Newton League Team s Great “Come-Back”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 169, 7 October 1927, Page 10

Newton League Team s Great “Come-Back”

Players and Workers Who Made the Club

BY winning the club premiership of the Auckland Rugby League, and the champion of champions test at Cat-law Park last Saturday, the Newton League XIII. can be fittingly regarded as the team of the year.

BY winning dual championship honours, the Thistle Shield and the Stormont Shield. Newton has certainly staged a great “come back.’* It is 15

years since Newton last had tho honour of having its name engraved on the championship shield, although it has not always been at the bottom or the list, having had the honour of winning the Roope Rooster on many occasions. This club was one of the first teams formed in Auckland, and has always been a good, solid club since the y ear 1908. It has produced some fine footballers from its ranks, among whom are W. Curran, C. Seeling and “Bolla” Francis, who after playing for this club went to England and made names for themselves in the Old Dart. One of the three, C. Seeling, has often been proclaimed the greatest forward of his generation. PRESENT-DAY STARS In later years a few of the notable Pi ayors who have played for Newton are the lies brothers, Shaver Hargreaves, J. Bennett, A. Blakey (who is now one of Auckla.nd’s selectors), W. Somers, ‘Pore” Gregory, C. Dufty and a host of other well-known players. This season Newton has certainly had a. great year, having had six players selected in the Auckland touring team. Although Newton has had many lean years of hard battling, it could always be depended upon to place a team in the field, and was very seldom known to default a match. The club has always had a good, hardworking committee, which has put in a tremendous amount of hard work to keep the club going. The old members, who stuck to the club through

all its lean years, must be very proud of the team’s achievements this season. WORKERS ALL Among the hard workers a few who are deserving of a word of praise are G. Stevens, who for years was secretary; “Pro” Henry, J. Rutledge, F. Tucker, A. Blakey, and not forgetting the ever-green Wally Somers, who is still playing and appears to have taken a new lease of life. This year lie is Auckland’s rep. hooker and is playing as well as ever. “Wally” must be considered unlucky to liavc; met with an accident in his last match last Saturday, which will prevent him from being seen out again this season. YOUNG PLAYERS COMING ON The club, as it has played this year, is an excellent combination, and provided everything goes well in the meantime, the red and whites will be a great team next season, as it has a lot of young players in its ranks, who will improve with age. Among the younger players are Hargreaves, a promising wing three-quarter, who, on the season’s play, promises to be one of the best wings seen in Auckland for a long time. Another who will be improved with age and the experience gained is McLeod, a very promising five-eighth. Mclntyre, the half, represented Auckland this year, wili be better still for a little age and experience. Dufty has undoubtedly had a lot to do with the success of Newton this year, and although formerly a. member of the club, was this year trans-

ferred from Athletics, with the result that he strengthened the back team considerably. Newton has the committee and the team at the present time, and should not look back for many years.