OUR MORIBUND SELECTORS. NOTES ON THE BOYS' MATCHES. Masterly Inactivity. "Arc wo to have any representative team to do buttle against Canterbury for tho Brown Shield next Saturday or not'r" is the question that is exercising the minds of players anil supporters of the game in Wellington. Here it is a week before, tho deciding day, and up to tho time these lines were written there had boon no indication that tho selectors had awakened from their long winter sleep. Players ought to have a reasonable chanco to iuako niTangemonl.s lo get nway for their trip south. The representative team is to be chosen to-day at tho conclusion of the trial match at Duppa Street. But it might rain! As it ,is, the time is all too short to get tho team into proper form, and as stated last week, 1-4 or 15 players should have been chosen to go into training before this. Coming to the question of trial matohes, the writer does not hold with the idea nt all. If the selectors have been doing their duty during the season, surely they ought to have a working idea as to who aro eligible to play in our representative team. Instead of fixing a trial match last Saturday, tho selectors (Messrs. Godber, Paton, and Yoeinan) should have chosen tho representative team about August 28, and told the Management Committee that they wanted a ground for this team to play against a picked eleven from other clubs—wet or fine. This would have given the seekers after the Brown Shield a chance to understand each other's play, etc. That would have also given an extra chance of playing together before leaving for south.

Canterbury is very much olive, and working hard. Prom the way Wellington, has managed jits business, it will not come as a surprise next Saturday evening to hear that Wellington has been defeated once again by the holders. ; Schoolboy "Reps. , ' Commenting upon the general, features of the schoolboy "rep." match played at Blenheim last Monday, between teams' representing the Wellington and Marlborough district schools, "Centre," in the "Marlborough Express," says that the slippery ground spoilt the play to a certain extent. Individual play was . the order of the day. A team that swings the ball from wing to wing, and then centres at about twenty yards from goal, is tho team that will always win. Several collisions took place between Wellington players, one especially between the right wing and centre half, who was out of place. The shining lights' in the Marlborough team seemed to bo the inside left, the right half, and the biggest of the fullbacks. For ; Wellington a little fellow playing right half Beemed to get through a lot of work, although he was very often out of his place. The centre half played well, and of the forwards the outside right and left plaj-ed a useful game. 'Tatton and M'Arthur, in the Wellington backs, are two very good lads, " says the critic. "Tho latter is surprisingly good with his feet, and knows how to upset his opponents by the use of his hip. This'is a point the local boys should practice. Deans m goal is also a promising boy, and came through tho ordeal very creditably. Davis and Fitzgerald upheld the Wellington's end very well, and it may be said that every boy deserved his place in the team. L. O'Brien, in goal for Marlborough, was the defeating proposition, and the shots ho stopped and the way he cleared his goal would havo been worthy of the play of higher grades. The Fitzgerald brothers are still improving in their knowledge of the game, end are truly a clever pair. Casey; for his size,'is a. wonder. Thomson is improving, and Millard is also turning out well. O'Connor is too quiet. He ought to send his team at it when they are beginning to take things easy; but he was the most improved player on tho ground."

Two Good Garnet. Speaking generally, the boys' representative matches, which were played in town on Saturday last, between the Manawatu and Wellington fourth division players, and the Auckland and Wellington fifth division representatives,, furnished two really good games, and those who faced the prospect of standing on the line at either match during a rainy afternoon were glad they went. In the Manawatu-Wellington match the odds against the visitors, in respect of form and experience, wero overwhelming, hut despite the fact that the Manawatu lads had just completed their first season of "soccer" they made a very plucky stand indoed against the w.ell-seasoned members of tho home team. Their defeat was a forgone conclusion early in the progress of the game, but they "died hard," and walked Off like sportsmen, beaten by six goals to nil. Their best "men" were Grant," Rogers, Anderson, Verry, Pyecroft, and Gledhill. Among the Wellington boys good work was done by Johnson, O'Sullivan, Ulrioh, Morris, Flaw, Bosher, and Thomas played a conscientious game.

The Auckland-Wellington match drew a fair crowd, and enthusiasm ran high. The contest was a willing one, and both teams, for their/ age, showed surprising form, attacking, defending, passing, and dribbling like veterans of Lillipert, and evoking encouraging cheers and exhortations from tho bank. On form, the match was a. drawn game. The Auckland boys were beaten by the clock, for judging by the state of affairs when the final whistle bleiv, another three minutes would have converted the six to five Wellington lead into a drawn gamo of six all. Prominent amongst Auckland players were Cassorley, Dacre, and King, while Marshall, Thomas, and Bowden were conspicuous on the Wellington side by their energy and tactics. Says' "Loft-wing" in the "Otago Daily Times":—There is still a possibility of Otago playing for the Brown Shield. If Wellington beats Canterbury on September 14 it may be taken for granted that Otago will not go to Wellington. Otago hns approached Canterbury suggesting September 21 as the date for receiving the challengers-in tho event of Canterbury having beaten Wellington. Cantw■bur'y, haying received so many teams, may find it embarrassing to receive Otago a week later than the Wellington team, .nnd not improbably may suggest Septeml>er 28. This would leave September 21, which could be used for the match against Southland in Dmiedin, and this game would give tho Otago eleven a chance to move together in anticipation of the Brown Shield match.

The sixth' division championship has teen closed, Y.M.C.'A. being declared winners. The team had a five-point lead over their near«st onponents— the Boys' Institute. The Y.M.C.A. team has been a splendid little combination of small boys, and only one goal has bpen scored ngainst them in thirteen matches while the lads havo scored no fewer than (!S— an average of five goals per match. The team has been very strong both in attack and defence. Myers, a big lad for his age. has nlnyed a frond consistent same at left-full-back. The tiro winghnlves. Crane and Galloway, a.pneared to have a very fine knowledge of the game. The latter is a "woe laddie" from Scotland, and at times his nlay has been a feature of Hi? lvntoli. Ho.llev, another small boy, is probably'the be^t-left-wing playiiie in the iifih m sixth division. I championships this vear, and for sn small a player Mie power he puts into his shnts nnrl "centres" is very surprising. The chief scorer of the team has been M'Leod. This "man" is very dangerous when near the goal. Altogether tlii Y.M.C.\. Club has reason to be proud of its sixth division plnvers, and it would bo a good thin"! for the seniors in seasons to come if these boys stick to their club. Stray Notes, Apropos of the visit of our men to Chiristchurch next wee!:, there have been many suggestions launched at "CentreHalf" as to who should constitute the team. Taking o line through the various selections of the "tinstors," the fina. selection announced to-night should not ho materially different, from the followin?:—Goal: Cockburn; full-backs. Cross Parson 1 !; halves. Shnw. Roots, M'Gladeforwards. Roberts, Phillips, Hughes, Phillips, and Barnett.