FOOTBALL NOTES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 242, 2 June 1932, Page 6

FOOTBALL NOTES

Free Kick.")

saturday's games USEFUL HINTS AND REVIEW OF TEAMS AND PLAYERS. BETTER TACKLING REQUIIRED.

(By "

Arrangements have heen made by the "Morning Post" with a well known district Rugby authority, who will, from this week, contribute this column, under the nom-de-plume of "Free Kick." As a critic, "Free Kick" is in a position adequately to review all angles of the game and his column I will undoubtedly be of considerable interest to players and football public alike. There was no interest taken in senior football on Saturday last and the standard of play was lamentably poor. In fact, one of the senior matches terminated at half-time. Whaka defeated Horohoro by a fair margin, but were in some respects rather lucky to win. The Horohoro forwards played well but must heel the ball more quickly from the loose. The team could he much improved, and the material is there to provide some surprises in the second round. Tackling Wealc. The Whaka tackling was not up to the usual standard, and th'e team must play more as a team if they wish to hold their place on the ladder in the next round. Old Boys B deserve to be congratulated on their showing against a mucK stronger combination. No Co-operation. There seemed to be no co-operation between half-back and fivs-eighths in the Old Boys B team, but the forwards played well. Kahukura deserved their win, but were disappointing as a team whieh has something of a reputation to maintain. There were too many "shiners" in the pack and this was demonstrated by the number of kicks given against them for waiting offside. This in a forward is an unpardonable sin. Lillas is a good fullback, but a very poor three-quarters, despite the fact that he scored a couple of easy tries. Collard must act more as a link, as he is too slow to do much on his own. Congratulations to the High School Old Boys A on their exhibition on Saturday. I think it is the best ' match seen this season at Arawa Park. ! Y ! On the Players. Cottrell was very slow behind the pack and so his baeks had to stand very deep to get moving at all. There is still room for improvement in the half and five-eghth comhinations. Kingi was the wealc link in the Old Boys team and cost tliem points by persistent cutting in. This starved the three-quarter line, whieh, in my opinion, is the strongest in the junior competition. j Th'e High School pack played a great game against a heavier team and should give a good account of themselves in their school matches this year. Dawson played a sound game behind the scrum. Beale was quite sound on defence at fullback, and I think that Hampson will have to fight hard to keep his place there. •' With more determination, .Mitchell might well develop into a good winger. M. Matthews was the outstanding forward on the ground. Leonard, McRae and Williams were the pick of the Old Boy forwards. T. Berghan, Devin and Barber were the best of a hardworking school pack. Devin has a bad habit of picking j out of the scrum, whieh resulted in a couple of penalties against him. ] The Weakest Link. Tackling lost the day for us at * Taupo on Saturday. This is the weakest link in Rotorua football and : is a had fault with both backs and ! forwards. Players must remember that tackling wins or loses the game. The new scrum formation seems to be shaking down and High School . have developed it quite well. Juniors. Vercoe, of Kahukura, is to my mind one of the best forwards for his size in Rotorua. j Country teams are showing a marked improvement in combination and knowledge of the game. The second round of the junior competition bids fair to be very interesting. Word comes to me that a player in the Kahukura v. Waikite senior match walked off before time was called. Club selectors might well dispense with the services of such a player, who is no asset to either side or game. I understand that he was not in any way injured. Mr. Selector might keep his eye on

Haupapa of Waikite who is shaping well. Referees Improve. Several football fans have commented to me on the improved standard of four referees. I have not mentioned this before but I think the local union is f ortunate in the referees at their disposal this year. I am pleased to note that the play has heen much cleaner the last' two Saturdays than formerly. This must conduce to better football all round. I want to see more low tackling than is evident at present. High School and Old Boys A have given theb est exhibiation to date, Duff of Kahukura Juniors is the weak link in the backs with too great a tendency to cut in and play the team. Backs must cut out again to keep touch with the rest of the rearguard if the cut-in is to work suecessfully. Iriside backs are too prone to short punt when kicking up the field. This is fatal 'as it puts the ball into the opposition fullback. A high kick should he sent out towards the wing who may he able to out distance the opposition. A kick up the field should be kept low on the ground as it is hard to take. Too Much Kicking. I am sorry to note that the juniors are using the kick to the line so frequently. This has gone far to spoil senior football even in the centres. There seems to T5e a distinct reluctance to throw the ball about among the backs. This spoils the game from the point of view of the spectator. I have noticed ,a good deal of offside play to date particularly amongst the forwards. Players must remember the ten yard rule. Bneaking From Scrum. In the event of forwards breaking from th'e scrum both feet must be behind the ball according to the new rule and not only one as was the rule last year. R. Thompson of Whaka, is only showing flashes of his old form to date. There is still a tendency on his part to "shine." Wing-threequarters lose a good deal of advantage to their side by'hurling the ball in from the line-out. The ball should be thrown high so that it lands in the centre of the line-out and both packs have a chance to handle it on the full. Kahukura Seniors have proved a great disappointment to date. On paper they seem a fair side but the backs spoil most movements by too much individual play. Hikuwai turned the table on Rotoiti last Saturday at Mourea. These two [ teams should give a good exhibit 1 when they meet next. j Tackling Bag. | I would suggest to the Rugby Union that a tackling bag be erected in the Government Grounds, if this can be arranged with the authorities. It could then be used by all teams for practice purposes. The reps. need it most of all apparently. Whaka Seniors are by far the most improved' senior team this season. Thompson is the only half-back that Rotorua has produced for the last four seasons 'and is playing very well at present. Waerea scores many points with his rather n'eat cut-in, but I think he is beginning to overdo it. Rotorua tackling is very weak, and against good tackling he would not be nearly so successful. Sullivan is I think, our best fullback and Mr. Selector would be wise to look for anoth-er three-quarter. SerioUs Training. I am pleased to see that teams are taking training more seriously this year. I think that teams show a greater degree of fitness for this time of the season than they have for many seasons past. B. Rogers of Waikite will have to work more consistently than usual if he wishes to retain his place in the reps. I see that Jones is still playing for Taupo. I confidently recommend him as the best forward in the Bay of \ Plenty if he is reproducing his old form. Jones is only about twenty, and predict be will go a long way if he trains and catches the Waikato selector's eye. I hold out to him hopes of the "silver fern." I think the Union is wise in deferring consideration of further rep. matches at present. No doubt the selector can do with a few more club games before any further selection is made. * The president of the Union and a small devoted few of the management committee deserve the thanks of all football fans for their successful efforts in gaining our inclusion in the Waikato. It looks as if matters ara almost finalised. I am convinced after much thought on the subject that this is the turning point of Rotorua football and predict that in two seasons' time we will bs a dangerous factor in Waikato football. To young players I would mention that this step opens up wide fields for them, and while I hardly think that we have. much this season to consider for inclusion in the Waikato repg., yet it is from our juniors that we should find reps. in a couple of seasons.