Auckland v. Northland

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 973, 16 May 1930, Page 6

Auckland v. Northland

FIRST LEAGUE REP. GAME Initial Trial for N.Z. Side THE first representative match of the Rugby League season in New Zealand will be played at Carlaw Park tomorrow afternoon, when the Northland representatives, in quest of the Northern Union Challenge Cup, will meet the holder, Auckland. In addition the match is the first of a series of trial games which will be played to assist the selectors in the selection of the New Zealand team to leave on a tour of Australia midway through next month.

The teams- for tomorrow’s match ! AUCKLAND Backs: N. Campbell <Marist), C. List (Kingsland-Athletic), P. Brady (Marist), R. Carter (Kingsland - Athletic), M. Wetherill (City), L. Seagar (Devonport), W. Shortland (City). Forwards: J. O’Brien (Marist), Pascoe (City), Clark (City), M. Watene (City), Ruby (Devonport;, Francis (Newton). Reserves: Backs —W. Perry (City), T. Peckham (Richmond). Forwards — Hobbs (Ellerslie), W. Skelton (Ponsonby). The Auckland team is to meet at the Tepid Baths at 2 p.m. tomorrow. NORTHLAND

Backs: E. Parkes (Kensington), W. Wliitelaw (Hikurangi), R. Hamilton (Hikurangi), Baker (City United), F. Boyd (Towai), E. Meyer (Waro), C. Raisbeck (Hikurangi), R. Cunningham (Hikurangi), J. Wilson (Towai). two to be omitted. *

Forwards: A. Pilcher (Hikurangi), A. Wells (Waro), W. Hayward (Waro), N. Dunn (Hikurangi), E. O. Callaghan (Hikurangi), T. Berghan (City United), F. Buchanan (Waro),. Hertsell (Hikurangi). Two to be omitted.

Referee: Mr. W. Mincham (Auckland). The Auckland selection committee has taken a commendable stop in trying out much new blood in the team. Several veterans have been included, apparently to stiffen up the younger talent of the side

Campbell (Marist) played very well toward the end of last season at fullback, although as yet he has not been particularly outstanding this year. The same applies to List, who however, is a tried player. Brady has stamped himself as a three-quarter of representative standing and his inclusion causes no surprise. Carter, physically, has all the attributes of a first class three-quarter, but whether he has a three-quarter’s brains remains to be proved. Shortland and Seagar have both merited inclusion. Of the forwards, there are two who snine as breakaway men: Francis and Ruby. Neither can be regarded as a solid scrummager and thus the reason for the inclusion of both is not evident. As a hooker Pascoe is second only to Wally Somers, and Clark, a fine stamp of a forward who can dribble, has thoroughly m«rited inclusion. The same, however, cannot yet be said of M. Watene, who although a player of promise is still short of representative standard. The Sun correspondent at Whangarei writes: Fresh from its success against the

Richmond team which visited Whangarei a few Saturdays ago, the North is confident that it will make a bold bid for the honours in the match with Auckland. Among the team, which is a fine combination, is E. (“Ted”) Meyer, who needs no introduction to Aucklanders. He simply made Peckham look like a second-rater when they met at Cossill Park in the RichmondWhangarei combined clubs match. Other players who have shown brilliant form in their home matches are Hamilton and “Tassie” Berghan. The latter is a boy who will show the best of them how to tackle. However, there is not a man in the team who has not justified a place. The code has made remarkable strides since its inception in the district two years ago. During the season before last only two Hikurangi teams took the field, but since then the game has so increased in popularity that this season no fewer than 16 teams are playing in the senior and junior grades alone. In spite of every effort to obtain a playing field in Whangarei last year the obstacles were so great that the League found it necessary to acquire a ground of its own, and negotiations were entered into with Mr. W. Cossill, the result being the fine ground that was opened -when the Richmond team visited here a few weeks ago.

. This will undoubtedly be one of the finest playing fields in North Auckland when the necessary improvements are completed. This is certain to come to pass as the game is making such wonderful progress that the League will be in a financial position to do it if it continues along the lines it is at present progressing.

The game should be a good one, with the odds on Auckland to retain the emblem of Dominron interprovincial Rugby League supremacy. The junior grade teams for tomorrow are: Senior B Grade Parnell.—Broekliss, Veart, McLaren, Sloman, Stepenicio, Campneiy, Kerr, Munce, Anderson, Alderton, Taylor, Lunn, Bracegirdle, Hayman, Reid, York, Greer. Mount Albert.—Bagnall (2), Kerwin, Akehurst, Jamieson, McDonald, Mattson, Martin, Twining, Griffin, Forbes, Wilson, Simpson,, Moon, Brough, Armadio. Second Grade Ponsonby.—R. Wilson, K. Taylor, F. Rogers, P. Morris, R. Currie, H. Blair, C. Thomas, G. Flanagan. R. Ashby, N. Challis, O. Donaldson, W. Fisher, TT. White, J. Barclay, J. Jones, R. Fullerton, Ashby, A. Williamson, L. Flavell. Devonport.—Midgeley, Oldphant, Tata, Pennell, Seagar, Darroch, Hawkes, Jones, Norris, Morgan, Clark, Meiklejohn (2), Gyde, Hewitt. Third Grade Ponsonby.—Thompson (2). Callinan, Bright, Mattson, Friend, Pyke, Dear, Orams, Voltz, Byrnes, White, Sherer, Greenwood, Wardrope. Fourth Grade Ponsonby.—Glass, Rea, Robinson, Oounihan, Whitley, Prisk, Sanford, Bailey, Clarkson, Carter, White, Wilson. City Rovers. —Magee, Thompson, Hutchison, Jamieson, Brett, Renton, Manning, Carroll, Clues, Strange, Axeman, McMillan, Ashby, Giles, Ward, Buchan (2), Gardner, Fry, Nichol, Heron, Trainor. „ . . Mount Albert.—Hart. McDonald. Smith. Bi-ough, G. .Clinden, Thom. Havern, Andrews, Kirman, Giles, Pollock, L. McGeehan, K. McGeehan. Skinner, Pope, Boss.

JUNIOR GRADE NOTES

The Junior Management Committee of the Auckland Rugby League this season is controlling 64 teams and a total of well over 1,000 players. Two matches have been played in all the junior grades, and already 700 players have been weighed in. Weighing-in. is only necessary from the third intermediate grade down. * * * Mr. Tom Davis, the secretary of the Junior Management Committee is a busy man tliese days. The allocation of grounds is always an intricate task, but this year it has been eased to a certain extent by the fact that there is not a serious shortage of playing areas. All matches so far have been placed.

There is a considerable increase in the playing strength of the junior grades, and in addition, one new club, Avondale, has come into existence. It has not had a great deal of success as yet, but no doubt will do better as the season progresses. # Richmond is again the strongest club in all the grades, with 11 teams in all, including the senior grades. It has a team in every grade and two teams in the sixth B. Devonport also is very strong numerically, with a team in every grade but the fifth. Marist has no third intermediate or fourth grade team, but has two entries in the sixth A grade.

There remain two teams in the second grade which have still; to be defeated, Richmond and Marist. The two best performances in the third open grade are to Glen Lynn and Ponsonby, last year’s runner-up. The Richmond side which Avon this grade last year has now gone up to the second grade. # Devonport and Richmond are undefeated in the third intermediate grade, with two wins each, and Richmond has a win and a draw to its credit. City and Richmond are the two undefeated teams of the fourth grade. * * * There are five sides in the fifth grade which have yet to have their colours lowered:—Marist, Akarana, Otahuhu, Northcote and Richmond (which has had one win and a draw). * * * The sixth A grade sees City and Kingsland undefeated, although the latter has played only one match to date. * * * Richmond A, Northcote and Ellerslie are leading in the sixth B grade.