DISAPPOINTING FORM IN LAST WEEK'S MATCHES.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 237, 27 May 1932, Page 7

DISAPPOINTING FORM IN LAST WEEK'S MATCHES.

"Sticks.")

MEN'S TEAM FOR JUNE 3.

(Notes by

A disappointing feature of last Saturday's ladies hockey fixtures was the default of the Shamrock team in their match against Mamaku. Despite thp fact that the school holidays were' stated to be the cause of the default the fact of a team failing to fulfil its engagements so early in the season does not auger well for the success of that Club later on in the year and is also disappointing to the opposing team. By their default and their loss of the protest hiade by the Mourea Club, Shamrocks are now two points behind Taniwha in the , Robertson Cup competition, with one match to be replayed. The two games played on the Government grounds were not very impressive, the match between Hinemoa and Whippets lacking any semblance of combined play. The lorwards on hoth sides were invarihly to be seen wandering all over the field and the fault of bunching was again in evidence. M. Black was again the only Whippet forward capable of making any impression on the opposing defences, but the sad lack of speed on the part of the forwards deprived her of their support and many times she hroke through the Hinemoa halves and found herself entirely unsupported. When the forwards were up with the play scrum tactics were more often than not employed and the players were fighting their own.team mates for the ball. The Whippet goalkeeper, J. McKibbon, made some good saves but had a penalty bully awarded against her for hitting the ball behind the goal line with her hand. This would appear to be an uneonscious habit which she should endeavour to curb, as it mars an otherwise reasonahly good goalkeeping display. E. Bettridge, until she went off owing to siekness, and L. Morton, gave a fair display as fullbaclcs but got no support from their halves in defence. Hinemoa' § Inexperience. The worse feature of the display of the Hinemoa side was also the failure of the players to keep to their allotted positions on the field, and if this fault were rectified the play *of the team would show distinct improvement, as included in it are several players who with experienee show promise of developing into good players. The final resplt of the Taniwha versus Arawa game, five goals to nil in favour of the former team, did not do the showing of the Arawa side justice, the game being very evenly contest'ed throughout. The chief weakness in the losing side was the failure of the halves to keep up with the play on attack, as many as twenty yards sometimes separating forwards and halves. Wowi Wickliffe and G. Allen were the most prominent of the Arawa forwards and hoth got through a lot of work. The lastnamed, who was. playing her first game this season, could not last the distance and consequently did not produce the form of which she is capable. Had G. Morrison, in the left half position, followed the play of her forwards more closely, she would have helped the side to a greater extent, her defensive play being, quite sound. Fine Players. The success of the Taniwha team was almost entirely due to the play of T. Wharekura and T. Manarapa in the forwards and Ana Hato and Mary Morrison in the baclcs. The loss which Rotorua hockey sustained in the regretted death of Maio Ratema at the end of the last season has been somewhat compensated by the arrival in Rotorua of Therisa Manarapa, who as a right wing for the Taniwha team last Saturday performed in a capable manner. T. Wharekura, who was a prolific scorer for Taniwha last year, is also striking her past form and scored four of the team's goals against Arawa. The Taniwha have a pair of reliable fullbacks in Ana Hato and l^ary Morrison and their goalkeeper is also generally sound. Mep's Match. The Te Puke Club, who are entering a ladies team for the Aard Cup tourney on the King's Birthday, June 3, are also sending a men's team through to play a Rotoima men's • team. It will be remembered that such a match was also played last year and that quite a good side was fielded to represent Rotorua. The following names, of those likely to play in this match have been, suhmitted to the Ladies' Hockey Association and the S.ecretary would be pleased to submit to the selectors the names of any other players desiring a game. The persons mentioned hereunder are asked to advise the Secretary (Mr. C. J. Casey). of their willingness. to play not later than Monday, Mjay 30. S. Mitchell, L. Gresham, J. Russell, E. Nimmo, K. Mclllraith, B. Lowry, A. Dodson,. J. Dawson, T. Bennett, A. Porter, E. Shalfoon. In common with the two ladies teams which will be selr ected after to-morrow's matches it is hoped to annppnce the men's team early next weelf. The Penalty Bully. The awarding of a penalty. buUy in each match played last Saturday has prompted me to diverge- from the ordinary sequence of the rule hook in my interpretation of the rules to explain one which is not yery well known by players. In both cases last Saturday the rule was brought into • operation through the go.alkeepers sweeping the ball over the goal line with the hand. Last week I stated that the goalkeeper would not be penalised if , in stopping the ball with the hand, did not fall perpendicularly to the ground, but this does not mean tbat she has a license to hit at or throw tbe ball when defending her goal. A penalty bully is awarded against a player for a wilful breach of a rule, or for any act of obstruction which would most probably have resulted in the loss of a goal to the opposing team. It should be noted that although a breach may not be intent-

ional the referee has to decide if a ; goal would most probably have been scored but for the occurrence in which case he must order a penalty bully against the offender. A penalty bully takes place on the spot where the breach occurred and one participant must be the offender. Any player ean be selected by the opposing side and all the other members of both teams must stand outside the nearer 25 yards line and may not cross this line until the bully is completed. - After completion of the bully the offender is not permitted to hit the ball over the goal line outside the posts and if she does so the bully is taken again. If the ball goes'over the line between the goal posts off her stick or person the opposing team are awarded a penalty goal. Should the offender win the bully she must hit the ball outside her circle area before the play is completed and if this is done or the attacker hits it over the back line or outside the circle the bully is at an end and general play recommences with a bully in the centre of the nearer twenty-five line. The breach of any rule in the game by an offending player taking a penalty bully entitles the attacking team to a penalty goal which is of the same value as an ordinary goal. Likewise a breach by the player selected by the attacking team ends the • penalty bully and the game is restarted as stated earlier. When participating in such a bully a goalkeeper is not allowed her ordinary privileges of kicking or unin-' ; tentionally knocking tbe ball forward when stopping it with heY hand. Aard Cup Tourney. The annual tournament for the Aard Cup will again be held on the King's Birthday, next Friday, present indications being that entries will be the same as last year. Advice has'already been received that teams will be coming from the Rangitaiki and Te Puke Clubs and as an additional attraction there will be a match between a Rotorua men's team and the Te Puke representatives. No entry has sp far been received from the Whakatane ladies team but it is confidently expected that this will be forthcoming. In order to give the younger players in the local clubs a chance to develop representative experienee it has been decided to enter two Rotorua teams and theref ore with the possibility of five ladies teams competing the matches for the Cup should prove brimful of interest and provide enthusiasts with a holiday programme of spectacular hockey.