“The Club System.”

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 288, 16 May 1929, Page 8

“The Club System .”

MORRINSVILLE OPPOSED. | i Playing for the Game’s Sake. At a meeting of the management committee of the Morrinsville Rugby Union on Saturday there was a lengthy discussion, on the suggestion that what is known as “ the club system ” should be substituted for the sub-union system at present prevailing. The matter arose through a ] resolution carri-M at the annual meeting of the Waikato Rugby j Union that the management committee go into the question of adopting the club system instead of the subunion system at present in vogue. With the exception of Mr. McDavitt all the members were very strongly opposed to the change and finally a motion was carried instructing the delegates of the Morrinsville union to oppose the scheme. Mr. McDavitt, who brought the matter forward, said that when the Waikato union was revived after the war the sub-union system was the cnly possible way owing to the bad roads. Since then the sub-unions had got stronger. They had many junior

teams but had far too many senior teams. He believed a scheme could be brought in whereby the representative teams would practically become the senior teams., They would travel, playing home-and-home matches, and meet players their equal. Many seniors would be relegated to the juniors. Mr. Chapman : And the rest would stand on the line. Mr. McDavitt, continuing, said it would improve the standard of the game and attract bigger gates. Mr. Ford thought the scheme a good one but did not think football in the Waikato could stand it at present. Mr. Campbell said if the idea was to get a bigger attendance of the

public and a more spectacular show it was commendable. It would bring the best players into the limelight. His view was that football was a | national game. He preferred to see the greatest number of footballers taking part, rather than the greatest number looking on. The real object of football, of having as many playing the game for the game’s sake , would be defeated. Mr. D. Pirrit supported Mr. Camp- | bell. There were many men enjoying senior football, possibly not the best players, who woqld have to get out, for they would not be content to go back to the juniors. To-day under the sub-union system there was the incentive to go from the juniors to the seniors and from the seniors to the representatives, which was the very best stimulant for the interest in the game. Mr. Chapman moved that the delegates to the Waikato union be instructed to vote against the scheme. That day they had 60 seniors and 120 junior players playing. Under the club scheme it was suggested to reduce these to 15. As to improving the standard of football, he ventured to assert that the Morrinsville representative team would hold its own with and even beat the best , club team in Taranaki. He agreed ’ with Mr. Pirrit that the seniors of to-day who could not get a game in the representatives would not go back to the juniors. . They would lose the support of many of the public, who keenly followed the games because of the interest of the local clubs or because their sons were taking part.

Mr. Ford seconded the motion. Mr. Mclntyre could see no good in the proposal, for to his mind they would sacrifice hundreds, even thousands, of players. Mr. McDavitt said there was no reason why a B grade series of matches should not be carried out on the same lines as the present competition was played. Mr. Colson explained that under the Taranaki system there was a club in every small place. Whar might suit Taranaki might not suit Morrinsville. The chairman said he could not see that there would be any advantage to Morrinsville in the scheme. The motion was then carried without dissent.