LEAGUE CODE’S PROGRESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 934, 29 March 1930, Page 10

LEAGUE CODE’S PROGRESS

Annual Reports Issued

AUCKLAND AND NEW ZEALAND

THE annual reports of the Auckland and .N'cv Zealand Rugby Leagues, which have just been issued, record a very successful year's work, with a steady improvement in play and increased public patronage. The reports state, inter alia : AUCKLAND LEAGUE

The Auckland Rugby League'is again ! in the happy position of being able to j present a wonderful balance sheet for j the past year’s working, which con- j tinues to show the great success this j code of football is enjoying. The visit j of the Canterbury, South Auckland, I Northland, and South Sydney teams j were of great interest to the public, i who showed their appreciation by the j largo attendances. PROGRESS OF CODE We greatly appreciate the continued and increased support extended to us by the football-loving public of Auckland. The aim of the Auckland Rugby League is to present bright, clean, spectacular football, of which the public has always shown its appreciation. Patrons of the League will not be slow to recognise* the amount of energy and foresight that has been displayed by the executive in its efforts to bring IC'arlaw Park up to its present state, and our ambition is to make it the most up-to-date sports ground in the .Dominion. Not only from a financial viewpoint has the present season been a huge success, but the standard of football has been above the average, while the clubs have been very evenly matched, and the various competitions have been contested with the utmost .keenness. OVERSEAS VISITS The League-loving public was entertained during the past season with a series of visits from outside Leagues, and at the end of the season was favoured with sterling matches between South Sydney and Marist Old Boys’ Club, Auckland. Auckland again proved that it retained the Kugby premiership of New Zealand. The visit of the South Sydney team proved a wonderful final to the season. In the first match the local .champions, Marist Old Boys, played wonderful football, and at half-time were in the lead by one point; and in a rattling finish they demonstrated their superiority amid scenes of enthusiasm. The second match, the tables were turned, the scores being South Sydney, 21, v. Marist Old Boys, 5. The South Sydney team played one of its matches which helped them to capture the New South Wales championship. The local team did not play the game that was witnessed the previous Saturday, however, they did not disgrace themselves, and the opinion of the visiting managers was that the local champions were a real good team. JUNIOR FOOTBALL The Junior Management Committee, under the chairmanship ot' Mr. Adamson, reports that good work lias been done in the junior grades. The standard of play shows considerable improvement, and the conduct of the players has been highly creditable. A few cases of unsportsmanlike conduct came before the board, and in each case the offenders were dealt with severely. The various grade competitions were staged, and the keenness shown was proof positive of the popularity of the game among playing members, and although Richmond and Devonport annexed most of the trophies between them, they were not easy victories, nor wero they lacking that keen competition by other teams, which is essential i to any code of sport. The number of teams • entered in the various grades was exceptionally well balanced, as these figures prove:—Second grade, 7. Third grade, 8. Third intermediate grade, 8. Fourth grade, 10. Fifth grade, 8. Sixth A grade, 10; Sixth B grade, 9. Thus all the competitions were carried on over the whole of the season. Richmon won the Davis points cup again. WINNERS OF VARIOUS GRADES Senior A.—Ponsonby. Senior B.—Point Chevalier. Second Grade.—Devonport. Third Grade. —Richmond. Third Grade Intermediate.—Devonport. Fourth Grade.—Devonport. Fifth Grade.—Richmond. Sixth A Grade.—Richmond. Sixtli B Grade.—Richmond. Roope Rooster. —Marist Old Boys. Tlrrfstle Cup.—Marist Old Boys. Stallard Cup.—Marist Old Boys. Second Grade Knock-out —Mt. Albert. Third Grade Knock-out.—Richmond. Third Intermediate Grade. —Newmarket. Fourth Grade. —Akarana. Fifth Grade.—Richmond. Sixth A Grade.—Otahuliu. Sixth B Grade.—Richmond. Schoolboys’ Competition.—Newmarket. Stormont Shield.—Marist Old Boys. Davis Points Shield.—Richmond. PLAYING GROUNDS One of the great difficulties your executive has to face is the matter of procuring sufficient grounds, in the City and suburban areas, and it behoves all that are connected with the sport to do their utmost to assist in procuring adequate playing areas. REFEREES’ ASSOCIATION The Referees’ Association report having had a most successful season. The membership is now high, and financially the association is healthy. A shortage of members handicapped the association early in the season, but as the competitions advanced, new members joined the ranks. Several new members have been nominated, but retiring players are always welcome. Classes of instruction, at which various "points are discussed, are held every Monday evening, before the general meeting, and members are made familiar with the latest rulings. The social side of the organisation is well catered for, and many pleasant evenings are held. Altogether the prospects for the coming season are particularly bright. The report also records the loss the code has suffered through the deaths of Messsr. E. Fox. B. Neild and A. E. Powell, three great stalwarts of the game. The standard of League football has undoubtedly improved during the last year or so. especially so in the South, and your council feel satisfied that still more progress can be made in this respect. It can be safely asserted that the engagement of a good coach, with a team that will listen to him, will immeasurably raise the general standard of play, j with a consequent increase of public I patronage. It would undoubtedly materially assist our game if all leagues had a coach available for service in their district, and every league should make this a leading point in its policy. The Australians emphasise the need for coaches, and they advise that no effort is spared in an endeavour to supply their players with efficient coaches. THE ENGLISH LEAGUE AND NEW ZEALAND PLAYERS During the past year, your council has communicated with the English League and its component clubs, pointing out the harm that was being done

to League football in New Zealand by English clubs, through their agents, in inducing New Zealand players to proceed to England for the purpose of playing League football. Several of the English clubs have assured us that they favourably view our standpoint and have promised to have the matter brought up at the annual meeting of the English Council. It is unfortunate that, a number of our best players have been secured by tlif? English clubs this year, as we shall ufidoubtedly need our best men when the time comes to meet the Australians this year. AUSTRALIAN TOUR, 1930 Negotiations for this tour are not yet finalised, although they have been under way since early last year. On September 18 last, the Australian Board of Control, in reply to a communication of ours, issued a definite invitation for the New Zealand team to visit New South Wales and Queensland this year. We asked for an itinerary of matches to be played, but the Board of Control have replied that nothing definite can be settled until the Australian team returned from England. They also hinted that our itinerary would depend greatly on what arrangements had been made by the English Rugby team, that will also be touring Australia this year. Your council emphasised the fact that early notice should be given as to when the team would be expected to arrive in Sydney, and the date of the first match, but the board will make no definite statement, except that it is intended to play three (3) Saturday and two (2) mid-week fixtures in New South Wales, and two (2) Saturday fixtures in Brisbane and matches in Ipswich, Toowoomba, Rockhampton and Townsville. GUARANTEE FOR LOSS The board has agreed to guarantee New Zealand against loss in matches played outside of Sydney or Brisbane. Now that the Australian team has returned, we are hopeful of receiving an early notice as to when the team is expected in Sydney, and the itinerary, and to keep the matter before the board your council has communicated with it only last week, emphasising the necessity for the supply of early information. Directly information is to hand with respect to matters as above, the council intends to circularise all leagues with respect to the question of the selection of the team and managers. Your council, in accord with the wishes of the Southern League, approached the Australian Board of Control with the idea of getting an Australian Universities’ team to visit New Zealand with the object of playing matches in the centres. Unfortunately, the universities intimated that they were unable to accept our invitation, but in correspondence they advised that in all probability they would make an attempt to tour New Zealand either during May or August of this year. This matter, of course, will require to be dealt with by the incoming council. About the end of September last year tho South Sydney Club, premiers of Sydney, cabled through the Australian Board of Control asking if the New Zealand League would accept a visit from them, playing three matches in Auckland only. Your council was of the opinion that the matter had been left until too late in the season, and furthermore was desirous that if the team came to Auckland they should extend their tour south. However, they eventually assented to the proposal of the South Sydney Club, with the result that the team played two matches in Auckland against the Marist Old Boys’ Club, and one match in Huntly against the Huntly Club, the results being as follow: October 12 1929, Marist Old Boys won, 10—9;’ October lt>, 1929, South Sydney won, 30—3; October 19, 1929, South Sydney won, 21—5. Tho visit was successful both from a playing and monetary point of view, the council realising a profit of £2BB 17s 6d, which proved a welcome addition to our finances. Furthermore, the class of play shown by the South Sydney team was of an exceptionally high standard, and tho Auckland players who viewed their methods should have gained a more intimate knowledge of tho possibilities of the code. OBITUARY The council regrets to have to record the passing of three of its life members during the past year—Messrs. Charles Pearce, A. E. Powell and E. Fox, all of whom did yeomen service for League in its early days. The condolences of the New Zealand League were conveyed to the relatives of the gentlemen to whose work League owes its present position. FINANCE As is shown by the statement of expenditure and receipts, the council made a net profit of £l4l 11s 6d on tho year’s working, which can be considered satisfactory. Your council cannot close its report without conveying to Mr. W. .T. Hamill, of Auckland, its appreciation of the amount of honorary propaganda \vo;pk undertaken by him during the past year, and it is to be hoped that this gentleman will have the same success in future as in the past in his effort to spread the cult of League football. In a comprehensive review of tlm game throughout New Zealand the report makes special reference to the splendid progress of the game In North Auckland, and tho sound advance made in other parts of the Dominion.