BREEZY FOOTBALL

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 39, 9 May 1927, Page 10

BREEZY FOOTBALL

LEAGUE IN FULL SWING SCHOOLS COMPETITION STARTS Lowering skies, with heavy rain clouds in the offing, heralded the start of the Auckland Rugby League’s senior club games at Carlaw Park on Saturday. The threatened downpour, however, kept off, and a crowd estimated officially at over 8,000 witnessed a bright and breezy afternoon’s football.

Apart from the star attraction—a well-contested game between City and Devonport—the day was made notable by the inauguration of a primary schools competition. In the South Island the 13-a-side game has made excellent progress in the schools, and this year a West Coast primary schools’ representative team will visit Auckland. In thus advancing its scope to the nursery of the game, as represented by the schools, the New Zealand League authorities are building up a sound foundation for future success. Closely-Contested Games Two out of the three senior games on Saturday furnished close and thrilling battles from start to finish. City’s defeat of Devonport by a 33-19 margin represented a well-deserved win in a match which kept the crowd in a constant . simmer of excitement right up to the final whistle. At the Domain Newton, reinforced by Dufty, the New Zealand League representative, scored a surprise victory over Richmond, last year’s promising club combination which won the Roope Rooster. Here again, the margin of superiority was small, and it was only in the MaristAthletic game on No. 2 area, Carlaw Park, that a decisive note was struck. Here Marist held a 6-0 lead at halftime, and in the second half the Tykes ran out winners by a 20-8 margin. CITY V. DEVONPORT Superior team work, after a disastrous opening, gave City its first win of the season. In the final half hour, the metropolitan thirteen was badly rattled, the trans-harbour men piling up an 11-0 lead while City was still thinking about the lamentable mistakes which made two of the Shore men’s tries nothing but “presentation” efforts. Apart from that, however, Devonport’s good luck was not altogether undeserved. The Blacks were quick to seize any openings that were going. The Shore men adopted the right tactics from the very start. Grrm, hard slogging forward play, reinforced by deadly tackling, kept the City fliers in a state of impatient inaction, while their forwards were at times unable to hold off Devonport’s fiery frontal offensives. City’s Great Rally City made its great effort in the closing stages of the first spell. In a whirlwind quarter of an hour, 21 points were scored, and the big crowd manifested its approval of the herculean tussle by frequent and prolonged bursts of cheering. At half time the score was 16 all, and not till midway through the second half were the plates on the scoreboard changed. Then an opportune penalty by Bass put City two points ahead, and a converted try by Perry gave the Red and Blacks a 7-point lead, which Devonport’s desperate fight in the closing stages reduced by three points. Devonport made a last great effort to turn the tide, but their efforts were unavailing. High lights in the game were Devonport’s sterling forward play, and the superb opportunism of the City rearguard. Foiled in their attempts to open out in extended order from scrum and ruck, by the close-packing, fast-breaking Devonport triangle, the City backs displayed a resource and initiative which won them the day. The Marks of Greatness. On the New Zealand League team’s tour of England, L. Brown and Davidson were singled out for special mention by critics in the Old Country. Both have come back greatly improved players, and on Saturday there was at times an artistry and ready

resource about their play which is the mark of the great player. Davidson was hardly up to his best form at the start, but he put in some fine work later on. In a game marked by team work of a high order for so early in the season, the individual element played second fiddle to collective effort. But no mention of the game would be complete without special reference to Perry, a newcomer to City’s ranks. Last year he was playing third grade Rugby, hence his jump to first grade League has been on a par with that of All Black Cooke’s meteoric rise in Auckland football a few years ago. In a set of backs which included players of international status, it might be expected that he would have every opportunity to make good, but on Saturday it was his own initiative and quick perception of openings that marked him out as a player who has every chance of becoming a star, of the first magnitude in the IS-a-side' game.

Gregory, with his good kicking, saved the situation for Marist on two or three occasions. Kirwan played a very dashing game, and kept the backs together, although it was not until the game had well advanced that any heed was paid to combination.

A feature of the game—a distressing feature —w r as the poor goal-kicking on both sides.

NEWTON V. RICHMOND

Newton proved a “surprise packet” on Saturday when they took the field against Richmond. Until the teams lined out it was not known that Dufty would be playing, but even then, with this “bolt from the blue” it was not expected that Richmond would be extended.

However, when the game got under way, it was found that there was not much difference between the teams and the fans who stood with open mouths to see Dufty pound the turf for Newton were treated to a strenuous and exciting game played in a fine sporting spirit.

It was evident that training had not been neglected on either side, for the game was exceedingly fast throughout.

It was only the deadly tackling of Newton that prevented Richmond from adding more points. Time and again they would break away to be pulled up either by Newton’s tackling or minor infringements, which proved costly and will no doubt be remedied after another game or two. Richmond occassionally played the open style of football, and, although defeated, it is not likely to be the case in the future. Its opponents will need to be at their best.

For Richmond, Hanlon, the fullback, played up to his best form. Prentice and Davis were perhaps the best of the backs. Both defended capably and took part in every attacking movement. Parkes got more than his share of the ball from the scrum, and in the open was a “tiger” for work. Newton’s fullback, Herewini, was patchy, although occasionally he would make a brilliant recovery. McLeod, a promoted junior, shows promise, and after a few more games should be a decided acquisition to the senior team. Dufty was sound, his powerful kicking helping Newton considerably. It was probably Dufty’s assistance that turned the scales in Newton’s favour. Mclntyre, another recruit, played an excellent game behind the Newton pack. He varied his play judiciously, and as he is young there is a bright future for him. Clarke and Stack were most prominent of the forwards, Clarke in particular playing a sterling game.