FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 141, 29 February 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

.-.(By "Pakeha.") Though' the season is not yet under way, followers of the game are al-. ready discussing its prospects and; past happenings, as is evidenced by; the question's which have come to', hand this 'week from correspondents m various parts of the Dominion, a tribute to . the extensive circulation, and far-reaching influence of the people's popular newspaper m the realms of sport. pealing firstly with "Interested's" -£?etonej enquiries. (1) Davy Gage ; (2) Jack Swindley was probably a better- all-round forward than the other player you mention. ,In the solid the latter was undeniably topdcg. On attack "Tabby 1 ! Wynyard could run: rings round yqur fancy Mihreequarter. No comparison .. between the two men. (3) Life is too | short to , worry over that problem. Tom Ellison at his best was as good as we have seen m this Dominion. .■ A : matter of opinion, however. "True Blue" (New Plymouth). Dave Gallaher the .cleverest winger New Zealand has produced. What, damm rot. The All Blaclj skipper was,: a pigmy compared to such men as Tom Harry Lee, Bob Oliphant and; off-side "Mac." They, forgot^ ' more than Gallagher ever: learned of the wing game. Why, ''Aid;' Kelly m his palmy days was worth "two or three Gallahers rolled into' one. , Giving a straight-out ppinion . I should say that W. McKeirzie was the peer of them all, even making ' allowance for the audacious and unprincipled i tactics he- worked; off at the expense of his opponents. ■"Dropkick" (Wanganui). Alhambra, then at the top of its bent played Athletic here m 1891, victory resting with the visitors by 4 to 3. Alick Down.es did not take part m the game, and other' notable absehtcss from the* Dunedin champions' ranks were Ross (full) and Johnston (forward).. The margin m favor of the Southerners surprised the knowing ones, who expected a cake-walk for them. Yes, Jim McCleary the old Union Club (Wellington) player led the Alhambras' to victory at the height of their fame. He did not get justice at the hands of Wellington Rugby Union selectors. "One Who Knows" (Napier). Well, keep it to yourself. This writer is not concerned as to the domestic af-. fairs of Rugby Union officials and' players. Judging by. your, insinuations you're a -dirty scut, and should bs given elbow room by any decent person. One of the persons you speak of is well-known to me and I have no hesitation m saying that the charges preferred against - him ,'re utterly 'baseless. The other individual mentioned might not be the clean potato, but he is a 100 pnr cent, more respectable member .of society than his traducer. Go back to your sewerage quarters. "Referee" (Greymouth) . I should say that there is a very good chance of the Britishers being seen m your town. You don't understeind the tedious process entailed m the arranging; of matches, and the Rugby Uiiinj'i cannot' \ciy well lie hfataed for delay m making an offipial pro* souncement. You overlook the fact that the E.R.U. has a say m the matter. "Player" (Nelson). Will enquire into the circumstances and acquaint you, if possible, later on. It is a delicate subject and requires delicate handling. This paper doesn't fossick round for libel actions. "Number One" (Wellington). The utility of the No. 1 method was first thought out by Sam Cockrdft and W. McKenzie during the visit of the 1897 New Zealand team to Bris~ bane and put into execution by Mac;, before it had really matured, when playing against Auckland later on m the same season. The Wellington phyers. however, had acquired sufficient knowledgo of the tactics to put up a great game against their Northern rivals. In the Taranaki match subsequently, the homers had learned sufficiently of the game to inflict a defeat on the visitors with a strong 4;eam.. It was, however on the Southern tour that 'Vellinjrton, with one of the weakest back teinjs ever sent to uphold the hotter of ii:e Province, stuck to the No. i method with dire results to Canterbury, Southland and Otago. "Off-side Mac's" generalship and tutorship of the No r 1 game were potent factors m bringing such great success to the Wellington boys. It was devised for the purpose of preventing a passing attack on the other side ; to utilise to the utmost Wellington's then magnificent wingers, and to place the forwards m; an attacking position. The No, 1 game was greatly improved, from a. scientific view-point, by the late Tom Ellison. . W. SmjLth, the Nelson representative back who played for the South Island against the Northerners m 1902, and for the combined West Coast-Nelson-Marlborough team against Siyewright's combination, talks of retiring from the game and taking on the whistle. Smith did not receive his fair dues from the South Island selectors of Inter-Is-land teams. Kia Toa (Palmerston Norbh) Club has began the fray early, haying entered two teams for the seven-aside tourney at St. Patrick's Day sports m that town. Petone and Poneke will have to engage the services of a new secretary this year, the present occupants having: decided to quit office. •"If," says a Commonwealth scribe, "the forthcoming British team be- a more formidable lot than the team of ~Z- T ' Z-, the Scottish and Cambridge captain, then, indeed, it will be powerful. However, New Zealand, a tolerably tough proposition anywhere, is toughest on a home ground. They make more thorough preparations for international matches than is apparently dreamt of m England for similar matches. The no-combina-tion argument does not apply so much m their case." •Notwithstanding all the gush from an inspired source as to the strength of the coming British team to tour the Dominion this season, there is reason to believe, from independent sources, that it is not going to be such a mighty combination after all. The fact that over 70 applications have been received for positions m the team and that 27 internationals are burning to make the tour counts ! for little when one comes to calm!y ..review the merits of the teams and ' players that Gallaher's crowd enj countered. An admission as to its \ probable strength is to be found m

the.- "Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic" newspaper's statement, which reads thus :— "lt is impossible to get together anything like a representative to visit New Zealand, at the close. of the present English season ; but there seems to be every prospect of a fairly strong combination making the journey." The same paper goes on to say :—' "Despite the great performance of the New Zealanders two years ago, it is by no. means certain that the visitors will suffer defeat m anything m the nature of Test matches. A touring party is as a great advantage m the circumstance that the men are constantly playing together. This accounted, I, think, m some measure for the success of the New Zealanders m Britain. When they opposed national fifteens, they met scratch teams. The Colonials were the pick of club sides formed, to all intents, into a club side. '. Deadly combination was certain to result." . "G,R." writes from Masterton In this strain, re "Truth" football par, 22/2/' 08. It should have read, "that Willy Meredith, the finest outside right playing m the English League,, was an international at 18, etc., etc. That would make it clear, as it is/ it looks like an 'Irish bull.' Of/ course, you will know that it is 'as a "soccer" player Meredith shines,- he has never played Rugby. I was instrumental m getting Meredith from his native club, 'Chirh,' m Wales, which has produced more Welsh; In- > ternationals than any other three clubs together. Meredith first played, jn England for Manchester City, but I now see that he is pjlaying with Manchester United, the rival organisation. I remember a player named Bob Scott playing for Fleetwood Ran?ers against Manchester City, who 'kicked at Meredith on every occasion and was hooted by the crowd. I asked Scott, who was play- ;- ing full back, why he kicked 'Sweet Willyum,' and he said, 'Eh, mon, tha doe's na ; no what sort o' a mon that fellow is. If co try to tackle him squar he simply plays , wi' you and then shoots by like greased lightning and the crowd jeers at yo. Ah cannot stan jeers, so I just fetched him deaun and the crowd hooted. But, mon, its better to be hooted than made a fool of and jeered at.' "