League.

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 445, 29 August 1928, Page 11

League.

Notes and Comment.

Next Saturday’s Games: Ellerslie v. Devonport. City v. Richmond. Newton v. Marist. Ponsonby, a bye. * * » At the present time Shore is leading in the senior championship competition, Richmond being a good second, only one point behind. Well Deserved Win It seems almost certain that the Shore Leaguers will put "paid” to the bill next Saturday, when they meet Ellerslie and will carry off the 'championship honours for the 1928 season. If they do it will be a well deserved win. English Leaguers Sail The English Leaguers left Auckland by the Niagara yesterday morning. From here they will proceed to Vancouver, where they will play an exhibition game. They are also fixed to give an exhibition at Montreal. * * * The Rugby* League season opened in England last Saturday, so when the touring English team arrives back home after its long tour, ite members will have to don their club jerseys straight away. , Mr. Osborne to Retire Manager Osborne of the English team has announced that he intends to retire from the administration of the game when he arrives back Home. Off to Hikurangi Ponsonby is going to make the best of its bye next Saturday. It has been arranged for both its senior and first junior teams to travel to Hikurangi. The teams are leaving on Friday evening and it is intended that they will arrive back in Auckland at midnight Saturday. Ponsonby’s full senior team will maker the trip.

Cronin Injured

Owen Cronin, who has lurked behind the scrum for Marist this season, broke a blood vessel in a recent game and is not likely to turn out again this season. Wing threequarter Letton, of the Ponsonby senior thirteen, showed considerable promise when he first came over from Rugby. Lately, however, he has been rather disappointing. He has a very merry way of slipping and sliding about when in action. A good pair of sprigs should assist him a fair deal. * * • With their four New Zealand reps, back in the fold Newton should be able to field a particularly strong team against Marist on Saturday. The absence of Lufty, Somers, Hardgrave and Hall made a big difference to the Red and Whites in their last match, which saw last year’s champions go down before the onslaught of the City

However, Tykes will be glad to see Jim O’Brien and Brisbane back again, the more so as Owen Cronin had had to go into temporary retirement. It cannot be said that Brady is a satisfactory substitute for Owen behind the scrum. The latter is something after the nature of Tim Peckham. very tricky and elusive, and also a demon tackier. 0 * * • A Hard Grafter

Noble has a great reputation as a grafter right from whistle to whistle, and on Saturday he appeared to be enjoying himself immensely, when many other forwards were beginning to feel the strain of a hard game. As an onlooker put it, if every one of the New Zealanders were as fit as Noble it would not be a question of “Can

we win the last est, but how many points can we vin # by.’*

Two Come-Backs Auckland League this season has seen the reappearance of two former New Zealand reps., after both had gone into retirement, and stated their

intentions of giving the game best. Deigrosso was the first to don his old' club jersey, at a stage when Ponsonby was in very sore straits. Thanks to his leadership, and sterling qualities as a player (he played in the first two tests against the Englishmen), Ponsonby retains a respectable place in the competition ladder. The other “All Black” to make another farewell appearance is Kirwin, who on Saturday lined out with Marist, who had difficulty in fielding a senior team. He showed that although carrying a deal of superfluous condition he as yet lost little of the versatility which won him fame in past years. It is hard for some players to ring down the curtain on their football careers.

Hamilton v. Huntly Hamilton had a close call when it met Huntly on Saturday, Wilson scoring and converting a try right on time. The final score was 16—14. The game was fast and clean, played in a good spirit and well controlled by Mr. Alf. Rayner. A noticeable feature was the combination on both sides, and this made the football very spectacular. Hamilton had the best of the scrumming and its hookers got more than their share of the ball. Of the winning thirteen Everest, Vernall and Taylor were the best backs, while Hogg and Wilson were the pick of the forwards. Jack Whorsky on the wing, fr. Jones and G. Raynes shaped well in the losers' rearguard, while the best of the forward division was Stephenson, Traveller and Gruby.