FOOTBALL NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 30 May 1913, Page 7

FOOTBALL NOTES.

(By "jUI Black.") To-morrow the final matches La the first round of the Wairarapa Rugby championship fixtures will be played. Carterton and Gladstone meet on the latter's ground, a.nd Bed Star will play United at Greytown. Chief interest will be centred in the former game. Each team haa met defeat at hands of Red Star, but the games were close enough to suggest that a keen contest will be witnessed on the Gladstone ground to-morrow, and no doubt football enthusiasts will be present in considerable numbers. Gladstone will be strengthened by the inclusion!' of Hodge and Sid Mason, who have done good service in the forward ranks of the amber and black team in the past. Carterton too will be at their' full strength. Silvers and August, who were not playing in the Star match will improve the back division, which shoiild prove a very strong combination indeed. 1113 R:d Star v. United match looks a Wd tiling for Stars. The United te\m will take the field with a much stronger combination than they have yet had, and there are some who expect them to give the unbeaten Stars a good run for thenmoney.

It iV reported that W. Duggan, who has captained the' MartLnborough team, will join the Star team for the remainder of the season. Mr McKenzie had some difficulty in selecting a reprjsentative team to plav Wellington on June 3rd, but it is. doubtful if he could have selects f d a better combination at this stage of the season. The forwards presented the chief difficulty, as so many players have shown really g-od form. The men selected to dp battle for Wairarapa should prove a really .strong lot. Many would nodoubt have liked to have seen Spackman in the forwards, but on his performano-.' last Saturday, the selector could not do other Uian he has done. Spademan's turn will no doubt come later in the season. Hodge was not available for selection.

In the back division Mr McKenzie had to act somewhat on the blind. Bourke has shown fair form at five-eighth, but givos evidence of being more at home on the threequarter line. He has been given a good opportunity xo distinguish himself, and I think he will give a good account of himself. Darvill has forgotten nothing of til's game, and he only wants condition to be as good as in his best days, that is judging by his display last week. Matson and the two Groubes could not be overlooked. The former is undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best, wing three-quarter in the Wairarapa, and I fully expect him to make a name for himself in this year's representative matches. At fivo-eighthg the Groube brothers are a good combination. Ball, at half, is also quita entitled to be included, and with a good set of backs behind him should be capable of anything. Tait, at full-iback, showed splendid form in this position' last year, and is said «-o be playing well this season.

The match against Wellington will give the selector an excellent opportunity of judging the true form of the members of the team, which will prove of value in selecting future teams this ' season, when a large number of representative matches are down for decision.

It must be gratifying to Rugby enthusiasts to see so much interest being taken in football this .osason. It is some time since Wairarapa matches drew such satisfactory gates, and as three of the teams at least seem very even, the interest .should not diminish. Uairarapa football should receive a big lift this" season. The Union Has every reason to feel pleased.

The defeat of I'etone by Athletic at Wellington last Saturday stamps the latter as the best combination in the 'Empire City this year. Tli3 suburbanites, -however, fought a great battle under adverse circumstances, and may be relied on to r even matters up before the season ends.

Joe O'Leary, the ex-W.airarapa player, still figures prominently in Auckland football, and, according to northern critics, nas no equal as a full-back.

Mr Frank Glasgow, the ex-All Black, is coaching, a team of Maoris at Kaikohoe. Bay of Plenty. This t'am will play a team from H.M.S. New Zealand at ttu&sell. Mr A. T. Bust, who was killed in a football match at Auckland on Saturday, was a son of Mr F. R. Bust, who kept a butcher's shop at Lower Hutt about six year!? ago. The deceased had many local friends,' all of whom were shocked to learn of his tragic s-nd. Brice. "Miller, Byrn e and Proebstel, who leave to-day tor Australia with the New Zealand League team, were entertained at dinn >r by the

Petono League Club on Wednesday ln«t.

The Gladstone Club is rather a unique combination, containing as it does three Masons, . two Johnsons, two McLarens, and two Hendersons. Sid Dixon would only require another stone or two in weight to 'make him one of Wairarapa's best forwards. As it is the diminutive "Sid" i§ a hard nut to crack. His potted goal against Carterton and try against Gladstone will not readily be forgotten. ' Another olayer of great promise is K. Strang, the Gladstone three-quar-ter. HcTalso lacks on the score of size, but he. is a rare game 'u.n, as n-ell as a fine footballer. Referees in senior matches on the i Old Showgrounds lia-ve experienced some trouble in keeping the spectator.* back from the line. The stand and bank on this ground are capable of accommodating a good deal more people than are likely to wish to use them, and there seems no son why they should not be made to keep to this part of the grounds. where an excellent view of the game may be obtained. No doubt if this step were -aken by the Union officials, there would be no more trouble in this direction.