ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1545, 14 September 1912, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

TBy "Centre-Half."! CRITICISM AND SOME NONSENSE. The Selectors at Work. From an unauthentic source we gather that tho procedure of the selectors at their deliberations in connection with the Wellington liroivn Shield representative team might havo been something liko this:— Tho selectors of tho "rep/' team scraped their feet, cleared their throat, and glanced ut each other. Their brows were heavy, for .responsibility, inches thick, lay upon them. "Gentlemen," said one, "have ye thunk?"' . /' ' - Tho other two signified that they had. "Ciitume yer papers," eaid the first speaker, pulling out a twisted roll of paper from his waistcoat .pocket. "This is my little lot." Two slips aro handed over, and silence, thick nnd profound, settled upon the mooting. The man with the papers scanned tho lists slowly, fearful frowns darkening, hie visage at spasmodic intervals. Then he cleared his throat. ■ "H-m," said he. "H-m—there's one thing certain, , .boys,, they can't all go." "Nobody says they Can," said one of the others, with asperity in.his voice. ' "According to these slips, the committee individually; speaking evidently thinks they can," said the first speaker. "Jimmy says one thing, you say another, and I say something altogether different. What are ye going to do about it?' "Havo another trial match on Saturday?" "No good—that's the day of the bloomin' match, Anyhow arc ye all agreed on Fitz-' mulligan for goal-keeper? Ye are? Tho ' ayes have it. Having fixed Fitz., the next question is, can he go? Yd dunnof Go and ask him then."

- .One of the three went outside and conj'fe'rred with a member of the waiting fhrong outside. 'Titzie can't get away," ho announced when ho returned from the .conference. ; The Selection Committee heaved a sigh and'.began again. "Lefe put 'em in a Hat,"-'suggested one. "What's the odds, they'll probably get licked, anyhow," he said,' in a- prophetic voice. "Or praps, he added, with a. new inspiration, "Jimmy , here might throw himself into a franco ' and'imagine tlio team." , However, after a further parley they made- up the team, as .everybody knows now. • After Many Days. ' ■ After five- months of. and scrapings, the much-discussed trio of selectors (Messrs. Godbor, Paton, and Yeoman), have published ' the results of their labours—the-"chosen" to meet Canterbury in the Brown ■ Shield match at Christchurch: to-day. ' 'Having- done this much, they'begaji tp.wobble. Their latest proposal was to remove Kirschberg from right-half, the position.for which he was picked, and play him left-half in place of Rickerby, whom they bring fiver to right-half.. . ', I ■ ' " ■' ... The Defence Lines. On the whole the team is fair. With I'Cockburn's selection little fault could be i found. He has a good record behind him, and is a resourceful custodian, who can be relied upon to do justice to his position. At the same time, on the trial day'splay, Hollis pushed him fairly close, and Cockburn could not have had very many points to spare, , Tho same may be said of Parsons. Hβ is well worth his place, and on him the x bulk of the back work must fall. The 6el®B'6jfc'.e£-Srt>ss came/ as J Jsom«\vhaS | .of a ettrprfee,'"and.to be..nufej»iundjie:is notprionrcpresenti'form.-.nworth.nliis-.place. Altogether too slow, he has passed his palmy football days. A , much better selection would havo been Coates, the /Y.M.C.A. back.. It might be said that Coates is too .young yet, but give me the man who is going to last the game out. Coates may not have the experience of Cross, neither has he- the very scant knowledge of the game that Cross possesses. Coates will not dive in where "angels fear to tread," in the same style that Cross would do. And herein lies to a great extent the secret of Coates's play. He is always in good trim,-arid can last a game well. .The man that saves himself is the man who will , ultimately ccme to the front. ..." '

The Halves and Forwards. Of tho half-backs, it toust be said that they do not represent' the strength of the W.F.A. in this line. Roots (Hospital) is the only one who dewrves his place. Kirschberg has gone off considerably, and should never have been reckoned at all. Why it is only a few weeks ago he was not considered good enough to be chosen as first player for Napier. Eickerby was once a good player, and probably has it in him yet, but ■he is never fit- The selectors evidently look, for ono of hi 3 "on" days in to-day's match. If he can be' depended on for that, then all will be well, but if,, not then hard things will be said. If he would givo up the habit of trying to beat his man two or three times before he is content to part with the ball, it would be of great advantage to his side. The halves that "Centre-Half" would like to have seen playing are M'Glade, Roots, and Shaw. Whoever the selectors play at left-half they will have ft big handful in Word and' Bissett to contend with at Lancaster Park to-day. In fact, if these two redoubtable Canterbury forwards are quietened down then anything might happen, ' . ' Tlio composition of the forward line is somewhat shrouded in mystery. The selectors have evidently been turning over some of the reports of past seasons to find out the form of Gibson nnd Phillips. A peep into the misty past would certainly reveal these two players in very favourable light, but at present their form is anything but dcpondable. Amonci the Juniors. The Fourth Class championship, played at Anderson Park last week, was full of excitement. Both teams were twined for tho occasion, and the paco was a cracker. Tho Y.M.C.A. and Mnrlst jClubs aro probably tho two best-trnined in the city. It is very seldom, if ever, that a Mari'st team is.seen without a coach. The game, Although extremely fast, was played in. the. best of spirit, and although the match ended 5—3 in Y.M.C.A.'s favour, there was scarcely that margin between tbo two. teams.' A feature of the game was the goal-keeping on either side, Smith .(Y.M.C.A.) and Fitzgerald (Marist) playing excellent games. Both stopped some almost impossible shots, and by |ood work gained much applause. Adair (Y.M.C.A.) played a tine half game, his work on tho field being a pleasure lo watch, it being neat and effective. Bosher played his usual hard game, and Cusack was the best of a fast set of forwards. Sullivan (Marist) was very fast, and made some Urilliant dashes, but was unsupported, his forwards, being inclined to crowd each other. Waller was solid, And Casey, at full-back, got' his side out of many' a tight corner, lioth sides indulged in too much indiscriminate kicking. A golden soccer rule: "Place the ball to your own man." .Y.M.O.A. supporters were out in force, one enthusiast, with a brass trumpet, being very conspicuous on the line. The teams of small but very energetic boys played at Newtown Park on Saturday in the sixth division trials. There was mnch good individual work, which gives good promise of future senior representatives in years to come. Thorn were four very fine stamps of full-backs, of which Myers and Graliam caught the eya. Tho lntter boy is a very fine loft-footer. The halves were somewhat weak, with tho exception of Galloway, who played an excellent game, nnd was easily the best on the field. Both centre-halves were weak, nnd the ."-elector has tried the experiment of trying a full-bark in this position; Murie. of Senlfliin, who is a. very prnmisin*,' lad. The valiant man of flic forwiirds whs TTally, ouMde-left, His play was a treat to "watch. Hiekey U iinetlicr lad of grout promise. Perry played, nn excellent right-wing game*, ns did M'Cabe. Jl'Ciihe is fast and tricky, but needs to practice the nrf of "centring." r.cssnt, ccntre-fnrwnrd, is full of flash, and M'Leoil, inside-left, i? dangerous near goal. The ciinbination is f< very strong one, and should provide sorni l interesting football when they piny the fifth-daM B team on September 21,