LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 18 September 1937, Page 6

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

1937 SEASON ENDS. Except for odd games mostly in the lower grades, League football will give way to summer sports as from this week-end. At present the Bradshaw Cup remains unfinalised, but Blackball and Runanga are the only serious contenders for the trophy, and the odds suggests that Blackball may create a unique season’s record by annexing the trophy. The O’Grady Cup will be competed for between Hornby (Christchurch) and Marist this weekend, at Wingham Park. Although little appears to be known about the trophy, its appearance suggests—in the case of Marist —a kind of wooden spoon event. ****.._- Lack of Enthusiasm: Broadly speaking, the season cannot be classed as an unqualified success, and certainly not as the success that has been evident of recent years. The disbandment of Pirate Club early in the season left the Centre with only one town team, and the consequent irregular games at Wingham Park have not been the means of maintaining public interest locally. On the other hand, interest in the country centres has not flagged for one instance, and the position at the moment is that League football has a definite hold in the country areas, but is making no headway in town. The latter is easily explained, and is due to an unusual (and ill-defined) epidemic which has been ravaging New Zealand for some months. To it all sporting bodies have good reason to lay the blame for lack of enthusiasm of players and spectators. However, there can be no recurrence at least next year, and winter sport generally should reap great, benefits.

Well Managed: The Management Committee of the West Coast Rugby League had a big problem to deal with at. the beginning of the season, first with the change to Saturday football, andd secondly the heavy financial loss sustained as a result of last year’s flood. In the first endeavour, they did not receive the support promised by clubs, some of whom fell back on their word no sooner than Saturday football had started. In the matter of finance, the Centre can be congratulated on its prudence and businesslike methods. To lose all the stock of a fair-sized paddock one year, and to be able to re-stock the area entirely out of the year’s gate takings, is an achievement not to be treated lightly. In every other way the management has been excellent, and the committee are entitled to be complimented on the year’s working.

The Clubs: The fielding of weak teams, frequent changes in teams, and far too many defaults have tended to take public interest away from the code this season. Both Pirates and Nelson Creek dropped out. of the competition, leaving the Bradshaw Cup to four clubs, but even these clubs seem to have had difficulty of late in placing reasonable sides on the field. The fault for this cannot easily be laid at the door of anyone in particular, but it is in some measure due to the loss by death, or removal of a number of old stalwarts, who made it their business to see that the ciubs they supported went on to the field with the will and the team to win. Club management, too, must share the blame for the unsatisfactory state of affairs.

Little Inducement: There has been little inducement to players to keep fit and to train strenuously, due largely to the apathy displayed by other centres. It is nothing short of a disgrace that the wealthy Auckland League refused to send any team on tour during the season and that no challenge was entered for the Northern Union Cup from any quarter of the North Island. The Auckland League apparently considers itself too important to indulge in matches with other Dominion Leagues, but prefers rather to flirt with the Australian controlling bodies in endeavours to have provincial and club teams travelling across the Tasman. While Auckland indulges in such a policy, there can be no hope of an improvement in the standard in other centres, and particularly in the South Island, which, despite the great pausity of players, can stul field a team which is capable of shaking the tar off the boots of the North Island side.

Brighter Future: The controlling body on the West Coast is fully aware of the requirements for improving the standard, and providing greater inducement for players, but 1937 was not an appropriate year in which to adopt any concerted plan of action. Next year, however, League football is in for a boom year on the West Coast. The first job will be to establish a new town club, and if rumours count for anything, that Club is going to go in to the field with a fine team. The second proposal is already well under way. This is a tour of the North Island, which it is hoped to undertake early in the 1938 season. To ensure its success, the services of all clubs have been co-opted in an endeavour to raise the necessary finance to enable the tour to stand on its own legs without having to depend upon gates in the centres visited. Wellington, Taranaki, South Auckland, Auckland and Northland are included in the tentative programme, and with a really strong team, the Coast should more than re-establish its name in the north. Whether the Northern Union Cup should be taken on tour is another matter, for from the gate takings point of view the value of the trophy cannot be over-estimated. On the other hand, there is the possibility of losing it in one of the earlier games, and the resulting lack of interest in >

the other centres. It might, however, be advisable to play say two matches for the cup during the tour. ****** Lower Grades: Mainly through the splendid efforts made in the schools, the lower grades have been able to field teams fairly consistently except in the case of the junior competition, where enthusiasm has been lacking. The exception is in the case of Kumara, where, despite strong opposition, the club has established itself in a very sound position. If Kumara decided next year to go into senior grade, there can be nc doubt that they would prove worthy contestants, just as they have achieved a unique record in the junior competition. ' The third and fourth grade competitions have made up for lack of teams by plenty of enthusiasm, and some really promising piayers are being noted in each grade. The Marist Schools’ House Competition has proved a boon, lor the boys are receiving excellent training in capable hands as well as having some objective for which to strive. With these lower grade players, the future for the game is a bright, and prosperous one. Inangahua Sub-Centre: Now the only code in tne district, League football continues to progress in the Inangahua districts, where good management is also in evidence. As a Sub-Centre, the League has not the status to which it is entitled, and it seems advisable for the controlling body in that district to take steps to have their status raised to that of a Centre. There can be no doubt that there is scope for this, and few objections can be made if the Inangahua Sub-Centre decides to proceed with the suggestion. Its unique position entitles it to the higher status, which should result in greater keenness both in the West Coast and Inangahua districts.

WEEK-END GAMES. The principal League football attraction over the week-end is the O’Grady Cup match between Marist and Hornby (Christchurch), to be played at Wingham Park at 2.30 tomorrow. Marist are putting a particularly strong team in the field, and they will meet a high-class combination in Hornby, one of the leading Canterbury teams. At Blackball, the home side will meet Runanga in what will virtually be the final of the Bradshaw Cup. Both teams will be at full strength, and a keen tussle can be expected. Lower grade games are set down for Kumara, where the Junior Challenge Shield will be defended against Marist, Wingham Park, and Runanga. Marist seniors to play Hornby, at Wingham Park, at 2.30 p.m. (assemble 2 p.in.): Pollock, Knapp, Anisy, Devonport, O’Brien, Beban, O’Connor, Calder, Power, Affleck, Pearson, Grogan, Morel, Crase and Price. Marist juniors v. Kumara, at Kumara. 'Bus leaves 1.45 p.m.: L. Beban, Mulqueen, Knapp, Crase, Greaney, Knapp, O’Brien, Hopkins, Price, Kirby Power, Grogan, Beams.