FOOTBALL FEED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 796, 17 October 1929, Page 9

FOOTBALL FEED

Flow South Sydney Men Got Dinner ALF BLAIR—WAITER (Special to THE SUN) HUNTLY, Today. The spectacle of a football team cooking its own dinner at an hotel when on tour is surely something unique. Yet such is the performance of the South Sydney Rugby League men. After a visit to New Zealand's wonderland at Rotorua, the Australians arrived at Huntly

late on Tuesday evening, and as the hotel staff had gone off for the night they set to to get something to eat. This was brought about by a misunderftanding as to when the party would arrive at’ Huntly. It was

originally due at 6 p.m., but the hospitable people of Rotorua, after showing them all that was to be seen there, persuaded them to visit Arapuni on the way to the mining town. The Sydney men had no idea it would take so long to get to the big hydro-electric works, so that it was nearly nine o’clock before they hit Huntly that night—tired, dust-stained and, above all, hungry. The hotel proprietor thought that they were not going to arrive that day at all, so he dismissed the staff. All the cafes in Huntly were closed at that hour of the night, but when the Sydney men were informed that the food was still at the hotel, they lost no time in turning it to good account. Pat O'Donoghue, one of the vicepresidents of the club travelling with the team, and the star three- % quarter, Jack Why, were deputed to act as cooks. Captain Alf Blair took charge of the waiting department, and had under him M. Manning and Alf. O’Connor, who were none the less efficient for ant of dinner suits. Thus in no time the team set down to a feed of grilled steak and eggs, bacon and eggs and steak and kidney pie—three options in all for the most substantial portion of the menu. For sweets, the team sauntered round to a nearby fruit shop and finished off with oranges and lemons. WATSON—-SERVIETTE FOLDER The repast over, “Alf” O’Connor, “Benny” Wearing and Huntly referee Arthur Harlock. adjourned to the kitchen to wash up. And even footballers can wash dishes, if the praise of the proprietor of the Huntly Hotel counts for anything! Dave Watson, dashing forward, put forth a delicate hand, and folded serviettes, reset the tables, and left everything in readiness for the waitresses when they returned in the morning to prepare breakfast. Dinner was over at 10.15, and the team retired at 11. Manager Charles Lynch and his men are still chuckling over the surprise they gave an embarrassed hotel proprietor. The latter is high in liis praise of the guests. The Sydney men are tremendously interested in all they have seen in New Zealand. While they were at Rotorua, a noted Maori chief died and they witnessed a Maori tangi. Several times on the way to Auckland last evening, the footballers’ cars ran over rabbits. This made Dave Watsbn's blood boil. He owns half a share in a ferret in Sydney!