FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1925, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

DITTMAN SHIELD MATCH. To-morrow (Saturday) afternoon, mi ('ns- Square the first. Diltman Shield mar h of the season will take plate between teams ropr, seining 'the WeslIntid and Greymntuh divisions. The gam. l should prm file a goad exhibition of Rugby, and there will he a good nuniiir of Grey enthusiasts coining down tn witness the game. Tin 1 gnine will start at o'clock and .Mr D. MeIvor will be lhe rofcne. The Grey team consists of: - Steel (Captain), Goodnll. Thomas. Lambert on. Warm's, McKay. Mosle.v, J a ri!rii. ( hartcris. Bell, Jamieson, Lambert. (■'. Brown, T. Burley and Turtill. Emergencies: Nelson and Black. NOTE': WITH A I.Uf’AI. iI'IT.I----t A I lON. "I nil Back." veiling in iho “XeW Zealand Span man." touches noon -eveiul topic- which will he of interest to local foot!.all enthusiasts. they being as follows: 'PRACTICE AND TRAINING. With past seasons as a guide it may lie said generally that training, with many of the teams is a desideratum. that a majority of players consol' two or throe nights amusement each week at the gymnasium. and short runs quite suliicient to permit of the playing of a hard mulch holing !)() minutes. The hack divisions ol teams ar not taught to indulge in judicious and heady kicking lor the purpo-e of conserving the energies of their forwards. How freq cent ly docs one see forwards careering up and down the ground like so many startled animals in a vain endeavour to keep up with the hall when eun-niun.-en.-o ought to have • old them it is impossible. GOAL-KICKING. Insufficient attention is given to goal-kicking and there are too many stupid attempts at potting. Despite the success that .sometimes attends il potting is a must dangerous expedient ami is to lie frowned on generally. It too oiten serves the purpose of stopping the attacking team's advantage and of giving to the defending team an all-important respite. I'NPA.R DON ABLE SINS. The maintenance of a correct position on the field is most often wrapt up in the question of training and physical fitness. Passing across the field without making headway, a scene to he witnessed in nearly every match, is sheer nonsense and is in no way good football. Players who cannot draw their man, sidestep or swerve or make openings for their colleagues have no right lo he included in the hack division of any team. It goes without saying that to collar around the neck, except under the most exceptional circumstances (and they must Iks very exceptional indeed), is the unpardonable sin of football. THE SPECTATORS. To the spectators 1 would remark that they seen more of the game than tile players, and for any faults it be-

hoves them to temper their judgments with mercy. Well would it be for them if they put themselves in their the players') places and try to visualise the scene from those points of view. Not every obvious mistake is i avoidable by the player, and very | often the perpetrator sets it ■■■ the! time or immediately alter and does his best to rectify it. What, however, the crowd should bo most insistent upon is that every player should make a really honest endeavour (as distinct front a half-hearted attempt to tackle whatever opponent lie goes for. It lines not say ho will always gel him or even touch him hut the man who is afraid to tackle hard has no right to Ik) playing football (however good he may be in all other departments of the game) and does not deserve the slightest consideration from the crowd. GOOD KKFKRKKS. That ,'mnch-ahiised body of voluntary workers (the Referees Association) is comprised of men who are only human alter till. I hey are in 0 e game, for the good they can tlo. I heir errors arc the result, not, of bias of partnership hut inability to see cviytliing that is so dearly observable to the [spectators. The presumption should at least he on tt par that the referee is familiar with the rules of the game and is capable ol giving them a iusl. interpretation. It would certainly he in the best interests ol 1 the game if there were more uniformity in the putting into operation <d tI H - “vantage” rule, upon which a diversity of opinion in practice exists among referees, To he a good tvieive ‘ demands the possession of spbmdc: * courage, a mind quirk in act with do- ■ eision ami firmness. good humour. : and the reputation in private li.o. ' ( ,|- bring a fair-minded gentleman. ' Without till these qualities, it is useless to expect good refereeing in a tty ' I match. Indecision and vacillation are ' filial ami make life game a he’d alike ‘ for .spectators, players ami the referee himseli. ' TIIH SKKI'TSII 11KKDKS. Another matter upon which the crowd should he emphatic in voicing 1 its disapproval is that ol scMisli pie..' . ' A team should lie made up of lb men '• so co-operating as to present the appearance ol unity. Ihcte .-.rml 1 e not ho lil'leeii men each one ol wumn 1 lake's it upon himself to play tb ° 1 position. Keeping ennui ol the points ‘1 each man scores Ims, in my opinion, e contributed to develop this bad phase ■' of Rugby football. One scores, or e Should do so. for the In Hour of , his if not for Ibe gloriiic.'tl ion of him 1 self.