LEAGUE & LEAGUERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1788, 28 June 1913, Page 12

LEAGUE & LEAGUERS.

1 fßr "FLEETFOOr."I NEW ZEALAND PROSPECTS. Dr. Thacker Interviewed. Dr. Thacker, whea interviewed in Sydney, was enthusiastic on the progress tho League gamo is making in New Zealand. "Tho game," he said, "is going ahead by leaps and bounds in New Zealand. Tho only tiling that is stopping it is the scarcity of grounds at Auckland, our head centre, Wellington, and Dunedin. In the Canterbury and Hawko's Bay districts tho League authorities are belter off. The football ■ public is also taking a keener interest in the game. "When tho present team returns home," continued Dr. Thacker, "it is the intention to tour some of the centres around Christchureh and Dunedin, and when tho Australian League team goes over In July an etfoit is to be made to have one of the tests played in Dunedin. "The Union ofiicials are already beginning to feel the pinch," went on tho doctoi'. "The New Zealand proposals to alter the laws of the Union game were turnled down by the English Rugby Union, ' and now the fight is being carried on in earnest." Playinfl the Wind. The wind \va9 the chief factor in tho match played at Newtown Bark on Saturday last, between Petone ahd Athletic. All the points scored in tho game, to the number of 27, were got playing with the wind. In the first spell Athletic had the advantage in this respect, and put on ten points. If anything, the miniature gale had taken on a fresh 6pell of activity iu the second spell, and Petone had 110 difficulty in getting 17 points. It was not an uncommon thing to see the ball kicked from one. end of the fiold to the other when the wind got under it. Athletic Men, Athletic have acquired a good man in Parker, a fast back, who was once a prominent player under Union rules, for Melrose. Parker played an excellent game on Saturday, ana in addition to scoring once_ for his side, he made numerous openings for Byan and Wilson. The lastnamed is one of the bfcfst men donning the jersey for Athletic, and has fliC'Staying powers so accessary in, the League game. He is a certain "tackier," and seems able to stop any number, of men. If the side had a few more like him they would rise to the top of tho championship ladder. Bott, Athletic's new ihalf,.i6 another good addition to the team. '* Colonials in England. An English writer states that Oldhanl hope again to havn the services of S. Dean, vne famous Australian ceutre-three-quartiSr back, ho having promised to report himself at Watershedding iiext Augu«t. Dean played football in Sydney last season, and was also a member of the New South Wales team which toured New Zealand. Players Damaged. The League rules are supposed to an sway with a lot of the roughness of lluguy football. To judge by the number of players who received minor injuries during the progress of the PetoiicAthletic gamo last Saturday, tho League game would seem rather to lessen the chances a player has got of coming out with a whole skin. Fortunately, none of the injured men were badly hurt, but tho game was stopped every now auil again to allow sofii'e player to recover and at the finish of play about half the field seemed to be limping about. Roughness is entering too much into play. 1 at Newtown Park. Petone Backs. | Petone have 'now got together a verystrong back division, including a jnew player, Jolinstonu, who showed up to great advantage on Saturday. House and Whitley are fast players in the back line, and on Saturday allowed the ball -to- circulate with much freedom. If anything, this department is not too sure in tackling, but there is a good mob ot forwards, while one of the best full-backs in Wellington, Finlayson, keeps tho .linn pretty safe. Now Zealand's Win. The New Zealand representatives did t*ery well iu' their match last week against N.S. Wales, in getting in a win by seventeen points to eleven. Tho New Zealand backs are credited with having handled the ball very cleanly, and with having played in a clever style. Ifwerson and Kelly are still prominent, and their many admirers in this country Will ] be feeling proud at their inclusion. Percy Williams, the Wigan forward, strengthened the front division considerably. The tourists are showing improved condition, and Sydney files are unstinted in their praise of the visitors. In view of last Saturday's win, it is hard to explain how New Zealand went down to such an extent—34 to 10—when they played cn Juno 23. New South Wales are said to have shown great improvement, and their win was due to this, and not to any deterioration in New Zealand's' play. It must have been a vast improvement. Championship Table. The following is the position held by the senior teams to date:— 12 . £ js'l 4 I o So X. „ ' ' ' ft P h! D Newtown ! 8 1 ISO 71 1G Petone 9,5 i 155 102 10 Athletic 9 3 0 94 116 G Hutt >... 9 2 7 57 203 4 Some Stray Notes. As a mark of respect to the late vicepresident of tho club, Mr. G. Hill, who died last week, Athletic players wore a white band round their left arm, during last Saturday's.match. By request of the Wellington League, a football and a book of League rules have been forwarded to the Holy Cross College, Mosgiel. The principal of the college favours the League game. Tho New Zealand representatives are expected back from Australia next week.