FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 June 1923, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

| SATURDAY’S GAMES. ! . | The football fixtures will bo eonj tinned to-morrow afternoon when the 5 followin'.' fixtures v. ill take place:— ! .Seniors.—United v. Kiwis ...Mr AsJ kew); Kxeelsiors v. Kmnara. at liokij tikn (.Mr Gillnoly) : Kokatalii v. Ilari j ilari at Ilari Ilari (.Mr AY. A. Wilson), j Juniors. Kxeelsiors v. Arahtira til ! Aralmra (.Mr Cutlnish); Ilium v. | Kiwis at Riinu (Mr Wogan); Kolcaf (alii v. Ilari Ilari al Ilari Ilari Mr [ Sutherland). j 'I liird (•'radc.— School v. Kxeelsiors. I The two senior games at Hokitika j a ill he played at It p.m., Kiwis and • I t oiled on No. I eround. The third [ j (trade game will lie played at 1.,'i0 [ I p.m. I ; _ i I ’ [j Ice or-t "all team to r: j i r>- n t Ara- . | hura K ■ho.d in l ; •ir match' agaiii'l j ; ' .dim' i "•: • I cemorrow will he as \i i JloV, ■■■;■ 11. Ceeigo, j| .1|,,011, ft. j . Tainui, T. T,linin'. 1. Tainui i-apii. Die,'.-. .1. Aek. r-. P Muir. D. J.R.. Ij J. Hat ill. K. ( ool: V ie... Cap, ~ \ || •h-nie. J. Klv.mre . J. Keegan. ; ffoiioy : emergen, i - : 1.. Richards. j . j Marshall. j ■ l 11 iteil agaiii't K ini-- at .'I p.m | Kortegast. Deidrieh-. 11 agar. Willoughhy. Ciifliihs. I.yneh. Duncan. Wells, I O'lConnor. Coghin. Muir. Jhinni-ter. AA ill la ms, Reid. Ciithnsh. Robert-,- Andrews. Wright. Anybody unable to I lay please let the Secretary know in plenty id lime. § I iie Team to represent Arahura in their game against Kxeelsiors at Aiahora on Saturday. June JOth. will l.e si-leeteil from tlie following: Staines. -Mas n. Tainui (.*>». Keogan (.2). Martin iioeliloni. Kliuev. Wright. Xolan. J. .Marshall. .1. 'lliomas. Smith, Georgo (•■ Thomas, ,r. Trolley. All players are reque-U'd to meet at tile ludl at g.IX p.m. sharp. KXCKf.sini! tka ,ms i'()]; TU-MOHRDW. I Seniors against Kmiiara at J p.m.:— j Wogan (PU Clndivynd, Mirlad. Palmer, i Ross, Morgan. Graham, lltyuaii. I’raser I I Pi. Breeze. llarkcr Ik-1. Tibbies, j Ihompson Ah Donald. Any ol the above not being able to play please notify i lie Secretary to-night. Juniors against Arahura at. Arahura: Ro.-s. I.aiiig. Davidson. Harris. Shaw. Pro-ton. Montagu. Maclarhine (pi, Riilland. (i ihhoiis, tfhi'S. Aitkeu Ogg. Kmergeiicy: Williams. A ionve.vniice will leave the Pioneer's Monument, at I ..‘lO sharp. dt'd. tirade aeam-i Si Imol a! 1 JiO o’clock Se.il i. Preston, Ron e. Dale, Aleh'arlano. Slevensoii. Palmer. Knitler. Rutland. Dale. Staines. Nightingale. King. .Mi Donald. I KlWf TKA.MS KOR TO-AIOR ROW. Seniors v. United- Stevens. Steele. Ifo.v. Hiiil'en. Dunerait, Ah viiihnii. Res-, Walker. Kearns. Shannon. IVri ham, l.amhi-rr. Roheit-, Leslie. Adams. I Jiiuiii's v. Rimu. at liiniii: llim.-s-I maun, Siopl'orlh. Jones, Stoploith. | Breeze |).. class it.. Paine. Ilalin. ,\d- ! unison, White (hadv.uk. I 'lahlert. I Kearns. Kleining. Caylor. Khoniiig. I Pall. i’ergaini iii. Ah liilo h. A bus j leaves Kel: t's eol tier at UP') o'clock j harp for Rinni.. i rXTKRKSTIXC TALK P.A A j RKKKttKK I 'l;.' T. A. I* letelier. X.Z.R .r. 11l Ihe " Dollli II ion." t ! Judging by ihe amount dl feeling •hat V. ee in nur !{ug!:y came- | day. ■.').■ begin.- 1,, wonder uheiher i: • "‘•old I’.'t he as veil it. m-l. ml of i'. aching jda.vei Ihe lav. s the v might not Iry and t cch ■, lj• r j s . the spirit id' the game. \\'o all know tu me own •(i.o that i; did mm h to htiih! me up in ohy-ical sireoglli, luit 1 tie." Hen ad the power of >•.„ v' and

musile. I value tlm fi-iiqid-hi|i- of those many good fcliuws whom ( b.i'.c mm b.'t : 1' n and oi! the field. i.m u- "i,-n ink" mir wa 11 little meetings. MV ceine I era Io dl -.IC s tho i 1: 1 oi'j m. :a : ion.- of ibe nil"-, bn,; cl 1 go: in a a- nim h I '('..sure cut: of the little Weekly renin m o l ' kindred spirit - : Al tor all, h" agay as a .game, ami i| is ne ant to ho oia;. a: a - simi . ,\ man v. ho plays Rt:g- ---•' ;• ' a-'t hdl -aubi 'o ■ a in and if i. • i- no sp,,ri ho -li.mjM noccr ’ o .-dlowoil 0:1 the iioi.l. A game is meant a- r.mv.uion am! not a 1 01 1 1 1, . h: [wo-n price fighter-. It. is t- give us a pleasant 'ha.igo from ilm 11'<-n.imt.- work ..I Ihe rest of t la* n,.-k. To p'u.y t !*-* gamKail.v well it 1 . of oiiii-o. in .o-saiy to train v.o'l. and I do mn uaiu nnyone to i dual. I am aim ing Idm t 1 rainieg !- Coin;: ov.-rdoiio. li i- i:, -io ary lor ti.c g d of i!io t'oiai : ii.ct a liimuljor-heudd attend lira, tiro and mal,,, him-olf a- bit D would ho akin to madiiiss to attempt to play a si iviui iin game of |. othall v.ilhoul getting lit. X'evcribeless I tionk we aiu- giving ten im;c!i alleiit till Io the winning „{ mil I'.-las. All trims should play to win. so long as they a .■otnoh' li thi- by fair nma.ii.s, Il i- iiire to Mitt, but a l:-t !"r so ot itlm mao who ui 1 lose well. That is really the acid to-t of a true Rugby |.layer. Lot n.n admit, hottc-ver, that Wc have these true sports in Wellington. They al’.* mil as extinol as the m —l. 1.-.1: Hoie arc feu clubs who will Id era 1 -.'lv '-land a goad man down 1.0-c c ].-.. Lis play i- not 100 clean. H we at.' mdug to poi down rough play ur mu i get i.'i.ro and more club to adopt this .1 Hot mle. Some will -ay: "What ill.- referees d-iogr” Titov at'" ■ l ' q■ i g tlirir toast, tbit ciqq'v ma- of us

knows that the ilirtv nhivw is :,!■-> a cunning one. When ho i- • l:!~ tin. dci-haiid v.im'l; ho has rue eye ..n the referee. and it' !!((-• latter i- 1....ki: g thor.■ i- nothing .Inina. l!m it Ills bail, is turned tlio!*■ ■ is. Wo IdiMW (|iiiti- well that fur every case wo cauii there' are prebaly a do;-.on we don't iw, mill that i ■ why I hold that ulnm v,- do yet a real call h we should nut hesitate to (hi our duty. Wo cannot always Ice L:ii!;ii)c mit fur tlie-'e roUeu t,ictus, fur v.v have . Inline of a came in which till players are involved, and the centre of I i:c gillie is the hall. We mu-l never have ear eye ( otf it for loin;, lint t.tir eyes inlist lint be tdtted to it. II ugly I- a streiiuous game. and the player who takes part in it must he prepared to take his share of hard humps and knocks without grumbling. W, know it is only natural that a I player who received a deliberate upper- i cut should lie inclined to retaliate, and j to a certain extent it is excusable, hut : we cannot overlook it. If we are sure of provocation, the first man should i net the heavier punishment. But the worst type of player ts he who, as soon : as ho eels a bntnn that i- net to his j liking. watches for a chain o to "yet j even" with the opponent who nceidon- j tally yave him the hump. Not only I does lie want to '‘yet even.” hut he “sorts him out" for the rest of the | frame. [ have no hesitation in saying i that sin-h a player should not lie ul- j lowed in any team. One such player j can absolutely spoil the reputation of j hi« team or club. There is no doubt. * too, that such players do not wait fori the hump to start their obnoxious work, ' and they pay very close attention to ! any “star' - on the other side, seeking j an early chance to “yet him." Kverv- I body knows tliis is absolutely contrary ■ to the spirit of the ynme. hut how j many dubs are willing to tire a man j out of the duh for doing such things ? i Just ns objectionable is the man who retaliates to a hard bump or tackle with ! an offensive epithet, for that causes as j much ill-feeling as a deliberate blow j with the hand or foot. Personally f ; think that before a man should he al- i lowed to play lie should prove his con- j trn] ovhr temper, list. foot, and ton- j gtio. We therefore have our duty to j perform when we as referees catch such J men in their dirty acts, and 1 think we ; are too much inclined to rely upon a warning. Xmv. a warning is useless unless we are prepared to hack it up i with something stronger. A referee, if he is at all up to his work, can “sense” any feeling that is going on. t

110 rimy not be able to see anything definite to net upon, but if he “senses” ill-feeling he must, he more than over on the alert, and come down like a ton of bricks on the first thing lie catches. Hard play is not dirty play, nor is dirtv play hard play. Me have in our senior competition one outstanding team who play hard all the time, hut they are always ready to help the opponent they bring down to his feet again as soon as they can. But R players are to play the game ill the right spirit, wo must referee in the same way. There are some who say there is no such thing as “spirit” in the grand old game, yet tne word occurs twice in the rule hook. The.-' people hold we are governed only by tiie letter oi the law. but 1 contend K is possible to interpret the letter ot tlm law in the spirit of the game. Ihe true spirit can he summed up in the good old British motto, “fair play is Imiiinv play.” and il a relovco gefout to see fair play on both sides he i- fulfilling the major [tart of his duty. ! t • niav make mistakes—the referee ~.w , ue'ver does so has not yet been horn—hut he must not allow a mi-take io get him rattled- For example, he must never try to deliberately even up Supposing he has wrongly awardei! a goal when the line umpire ted-

ium the kick was a poster, lie must net on the next occasion lie van do • o .Mini. say, a tnckle-in-gual. instead oi a trv to the other side, nr even matters up by not penalising oil-side plat te. If veil have- made a mi-take it t as wed to admit it to yourself, and take move care not to he caught t upping again. II you try to even tin you will quickly lose the confidence ol the plover.-, and the- control ol the game, A team, if they are Ime -port-, will | allow for referee's nits'tike.-, providing: they ar- not too (daring nor too tre--11 it i•n t, especially if they can see he iat least det riii!' cd to lie lair. A isf,.|vc iinir have a had rim on a certain Saturday, or perhaps during a certain ...■ r ; - 1 . 11 . i.lit if lie plays the game in the right spirit he "ill win through io the end. Wc are m-.t all letter-perfect; in the lav.-, and not the best and mod experienced if us meet iiilli incidents ill our game- when wo would like time to think. But we can't get. that tame. The game i.- going on. so we mu-t just .Io what seems to he the fair and proj •!■ thing to tts. 11 will generally prove i" be the right thing. Mo are fairly ignorant if we can think of nothing that has any hearing on the pur/.ling incident. let the players have a good game. We have control ol l lie game, luii wc should in : want io interlviv more than 1.. necessary. A referee may keen perfect control without blowing hi- whistle far every tiny little infringement thai | take • place. There are always Inin- j died- of these litle tilings, but bv us- j ing |lie advantage rule judiciously, wo j can Id ihe plu v go on. The w histle j .-hould be 1 1 1 wit only when the niToiid- : mg side gains a di-.ldm t advantage. At , the -ante lime, we most not overhvu- | these offences to -li'li an extent that J the game is played under “rah et I > i rule-.'' MV must of course, keep tin j bettor d the law. I'm' example it may j scent ridiculous thai the kicker cannot j him.olf p-lacc the I ail on the ei'ouml j lor a slid at goal, but we tiiu-l -ee G at j 1 1.. rule i- ( a fried out. I ben, t Letv , arc times when tin* hall, by toq. lung a ! player, put- all In- "pi'oueui- oti.-id '. : ami it .-emiis ridiculous that they shorn 1 allowed to play tin- hail. Bui U j tliosc players are on-id;. thc’V are . n- i tilled to any advantage they can gain j by a tty peculiarity in the rule.-, lime-, out of number wo see players hanging j about under the impiv-mnu tiny arc ; a'lside when they are not. and tlio-e 1 who understand the rule- should l.e al- | lowed to gd a wav with anything they j ran legitimately do. Minor p tints that are not iam , Line-out.— Charging or shoe ing >p- I poiient without hall or I; lore thrown j ihmwiug over nopon-nts' head-. .'•Vmin.- Unfairly put ill t see ns-v J | , i ; imt loti ing (lie ball in : bias < n ; ball : pit.-liing ball back t i claim penal- | I-, again -t wiiig-R'-rwai d. < )|f - i'll-. —T, > prevent try: .-limiting '•all mi." (ii l nu i ion. S!n-|. herding ■ beldiu: j |,ai].. io prevent follow up: ts'ilia; ; a ft-'r o) nnnriit had g; i rid of bn 11. Drlibcratolv M'a-ting 'f'otto. Kf km at mial : loading other side f believe j ! all i- down, allow . barge: not bo mm ! it down. kick ; nmdmding a- !■• j kind rf Ice ;>. mud t -the |'d o '•-!■. n'. o 1 hr make- ail on pro a! ion , ler dm: g -o. i i