ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1557, 28 September 1912, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

TBr "Centre-Ham,"l - END : OF, SEASON-NOTES. other hand, the junior teams have come Provided the "clerk of the weather" permits, to-day will see the curtain _ practically rung down on the 1912 Association football season in Wellington. One or two junior matches have yet to be played, but the Charity Cup final between Hospital and Y.M.C.A. at Miramar this afternoon is the last event of any importance.Looking back, it lias not been a particularly good seasbn.. In comparison with last year, the weather has been wretched. During 1911 thero was'not one postponement, but this season has been full of them, and this has [been responsible for the lateness in closing. Taking it on the-whole, the play of the senior teams lias not been up to the usual, standard. In fact, the games have teen, in the majority of -cases, anything buj scientific exhibitions of football. ■On the other hand, tho junior-teams have come on very well indeed, so much go that wehave seen several promoted juniors playing good games in senior rank's. In tho senior competition, the Hospital men have been in the lead right from the jump, this .being largely t due to the fact that the men from Porirua had ample opportunities for training together, and also that they were able to put the same team in the field Saturday after _ Saturday. It would bo better next year, it is generally thought, if ways and means could bo devised by which the Hospital Club could play home and home matches. .

The New Ground. Apropos of the association's new ground and tho prospects of the W.F.A. making money next season, present indications point to next year being an important one in "soccer" football in New Zealand. If things go on as at present, it will be the first time' in the annals of tho game in New Zealand that any Football Association has had a ground of its own, with the right to charge for admission to cup matches. Then, again," Wellington fortunately has the BrownuShield;;to-defend next year —there are two challenges in. already,"from Otago and Taranaki "Soccer" on the Equator. Charles Williams, who used to keep goal for Manchester City, writes an interesting letter to "Tityrus," of the "Athletic News," from far-off Rio Grande, do Sul, Brazil:—"Football is played around tho Equator and all over Brazil—in the little towns and. villages—hundreds _of miles /rom anywhere th£y have their football teams," he writes./ "The referees' knowledge of tho game is somewhat amusing, though at the same time they are always ready to listen to' advice. I am afraid the following incident would wipe a referee out of the gamo in England, though it opens up a new reading of the rules. In a certain match here ono side.got three corners in succession, and after- the' third had been taken without result, Mr. Referee stopped the game and awarded the attacking side a penalty-kick. After the protests of the other team had abated, the referee defonded his action by saying he always oonsidered three corners worth a penaltv-kick!" "Tityrus," by the way, rather thinks that Williams would like to come over to New Zealand or ■ Australia as a-"soccer" coach. Casualty Substitutes.' " A correspondent of the "Athletic News," writing from Vancouver, British Columbia, suggests that "soccer" football could be improved by taking a rule from lacrosse as played in : Canada. . He points out that if a player in lacrosse is permanently injured the other side must likewise be handicapped by the retirement of a player, thus levelling matters. He argiies that in football both sides should lose a man or fresh blood ba imported to take the injured man's place, and so maintain the equality of the teams. It may l)e urged (comments "Tityrus," of tho "Athletic News," on this point) that the introduction of a new player, fre3h and vigorous, would be unfair, but the Football Association might well consider this subject—especially as it affects the goal-keeper. If the goalkeeper be injured and another man in the eleven takes his place, it is a double handicap of the worst kind. A new rule might at least be brought in ordering that any team which loses a gdal-keeper should be allowed the privilego of playing a substitute under the crossbar.