FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 284, 4 May 1914, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

J. McKenzie, the Wellington and New Zealand representative. Is now sojourning in Auckland, and will be throwing in his lot 'this year with Marist Bros. This club will have a strong team this year. It was rumored in Auckland that our own incomparable "Diek" Roberts was to play for Marist Bros, also, but that is not so, as "Dick" will-again don the Okaia-wa jersey. Two of the famous, original "All Blacks" will don the jersey in Dunedin this year, in the person of A. McDonald, of the Koikomi Club, who captained the team last year, and S. Casey, who will play for Southern. Tt is generally understood that these two are the only members of that great combination, now playing the game, but that is incorrect, as IT. L. Abbott- will lie out for Clifton this year. He is said to bo in gicat form, and as he was one of the youngest players in the team he should not be past "coming back." '

It is rumored that Goodwin, of tlie Clifton Club, is going to the Auckland distriet, where he will retire from the Rugby game and. take on golf. H. Prince, a Tnranaki representative of two years ago, is now a prominent member of the Te Kopuru Club, playing under the Northern Wairoa' Rugby Union. The movement far the formation of a sub-union out East is evidently being kept steadily in view by football enthusiasts in <the Wihangamomona district, and tihe formation of a club at Toko should give it an additional fillip. It is questionable, however, whether Toko is not more in touch with Stratford, which club may require assistance from that direction to fill up its teams. The original idea of the VV'lrangamamona sub-union was for a boundary somewhere about To Wera. Sub-unions, well conducted, must make for the, betterment of football in scattered districts, The benefit match lietween Okato on Tukapa on Saturday wok did not produce brilliant football, but it showed that some, at any rate, of the players liavel gone in for consistent training, as (hey were able to last out a fast game. Hawkins was not playing at >his best. Carey was the pick of the country team. The. local team were fur superior in the back division, and contain some very nippy backs, but they must Irani to collar low. In tihis department last week they failed dismally. Okato were weak in the bacfls. Home town players .have, however, intimated their willingness to 'assist the country team in this department if the necessary permission can be obtained.

So fur the position in the. northern division is unchanged, but it is expected that finality will be immediately reached, and that the fixtures will appear this week. Star and Moturoa willj probably amalgamate. High School lias decided to cuter u ThiiTsday junior team.