THE HUIA AND AWAHOU MATCH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3708, 4 September 1906, Page 3

THE HUIA AND AWAHOU MATCH.

[to thk kwtor] Sik, —In justice to my fellowplayers, I write to you concerning the recent match between Huia and Awahou. Much has been said about the referee’s being bought and of his bias for or against Huia, of all of which I think little notice heed be taken. Very few at heart believe it. But sir, when a referee takes control of a match (and -after all he is only an honorary servant of the players not his master) and makes the succession of mistakes that occurred in the rulings on the Huia-Awahou game, it is only natural that much irritation should arise. Whether Huia received the benefit of most of the decisions makes no difference to the fact that they were completely nonplussed at times as to why the whistle was tjtpwn. It is rubbish to bring such forward as that ■BRfeTeree can’t see everything” ~Wat “ it is due to their ignorance of the rules that players do not understand why decisions are given against them.” The players have a right to know and a good referee- makes a practice of announcing “why,” as soon as the whistle is blown.. In an article on the subject of refereeing, the referee of the late match says that players have only to be penalised and they at once think that the referee is biased. Such statements are arrant rubbish. The players have just as much claim as the referee to a sound judgment of the incidents of a game, and in many cases more, as was instanced in the flagrant mistake made at the end of the last match. It is ridiculous to expect players to tamely submit to continual errors, for after all the game is being refereed for them ; they are not playing for the referee or for the crowd either. The referee should improve the game, whereas in most cases he is a continual source of wrangling ; the presence of the crowd only adds interest to the game. Many people get away with the idea, or at'least act as jf the game were played for the crowd or for the Union ; but in reality it is played by strong vigorous men because they love the game itself. The most enjoyable games I have ever played (and I think it is so with most other players) have been scratch matches where the referee was taken haphazard from the crowd. There is such a thing as too much control, and where the players are at the mercy of the referee, —for his decisions are, I believe, practically final —how are they to protest ? The only way is to retire from the game rather than play it under the continual state of friction as existed in the late match. In nine cases out of ten bad feeling and rough play in a match are due to erratic decisions by referees. At the meeting of the SubUnion to discuss the recent trouble, it was remarked that Awahou were pressing Huia, and that when the try was given they were beaten. For the information of the gentleman who made the remark, I may say that this year Huia have been beaten on three previous occasions, and last year they were unsuccessful in every match except one drawn game, the first occasion any been made by them. Alflof&Wf to our captain for having the grit to object in so decided a manner as he did. One thing that has been very much remarked is the entire absence of bad feeling between the p’aying members of the different teams both on and off the field. 'AH the trouble arises oyer the

referee or amongst the crowd, and It is a pity that the playing members of the club did not haye a little more direct influence on the control of the games.

A very good suggestion made by the secretary of the Sub-Union was that in connection with the formation of a Rcierees’ Association. It would be a very good thing indeed if they were to get a little more practice in their branch of the game outside of their mixed operations on the unfortunate teams, for despite all they say to the contrary, referees do the refereeing for the same reason as the players play the game—because they like it. Trusting lam not encroaching too much on your valuable space, I thank you, in anticipation.—l am, etc., J, E. Marsiiakk. “ One 01' TIIO.SK SUSPENDED.”