Marist’s Late Run

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 733, 5 August 1929, Page 6

Marist’s Late Run

LEAGUE PREMIERSHIP BATTLE Play-Off for Championship WITH a play-off in sight next Saturday between Devonport and Ponsonby, this year’s senior League competition can

be written down as one of the most eventful years for club football in the history of the 13-a-side code. In recent weeks, the premiership battle has taken some strange turns. Earlier in the season, Devonport was carrying all before it. Then Ponsonby started to forge steadily to the front. Came City with a sharp, meteoric run of successes, and now diarist has been sweeping all before it—but too late to get on terms for premiership honours.

Weather and ground conditions have played a. big part in this year’s club football. On a hard, dry, turf, it is

hard to say how Marist would have fared against Devonport, but on Saturday the Tykes showed clear-cut superiority over the club champions. They adapted themselves better to the conditions ruling, and the forwards, led in masterly fashion by Jim O'Brien, were

no less successful than a brilliant inside back division, in which Gregory, Brisbane and Brady alternately sparkled in flashing bursts of combined work. Devonport started on Saturday with 1 a glimpse of its old form, and secured 1 an early 6 —o lead. At that particular stage, it became a critical test of the Marist morale. Had the side showed the slightest tendency to crack up under the pace it had set from the start, the old Devonport tradition would probably have carried it through. Some may scoff at this interesting psychological problem, but the fact remains that it was at this period that O’Brien and Brisbane in particular seemed to realise the urgent necessity for driving their team-mates on to fresh effort. Brisbane was playing magnificently on defence —once he nipped a dangerous Shore attack in the bud with a murderous flying tackle, which only the state of the ground made safe—and O’Brien himself was everywhere in the pack, breaking quickly from the scrums and hurling his 3 4st. of brawn and muscle about in deadly fashion. MARIST FORWARDS ON TOP Gradually Marist started to get the upper hand. The Shore forwards battled along heroically from start to finish, but they were pinned down for the most part by a stronger pack, which was aided by Hassan’s *frne work at half In getting the backs away With the run on. Gregory’s clever generalship. and the fi.st and fiery

running of Brisbane and Brady gradually broke down the once impregnable Devonport defence. Trevor O’Leary defended magnificently at fullback. Once he saved a certain try by toppling Brisbane over in a terrific collision in the far corner, but not even he

could stop Marist from scoring on two occasions. The range was right for Gregory, and his two goals gave Marist a four-point winning margin at the finish. In the key position in the Marist backs, Gregory played high-class football. He was well served by Hassan, who ga.ve a splendid display at the base of the scrum. Brisbane was as sound as ever, and was often brilliant. Brady established himself as a dangerous attacking player at centre, and is rapidly coming to the front as one of the best centres in Auckland. N. Campbell was very solid at fullback. O’Brien was at his best in the forwards, and his form at present entitles him to strong consideration for the next representative team. Graham and O. Campbell were tireless workers, and Duane and Johnson showed up well in the loose. - Clarke, the ex-Auckland rep. forward, came on in the first spell as emergency, and played a fair game, although obviously not in the best of condition. The Shore, forwards put up a great fight, but they were gradually worn down by a stronger set of ruckers. The display given by Alf. Scott left no room for argument as to his ability to play the tight game as well as the loose. He was in great form from start to finish. Syd. Rule was another hard battler, and although beaten for the ball In the scrums, St. George made up for it by a sterling game in tight and loose. Casey, too, was in line form. Trevor O’Leary was a safe substitute for Simon. His

kicking was not strong, but it was well placed, and his tackling was splendid. Beattie showed glimpses of his best form at centre, and got two tries, as a result of quick anticipation of the run of play. The rest of the backs did not show up at their best, but they

were handicapped by lack of opportunities. Scoring register.—Marist (tries by Brady and Johnson, both converted by Gregory), 10 points; Devonport (two unconverted tries by Beattie).

PONSONBY’S WIN

SUPERIOR BACK LINE Exhibiting more finish in its play, especially as far as the rearguarders were concerned, Ponsonby managed a victory Over the City Leaguers by 17 points to 5 when these two sides met in a cur-tain-raiser game on the main area at Carlaw Park on Saturday. In spite of the sloppy condition of the ground th«j Ponsonby backs at times handled with uncanny accuracy and one move In particular, wed worthy of note, occurred during the first spell when Stevens started a passing turn in the Ponsonby twentyfive. It swept the whole length of the Held to end up with a brilliant try. It was a magnificent piece of play, the hall being passed out neatly from man to man and from the wing back again to the inside backs. And the Ponsonby forwards made quite a good showing against the opposition pack, which in recent games has well earned the honours of being ;aade up of the hard working, bustling

typo of forwards whose great spoiling tactivs have been the downfall of many teams. Stevens, the Ponsonby hooker, rose to quite great heights. From the majority of the scrums he was seen to heel the ball back for nippy Mclntyre behind the pack to send his line away Undoubtedly Ponsonby must hand out much credit to Stevens, who was largely responsible for its fine win. The prime had its dull moments, especially starting of the second spell, when for some time neither side looked like scoring, and play moved to and fro in rather drab fashion. City certainly had a large share of the attack and favoured with a little more finish in some of its movements must have run up a bigger score. One of the shiners of the day was halfback Mclntyre. He was far superior to Shortland, the recent convert, who lurked belli, a the pack for City. And apart from Mclntyre’s ability to get his backs away, he was always in the limelight and was often seen rushing through with the ball at his to© to worry the opposition. Of the two five-eighths, Thompson and Delgrosso, the former was very sound and played a good game, while Delgrosso, although invincible as a general, was inclined to use the boot too much and also spoiled some movements by hanging on. But in other respects, especially in defensive play, this international is a tower of strength to the Ponsonby side. Skelton, on the wing, made a good showing and ho showed his strength as a runner when he dashed down the line, nearly three-quarters the length of the field to score a good try. He is one who stands a chance for rep. honours next season, and, in fact, should be given a try out in some of the big games on the programme for this yeax*. City’s new halfback, Shortiand, gave a disappointing display, but after his past performances on the Itugby Union field, should hit his usual form with a little more experience at the thir-teen-a-side code. He is very nuggety and solid. On Saturday his chief fault was his weak passing from the scrums. Both the Perrys made a good showing and possibly the weak spot in the City back line was McLaughlin at centre. Since he was moved from the forwards to the backs some time ago he has played good football and built up a reputation. “With that success has come publicity, which has been known to ruin many good players. Of the forwards, Stevens, Fagan, Skelton, Payne, Moore and Gardner, who made up the Ponsonby set, all played well, but at times were a little slow in following up. For City Hadley, Barohard, Hamilton and Pascoe appeared to be the pick, although generally the set was very even.

RICHMOND COULE NOT PASS NEWTON 5 BACKS GOOD DEFENSIVE PLAY Richmond had scant luck wher it went down to Newton, 6-0, or a mud surface on the Domain, but League supporters were not displeased at the result, considering unfortunate losses and rearrangements in the Newton thirteen this season. Two tries by that reliable wingthreequarter. Little, clinched the game for the New toners. The feature was the keenness of the tussle. Two good sets of forwards hammered away determinedly, but the stubborn defenders of both sides did not let a single scoring chance be brought to a head among the forwards. The result was somewhat disastrous for Richmond, which, as well as Newton, had a new playing arrangement. Richmond has lately been challenged by Ivingsland-Athletic for its position in the competition, and Saturday’s loss was just another incident in the bad run which has come the Richmonders’ way in the second round Little, apart from his ability in accepting opportunities to score, distinguished himself as an astute defending

player. W i t h Brimble, Newton’s centre, he played wet-wea-ther football efficiently enough to perplex the Richmonders, whose backs could not get past solid tackling. Brimble played an improved game and two othei Newton backs to

catch the eye were Pcckham. first five-eighth, and Cammick, the toiling halfback. Sound handling under difficulties marked the play of Trevor Hanlon, the Richmond fullback, who has just accepted an engagement with the English club, Broughton Rangers. Mincham figured in most of Richmond’s moves and gave a clever showing of inside-back play. Prentice, first five-eighth, stood out by his sudden dashes, and Agnew, half, did well despite the alertness of Newton’s forwards. The most persistent forward on the ground was Francis, Newton’s breakaway, who this season has warranted the selectors’ attention. Page, Ragg and Hammond were an efficient trio for the winners, while honest work was accomplished for Richmond by Oolebrook, Jenkinson, Lennie and Jones. Richmond did not do as well as was expected in the scrums, but, even on the team’s territorial success in the first spell, points were deserved. The last quarter of the game saw Newton definitely in winning vein. Mr. A. Rae was the referee. KINGSLAND-ATHLETIC WINS ELLERSLIE NOT GOOD ENOUGH Combining to the best advantage with the greasy ball, Kingsland - Athletic gained a comfortable win over Ellerslie by 19 to 7 on Saturday. Things did not look promising for the maroons when Ellerslie was seven points in the lead, but the backs then displayed excellent collaboration to re-