HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1770, 7 June 1913, Page 12

HOCKEY.

; —0 — [By "Bully-off."] REVIEW OF LEADING TEAM. A Good Game for To-day. Round number two will open to-day in tho Wellington Association matches. Looking at the, progmumo of games set down lor decision, one sees that of Karori —JUetropolitiui standing out as being likely to supply the most interesting encounter. 'iliese teams were associated last Saturday, and the rehearsal by .Metropolitan (whose performance' was niarrou by many misfortunes) was so promising that the opinion that Karon will be behind in the roturii game has every likelihood of becoming history. What is the trouble with ICarori? It is not due to any inactivity on tho part of the club's philosophers that the roses of victory have not come into their basket. Their council of war have promoted juniors, deposed senior men, and twisted the disposition of players, and yet their last three engagements read: Loss, loss, draw. And in drawing they were lucky. Time was when Knrori had a forwaul line capable of tackling anything of the representative order. Saturday's exhibition was an improvement on the two previous matches, certainly, but the old combination is not there, and until it is worked in again the Blacks will have no hope

of seeing again the chain of victories tint used to be theirs. Metropolitan are a team that havo shown what is possible in the way of improvement. Karori were lucky to draw with them, for an element of misfortuno —especially in the last quarter of the play-seemed to dog the lied and Blacks in many of their movements. They meet Karori again to-day, and tho battle will have many watchers. Tho College-Insurance Game. The whirlwind tactics of the students from Victoria College met with a solid check when they clashed with Government Life Insurance. The latter played quite their best game this season—the proverbial dash of the green sprinters being broken up on many occasions by the walllike defence of Williams and company. A Review of the Leaders. The first distance of the championship has been run oil,- and standing four points ahead is Victoria College. It is a substantial lead, and not undeserved, as the students have shown a superiority of form over other teams which would gain any contingent its premiership. College came out with eight of their old team at tho first of the season, and as in every other game, when players become accustomed to playing together, College were lucky in this.' Thomson, who gathered in some fame as a right-half for Taranaki, is one of their additions, and two others are Karl Strack (a Wesley senior last year, and incidentally the fourth member of that iamily who play tho game), and Cleghorn, a promoted representative junior. So tho team does not luck experienced players— so evident with some of tho other teams taking part in this year's championship. A feature of the Collegians' play-over-looked by many of the numerous oriticg— and one which has been responsible for a good deal of success with tho Green-jersey-ed men, is the harmonious spirit which exists among; the team as a whole. The sharp censoring voice is never heard when a player bungles his allotted task--silence is golden with the students. Gaze has been awoy from tho team for the post two Saturdays, but will most probably be back in his place again to-day. A very sale back is Gaze, as some of his opponents have probably learned, and for breaking up a forward rush he has few rivals in the competition. The half line has always been of great assistance to their forwards, and in both attack and defence Burbidge and Thomson have always been prominent, while Bountree's marking of a wing is an object-lesson in that particular crt. Griffiths, on the left, has been appealed against frequently for off-sido, and thi3 warrants reference to Rule 11—"When a player hits the ball, any other playor of tho 6ame team who is nearer his opponents' goal than the striker at the moment when tho ball is hit [note the words "moment" and "hit"] is off-side unless there be at least 3," etc. Thus, full-backs had better bo on the qui viva when running up the field. The forwards aro a speedy lot. Karl Struck on the right never forgets to centre—ho would do ■well,' however, were he to omulato his "bully" in making and carrying out his decisions with more snap and vigour. The other forwards— Cleghorn and "Skipper" C.. Strack-he p to make up a powerful maohino of attaok.

Complete Tables of Positions. The following are the positions of the teams at tlio conclusion of the first round (last Saturday):— MEN'S SENIOH. i ■ t .3 -1 f| a 5 ■** * 73*^9^ '~£ 2 S gS-3'3 ft PP M cs£ Oft Victoria C 01.... 5 5 0 0 35 11 10 Metropolitan S 2 2 1' 10 15 G Karon 5 2 1 2 10 17 5 United 5 1 2 2 13 17 4 Wellington ... 5 1 X 3 10 13 8 Govt. Insurance 5 1 — 4 9 14 2 MEN'S JUNIOR. Victoria Col. A 5 4 1 - 18 8 ,0 1C.Y.M.1 5 4 - 1 30 9 8 Karon 5 3 1 1 13 12 7 Hutt Valley... 4 3 - 1' 14 10 G Wellington ... 5 2 1 2 13 13 5 Sr.. Mark's ... 5 2 1 2 8 8 ;5 Victoria College B ... 1 2 - 2 12 19 4 St. Augustine's 5,2 — 3 7 8 4 United .s:;—,— 5 4 17 — Gregg's 5 5 6 27 — : MEN'S THIRD CLASS. Wellington A 5 5 32 2 10 Kilbimie Anglican ... 3 3 — — 42 — 6 K.Y.M.I. '... 4 3 - 1 8 5 G Wellington B 5 3 - 2 2G 18 6 Hutt Valley... 3 2 - 1 20 5 4 Victoria C 01.... 3 1 - 2 22 34 2 United 4 I - 3 11 15 2 Gov. Insurance 4 I—3 7 21 2 St. Augustine's 2 — — 2 0 22 — Miramar 5 — — 5 9 55 — LADIES' SENIOH. Rambler A. ... 4 4 0 0 17 1 8 Syrens 4 3 0 1 14 2 7 Victoria Col, i 3 1 1 11 5 5 Girls College 4 2 0 2 10 7 4 College Old • Girls 4 2 0 2 3 7 4 St. Augustine's 4 2 0 2 9 5 4 Rambler B ... 4 0 0 4 1 18 0 Gregg's 4 0 0 4 0 22 0 LADIES' JUNIOR. Kiwi 3 3 0 0 7 2 0 • Coilejo Old Girls 4 2 1 1 3 5 5 St. Augustine's 4 2 1 1 2 3 5 Technical School 4 1 1 2 2 5 3 Petone D.H. School 3 1110 0 3 Hutt D.H. School 4 0 0 4 0 0 0 Shield Matches and Dates. Provisional dates havo been decided on as follow for the playing of shield matches this season by Wellington—Against Southland, June 28; Ilawko's Bay, July 28; Otogo, August 23; Auckland, September 20. _ Canterbury has failed to send in ft claim for a match so far; perhaps they are waiting for a game in their own island, as Otago are considered to hare a winning team, and, should this be so, the R-ed and Blacks will probably • challenge for a game in Dunedin. The Trial Games. The Wellington Assooiation Match Committee havo granted the selectors either June 14 or 21 as a date for a try-out, and the former will most likely be decided on for the fixture. Jottings Round and About. _ Mr. R, Marshall, a member of tho Wellington Management Committee and secretary. of tho Metropolitan Club, has presented the association .with a banner for competition among the schools, tho games for. which were inaugurate;! this season. Metropolitan are to have a new • man (Shrrrati) in their ranks. JTo is a Palmerston representative, and a brother to their present "bully." Government Life will have to replace their left-wing to-day. Bennett is away on holiday, but will bo playing again next Saturday. The "incident" of a couple of Wednesdays back has been settled. Lo Compto was susponded by tho Management till ho forwarded a written apology to tho ■referee' (Mr. Austin). He sent the required' note forthwith. Sherraii played a great game as "bully" for Metropolitan against Karon. He was a rival to Davies on the day. . Williams, centro-iialf p for Insurance, was prominent at all times against College; he has olio fault, liotrevei—obstruction. Pullyn, Metropolitan winger, undo some splendid dashes on Saturday. His ICnrori vis-a-vis was never in the hunt witli him. A third-class team in Kilbimie Anglican were among those who battled for the junior six-a-side medals. Consuk'i'iug they met teams a grade higher, they put up a splendid fight. Smith phyed a great game for them. Victoria College, like their senior team, are leading in the junior competition. Petone still hold the top position of tho WHnesday teams. They nre a fast lot. The resulis of last week's Wednesday games saw Pnkelin A climb from fourth to second plaeo on the ladder of points.