N.Z. LEAGUE TEAM

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 999, 16 June 1930, Page 6

N.Z. LEAGUE TEAM

PLAYERS CHOSEN FOR AUSTRALIAN TRIP SOLID ALL-ROUND SIDE - The New Zealand Rugby League team to leave for a tour of Australia on June 27 is: BACKSv E* Abbott (South Auckland). J. Amos (Canterbury). H. Brisbane (Auckland. C. Dufty (Auckland). C. E. Gregory (Auckland). E. Meyer (Northland). H. Pearce (Otago). S. Riley (Auckland). L. Seagar (Auckland). G. Tittleton (South Auckland) S. VVatene (Auckland). M. Wetherill (Auckland). FORWARDS Len Barchard (Auckland). M. Calder (West Coast). Clark (Auckland —City Club). J. C. Dobbs (Canterbury). A. Eckhoff (Otago). W. Griffiths (West Coast). W. Jones (South Auckland). R. Stephenson (South Auckland). T. Timms (South Auckland). R. Trautvetter (South Auckland). Should any of the above players be unable to make the tour the following have been selected as reserves:—Forwards: A. Clarke (Auckland), J. O’Brien (Auckland), M. Hobbs (Auckland). Backs: L. Simons (Wellington) and .1. Dodds (Canterbury). The team was selected on Saturday after the annual inter-island match by a selection committee consisting of the following:—Messrs. W. Murray (official selector to the New Zealand Council for tile season), W. O. Carlaw and A. Ferguson (representative of the New Zealand Council), E. K. Asher (North Island sole selector), and J. K. Worrall (South Island sole selector). The council of the New Zealand Rugby Football League then met shortly after 8 p.m. on Saturday to receive the report of the selection committee and scrutinise the list of players proposed to be sent to Australia. The discussion of the council, in committee, lasted close on one hour. It is understood, however, that the list of 22 players submitted to the council by the selection committee was eventually approved in to to. Of the 22 players selected Lor the trip, six come front the South Island and the remaining 16 from the North Island. Auckland City itself has nine representatives in the team, which is the largest representation of any League in the Dominion. South Auckland comes second with six. Canterbury, Otago and West Coast come third, in a row, with two representatives each. The Northland League has one man in the team. SOME SURPRISES TEAM SOLID RATHER THAN BRILLIANT O’BRIENS WILL BE MISSED The selected New Zealand team is bound to provoke keen and healthy controversy. More than three-quar-ters of the 22 players really picked

themselves, but there are several surprises. Many will not see eye to. eye with the selectors in the choice of only one halfback (a running half at that) and one hooker. Seagar appears to have been lucky to have secured a place, although with the exception of one bad failure on defence, he played a good game in the first trial match, his line-kicking being magnificent. Apart from Seagar, there are four good five-eighths in the team, viz., Wetherill. Meyer, Gregory and Amos. Brisbane is also a good five-eighth. Really, there are too many of them, at the expense of other positions in the side. A chance is also being taken with Riley. If he stands up to the tour, he will be all right, but it is a big “if.” The team should be very strong in inside backs, but not so impressive at halfback and on the wings as most people could have wished. Perry would have been an acquisition to the side. He is a good winger and could be played anywhere in the backs at a pinch. Probably owing to the fact that he was suffering from an injury, in addition to the way he was watched by the South Island breakaways. Shorthand did not produce his best form on Saturday. But he has been persisted with so long that the selectors’ decision to drop him altogether came as a big surprise. A BIG TASK Abbott has a heavy task ahead of him and he needs coaching in the first essential of halfback play—sending Dut a clean, non-spinning pass without running out from the scrum. Shortland’s exclusion being a drastic decision, it might have well been followed up by the equally drastic decision of including Hassan or Peckham in the side. The selectors, however, deserve full credit for giving a good number of other young players their chance. Len Barchard and Watene made their inclusion almost certain by their great display in the Possibles-Prob-able trial. The forwards are a solid lot, but they will miss M. O’Brien—and J. O’Brien, too! The latter would have been a tower of strength, not only for his experience, but as a front ranker and a great support for the youngsters. Stephenson is the only hooker chosen. In this position there is a risk of injury leaving the team high and dry without a qualified man for a specialist's job. Eckhoff is no more likely to fill this job satisfactorily than Meyer is likely to develop unexpected powers at half, at this late stage in their careers. Stevens, Townsend. Pascoe and Campbell are all good hookers. Jones appears to be lucky to secure a place in the team ahead of A. Clarke and Francis as breakaway forward. The team as a whole is a solid one, but there is a suggestion of compromise about it which does not augur well for any settled policy of tactics. The forwards will be a solid, rugged lot and the backs include a number of players who can be very brilliant at times. 5 Wetherill and Eckhoff look to be strong candidates for the positions of captain and vice-captain.