Football

Waipukurau Press, Volume I, 6 July 1906, Page 3

Football

—o Fixtures. First Grade — July 11—Waipawa v. Waipukurau; referee, Mr Gooseman Second Grade, second round July 11, Waipawa v. Onga Onga, Mr Gooseman. _ July 18th, Waipukurau v. AVaipawa, Mr Pellow July 25th, Onga Onga v. Waipukurau, bxr O’Reilly Third Grade, second round — July 11, Waipukurau v. Onga Onga, Mr Chambers July 18, Waipawa v. Onga Onga, Mr Chambers.

notes Auckland team plays Newtown (Sydney) to-morrow. At Waipawa last AV ednesday Waipawa Thirds defeated Waipukurau Thirds by nine points to nd, Waipawa thus winning the Hunter Shield. For the winners, Lowe, * Kun, and Weir secured tries. Mr Gebb’ie acted as referee. East Coast Sub-union will probably play Napier on July 14.

ROUGH PLAY AT SYDNEY.

“ Rover,” writing in the Sydney Telegraph in support of the Australian game of football, as against Rugby (and incidentally of rough play at Sydney) says:— £ ‘I am a peaceful man myself, and I don’t think murderous tactics should be introduced into a game which has for its object the putting of a ball over a certain line. Why should a player strangle another by screwing his neck round so that he doesn’t know which way he is going, to attain such an apparently peaceful end? Why should he knock him down and then proceed to kick him ? Why the necessity for all this frenzy? Can’t the game be played without an accompaniment of unpleasant language ? Why all these acts of violence? Why this ‘ spirit of battle?’ Isn’t it a trifle misplaced ? What is the matter with carrying the thing out to it’s logical conclusion ? Let every player have a bludgeon, with which to more expeditiously despatch his opponent. We prefer a more peaceable kind of game, a game where skill, fleetness, agility, and, above all, good temper, is necessary ; a game where the ball rather than the man is the object to be kicked, punched, bounced, and handled.” “ Rover ” goes on to speak of “assaults in almost every match —spectacles that have roused referees to action, disgusted the public, and inspired protests from the press. . . In New Zealand similar exhibitions are taking place, and the matter has assumed >, so serious an aspect that ‘ splendid ’ -Wf players are being disqualified, in ' some instances, for life. Every Saturday acts are seen in Sydney which, if committed anywhere else than on a Rugby football field, would mean gaol for the offenders.”