Richmond-Newton Clash

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 385, 20 June 1928, Page 11

Richmond-Newton Clash

League Enters Second Round Clubroom Gossip Quiet SENIOR games played at Carlaw Park next Saturday will be the first of the second round of the Auckland Rugby League’s championship competition. Devonport is still well in the lead in points and it can only be expected thfft at the meeting of the League this evening the NewtonRichmond clash will be considered the feature match for next Saturday. Owing to the representative match last Saturday which gave the senior teams a dav-off, clubroom gossip is very quiet this week.

Saturday’s representative game was marred by the shocking weather conditions, and needless to say, the gates were also affected. On many occasions Mr. Ivan Culpan has had to slide the money bag along the bank floor, but he did not have such a great deal of trouble in handling last week’s takings. Ponsonby is fixed to meet Ellerslie next Saturday. But although the Ponies are a team of some ability they have suffered defeat on the last three occasions that they have met the newly promoted thirteen. It will be interesting to see what happens next Saturday. The English Leaguers According to cabled information the Bnglancl-Queensland Rugby League clash on. Saturday, when the visitors were beaten by 21 points to 7, was evidently a rather rough turn-out. Burgess, the English captain, was ordered oil the field after being previously cautioned, and a Queensland player, Sellars, also received marching orders. Such incidents are unfortunate. Burgess, off the field, is a very fine chap with a decent disposition. His temper, however, is a little sudden and has brought him a lot of trouble. Pie visited New Zealand some years ago with an English team and in one of the test matches played in Wellington was sent off. However, Rugby League players are not the only ones that are ordered off the field. A Ring-in A slight sensation was caused in Christchurch Rugby League circles last Saturday when Plornby, one of the leading teams in the senior competition in that city, played a man who could be termed a “ring-in” in a match against Addington. Just by the way, Hornby is the club joined by the ex-Auckland player, Jimmy Parkes. The Canterbury Rugby League took the matter up and although Hornby actually won by 10 points to 3, the decision was reversed. The amusing part about the whole thing is that Kelly, according to information received in this city, is far from a brilliant Leaguer and exceptionally small in physique. A Handy Man Trevor Haulon, who has shone out as a fullback for Richmond this year, is a player who has not altogether been given a “fair go,” although, of course, that has

been nobody’s fault in particular. Trevor’s right position is in the five-eighth line, but he never gets a chance to play there. On one or two occasions Richmond has tried someone else at fullback and put Hanlon up, but the game is seldom in progress long before there is a change and Hanlon has to drop from the five-eighth line and go back. How Paki Marked Dufty The only South Auckland man who could upset the cool and collected Dufty on Saturday was Paki, who played wing for the first half and five-eighth for the second stanza of the game. The other backs repeatedly failed to grass the stalwart Auckland fullback, but Paki made no bones about the matter, going for the ankles every time. He brought his man down by this means more often than did all the neck tackles of his confreres put together, for Dufty shook them off like rats, and calmly went on his way. He finished up, however, with a profound respect for the abilities of the Maori, who succeeded where many men failed. Saturday’s Clash Newton Rangers will clash with Richmond Rovers on Saturday as probably the featured attraction of the opening series of games of the second round. When these two teams last met on April 28, Richmond sprang a surprise by “putting it across” the champions in a manner they had hardly expected possible. The Rangers went on to the field as the champions, and no doubt they thought that was all there was to it. The dashing, well trained Richmondites proved, however, that reputation is not enough to win against enterprising teams. That was the first of several reverses the Newton men were to receive before they “came to,” and it is already apparent that it has probably done them more good than harm. Settled Down at Last They will go on to the field on Saturday, out to have revenge, and on paper anyway look to have more than an outside chance of stumbling across success. For in Cammick, Wilson, Murray, Dufty, Little, Hardgrave, and Herewini, the red and whites have a rearguard that will take some stopping when once it gets properly into its stride, especially as it will be backed up by a great trio of forwards in Clarke, Hall and Somers. Hardgrave, by the way, played a great game last Saturday in the rep. match, and with the whole line understanding each other more exactly than they did during the first round, through numerous changes in personnel, and injuries. Newton’s hopes are running high.

Prentice Injured The Richmond team which swept

all before it earlier in the season appeared to be suffering a little from staleness in its last two matches. Per haps it was onlj overtraining, and in that case, after a week’s rest, the wearers of the maroon jersey will turn out refreshed on Saturday. Certainly skipper Prentice greatly increased his reputation by the fine, dashing game he played on Saturday, and it is a pity that an injury to his nose may prevent him from leading his men in the big clash. Richmond will fight all the way, and fans can look forward to another epic clash.