REGISTERING PLAYERS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5264, 18 April 1928, Page 3

REGISTERING PLAYERS.

CASE OF RUGBY FOOTBALLERS. DISCUSSION BY PAEROA UNION. At a meeting of the management committee of the Paeroa Rugby Football Union on Monday night the coiir sideration of the I'sts of players for registration submitted by the various clubs affiliated to the union caused a discussion. After duly perusing the lists, in the course of which it was found that the names of several players appeared in the lists of two or three clubs, the secretary (Mr D. S. Kerr) reminded the mee.ting that at the outset the newly formed Pirates club had given an undertaking that Xit would not claim players from other i clubs.

The chairman agraed, and stated that any player who was unfinancial with his club was debarred from transferring to another club until such t’me as he had paid his fee and obtained a clearance. Mr M. Crosby thought that a player should be Accepted by the union, and the club for which he first played should be his registered club for the season.

The Chairman (Mr W. P. PenneMl) said he particularly dasired to see players allotted, so that the sejnior teams would be, something like, equal in strength. The Pirates dlub could not expect to take players from clubs which had been in existence for yeiars. The Rev. Father W. T. Taylor said that if the union was to be placed in ?W-a position of sacrificing three senior / teamjs for a new club the best interests of football would be destroyed and the position made impossible. He intended to vote without fear or fav. our in such matters. Two players in particular, T. Pullar and ,C. McNeil, both of whom had played for the East seniors last'season, and were said to be unfinancial in that club, were the subject of a long discussion, in vie.w of the fact that the Pirates and East lists contained their names and both clubs claimed a i ight to register them. The argument was brought to a conclusion by Mr Crosby moving that the players concerned be registered Syfor the East club in. the meantime. ' In seconding, Mr J- Pinder said that he hoped the Pirates club would show 7 more consideration for the older clubs when submitting namqs -to the union. The following registrations, were them accepted for seniors : East, 20; Suburbs, 19 ; West, 25 ; Pirates, 17. REGISTRATION OF JUNIORS. When the question of the registration of junior players was being considered the chairman dre.w attention to the fact that several clubs were prone to keep the junior players at that status far too long. Unfess the union ook a definite stand in the matter conditions would not improve. So long as that* practice was allowed to continue the standard of senior foot* . ball would not be raised in the disp trict. It appeared that some dubs \ * were desirou* of fielding a strong junjqf team to the detriment of the senW team and to the pllayers themselves. , This view. was shared by several members. After the lists had been carefully perused it was deemed advisable to promote J. Lee and N. Neil of the East dub to senior status, and the; fallowing registrations were then approved : East, 16 ; Suburbs, 20 ; West, 25. The third-grade players registered for the East club totalled; 19, ;and for West 24.