HOCKEY HAPPENINGS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 553, 9 June 1933, Page 2

HOCKEY HAPPENINGS

"Sticks.")

SEVEN- A-S1DE GAMES KING'S BIRTHDAY TOURNEY PRODUCES INTERESTING PLAY. THE OBSTRUCTION RULE.

(Notes by

Although entries were not large due' to the absonee of a number of players for the King's Birthday holiday, the seven-a-side tourney held at the Governrnent grounds last Saturday afternoon proved very interesting and produced much fine play. The tourney was the first of its kind held in Rotorua for some years and fox this reason certain laek of knowledge of tactical play in seven-a-side games could be exeused in the local teams. However, affcer they had played the first gaine. each team settled down well with the result that all games were fairly closely contested and three teams were level in points for second place at the end of the day's play Although the unexpected usually happens in such a tourney, the display given by the winners, Mourea A, was very creditable. All members of the tearn played well, but most credit for the victory must undoubtedly go to R. Ipu, who made most of the openings and, in fact, scored most of the goals. Te Puke, the only outside club represented, entered an A and a B team. The first team can count themselves as unlucky in not having the honour of repla.ying Mourea A in the final. Throughout the series there were many times when Te Puke A should have scored and although they lost to Taniwha, most of the games was in their favour, a lucky goal-save saving Taniwha from defeat. The best players in the Te Puke A team were L. Tanner, J. Tanner and N. Wilkins. Whakatane Progress. News reeeived from Whakatane indieates that a strong sub-assoeiation of Rotorua has been built up there and there should be a number of players in its competition who must be considered for representative honours in Rotorua teams. Eight clubs are playing in the competition and 110 players are registered. * * * Continuing- with an interpretation of the rules of hockey, the next of importance after off-side is that of obstruetion. The rule regarding this breach is included in that of fouls under the following clauses: — The player shall not. (a) Hit or pass the ball between her feet. (b) Trip, shove, push, charge, shin, strike at or in any way personally handle her opponent. (c) Obstruct by running in between her opponent and the ball, nor interpose herself in any way as an obstructionf Taking the clauses in ofder, the first twoi, are definite and require no explanation. It is Clause (e) which causes all the trouble and requires elucidation. It is on tackling from the left of an opponent that the first section of the clause frequently comes into effect and causes the, attaclcer to commit a breach of the rule. Unless the opponent be in an obstructing position herself any attacker who tackles her on the left must necessa.rily have her back to the opponents' goal and therefore if the attacker. interposes herself between the opponent and the ball she is obstructing. It is, however, perfeetly legitimate to attack from the left of an opponent providing that the ball is hooked away from that opponent without the attacker first touching the person of the opponent. Another common form of obstructing is when a player over-runs the ball she is dribbling upfield and in order to recover it turns to face her owri goal. If there be a player of the opposing side within striking distance of her a breach is created. It is generally in the lower standard teams that * this breach is most noticeable, a.s a player who con command the movernent of the ball with any reasonable degree of certainty will not often over-run it. In a roll-in an attaeking player very frequently obstructs unconsciously and expresses surprise when penalised byj the referee. When her teammate is rolling in the ball from the side-line the nlatural way of most players is to stand with their back to the opponents' goal in anticipation of intercepting the rolling ball down the five-yards line. However, if she has an opponent behind her she must be obstructing, as she has her back to that opponent. The player should, therefore, stand facing the side line and not her own goal and if she does this she may receive the ball without fear of obstruction. Fullback Play. The chief duty of the fullback is to break up the opponents' forward attaclcs, and the usual accepted practice is for the right back to attend to the opponent left wing and left inner, and the left back to attend to, the right wing and right inner. A back should cultivate* the sense of anticipation to enable her to intercept a pass. Immediately she has gained possession, a back's first thought should be to set her halves and forwards in motion, and she should not endeavour to beat more than one opponent; for by going further she is

liable either to lose possession or to dislocate her colleagues. During a "corner" the two backs should stand firm on the goal-line, one in each corner of the goal, while the goalie advances a little after the hit has been made. Opinions may differ, but this method leaves a minimum of the goal exposed, and the goalkeeper has a ■clear vision of the ball.