WELLINGTON’S SOCCER TEAM

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 713, 12 July 1929, Page 13

WELLINGTON’S SOCCER TEAM

BRAND NEW ELEVEN SELECTED ITS PROSPECTS AGAINST AUCKLAND (Special to THE SUN) WELLINGTON, Thursday. SOCCER football in Wellington this season appears to be fairly strong, and supporters of the code are full of hope that the inter-provincial fixtures will see the province well to the front. The team which has been selected to go to Auckland is certainly a strong combination on paper, only three players being included who faced Auckland last winter for the F.A. trophy.

Looking 1 at the list of forwards selected there does not appear to be a solitary passenger, nor does any player worth while appear to have been left out. Every one of the five chosen is capable of scoring when the opportunity offers, and even of making an opening for himself. The choice of R. ZVlcLeod on the right wing could not be bettered. He is speedy and is playing as well as ever he did. Backed up by Rigby, who is of the type known as “worrier,” this pair should score many goals for Wellington. The centreforward position will be occupied by either Gibb or Leslie, and at the moment it is difficult to place one man ahead of the other. Craig and Smith, the latter a player who has helped to place Diamond in the position of being the leading club team in Wellington today, will lead the attack from the left wing. Smith is a dangerous man anywhere near the goal-mouth, and ho will “shoot” on the slightest provocation. Craig is also an accomplished footballer and mayscore at any odd moment. STRONG HALF LINE Turning to the halves selected, it is probable that no better trio could be selected in any other part of the Dominion. With J. McLeod on the right, Campbell in the centre, and Hanlon on the left, this line should be a souree of strength to the team, lielp,r,£r t,lpl and holding a fine balance between the van and the rearguards, as well as providing the necessary balance between attack and defence. It is considered that Campbell, who plays for Petone, is the best centrehalf Wellington has possessed since Dan Jones went to Auckland from the Waterside

Club. Each of the three men selected is what may be referred to as a “brainy” player, and is capable of circumventing the opposition when the game is most strenuous. Moving to the fullback line, where

excellence of defence is a very necessary qualification, equal satisfaction may be expressed. As stated previously, Gibb may play at centreforward, in which case Leslie will be dropped back to fullback with Guest, a position in which he has had most experience, and the games he has played show that he is able to adapt himself to the conditions governing any place on tho field. Gibb, who is an old hand at the game, will captain the side, and he may consider that he can do better at centreforward, where he is in a position to handle the attack better, in which case Leslie’s play will be mostly along the lines of defence. Leslie is a bit on the youthful side for i*epresentativ© football, but he has plenty of dash and this qualification may decide Gibb to play him among (he forwards. McVean has been selected'to go to Auckland and will play in goal. There is a certain amount of divided opinion as to whether he or Lucas should have received the honour of selection, and it is probable that his retention in the team will depend largely upon the results of the visit to Auckland. McVean’s greatest asset is his timing, and he is usually there at the crucial moment, whereas Lucas lias been beaten on several occasions by “soft ones,” indicating that he may be taken by surprise and fail to time correctly. Marshment has been selected as twelfth man, and should be a useful man in that position as it is possible to play him in almost any part of the field without finding him out of his place. This is a valuable qualification in an extra man, all the more important when only one surplus player is taken with a travelling team. The Wellington team is to meet Auckland for the F.A. Trophy next Week, after which there will be matches against Canterbury and Otago, and the teams to play in these later matches will depend largely upon the result in Auckland. It is practically a new side so far as interprovincial fixtures are concerned, only Smith, Campbell and Leslie having had any previous representative experience.