Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

THE PLAY AND THE PLAYERS.
A BUDGET OF PERSONALITIES
ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST.
The Premiership. '"'
Who will win It?
A question difficult to answer. .
It looks a good thilhg for "South or
Carlton. .
Doth aides nro'in.'magfflficcnt winning
form Just now. ' "V
Essendon's men have strong, h'qpea of
being lu at the death.
Colllngwood Is thu other team which
has to engage In the struggle.
The Association premiership looks u
pretty good thing for Essindon."
At tho end of tho. scason Esscnon
(L) will go oh an lntpr-stnttrip.
Harry Braid got In'a rcntlygood gamo
after the first quiirter for the Magpies.
Hcnphy played a grand.1 game for
Brunswick and scored thrqeedutlful
goals. %! is- r--
ton Abbot was great at. .high 'marks
and took soino beauties on Haturdny for
Brunswick.
Due Mills was brilliant for 'Wicks
and run McKcnzlo very close Tor t|ib
honors of the game. . . ,
Footscray will probably have the ser
vices of a brilliant forward from an
up-country district, '
Footscray will play Mills, of Doreen,
iiint Olnoy, the sklpper-of the Diamond
Stancllffe followed the four quarters
and wits greatly admired hy the specta
tors for his sterling play, .
Brunswick forwards wore all at sou In
thu first half and gave too niuny free
kicks to the rrahrun men.
Allan Botcher, the sturdy EHsendonlun
has been absent— hurt— on each oeeu-
hIoh this year, on which KsHcndon hava
mot Carlton.
At lo-nlght's mooting of tho. League
I ho appeals by Hill and 1 leanoy against
their suspension by the Richmond Club
will be considered. ...
Lyons, n. smart- forward and follower,
from the rbrtrose, ' wllL probubly be In
cluded in 'Scrriy's .. team . to-morrow
against Esscndon.
Brunswick's centre line hml n lot the
best of tho Prnlinin,' and Leeds, GUleA-
plo, and L. Braid plnyed splendidly hulf-
bnck for Bnmswlok.
Colllngwood .were In gruut form i
fttrnss the centre iignhiHl- Melbourne,
and (!ll>b, M'Haky and ' Saddler beat
their opponents.- Colllngwood's centra
I lino hits -been equal to any- In tho
. tougub tbiH season.
The players of tho different Assocla-
' tlon clubs who aro not engaged' to-mor
row, nro requestod to mcut their respec
tive .secretaries .ut the pavilion .gules of
the North Melhourno ground at half?
past two,o'ctook. '
An association secretary laid one of
the teams "a smoko night to nothing''
If that team bent another. The wager
hud to bo met, but unfortunately the
secretary's club did not get into tho
running as one. of the final four.
Churlle Hammond emerged from the
battle h£ East, Melbourne Jatne, mid
with t» thigh swollen tremendously. Hot
| fomentations and a couple of duys' rest
liuve inndo the llinb well and at rang,; ho
that ho will be hi tho Held to-morrow.
No men played (teller for the Curl-
tonluns on Sulurtlay than Muri-h-
bauk. especially on the liulf-bnck Una.
where he turned rush after runh wltlt
coolness and success, lauig, and Mallei
Johnson. They wore Indeed a great
trio. ;
Vetqran .Tack Stewart. Richmond's
chairman of committee, run a good soc,-
orul In tho committee race at Aspemlnle
last week. To see .luck sprinting put
ono In mind of 20 yours' ago, when John
J.'rf du»hca up the ceutic.wcrc .very tell'-
Ing. . - " '/ '
Beeves (Bendlgo) and Errlngton (Sta-
wcll) huyo been .In, town. this week
training with tho Ess'ontlon (A), lads.
Dr. J. F. Wilkinson wilt lecture in tho
Assbnibfy.HaU, Collins street, on Wed
nesday next on- "Alcohol and Athletics."
' ." Special trains are to bo run from Oee-
long each Saturday on which the semi
final and final matches aro to bo pluycd.
Pears saved his goal repeatedly, otlctt-
Ing great applause from tho 'Wlek sup
porters, with whom he Is a great favor
ite,
Caino and Beck will make their re-
nppcurnneo with Carlton against Es-
sendon. Jnmlcson will be out of the
team.
The Art. Oregon Benoflt Concert at
Footscray wiut a hugo success. He Is
about again, and K Is said, Is anxious
to don the togs against Essendon.
The Richmond players who desire to
at lend the big match to-morrow are re
questod lo meet tho hon. soo. (Mr Man-
zte) at tho stuud gate after I o'clock,
Marsh and Turnbull were solid In the
ruck for Brunswick, and though Chase
was closely shadowed by Stewart he
mn'migod to put in some useful work for
the '\VIcks. ,
Lust Spturdny Biisbrldgo revived me
mories of the work ho used to do In the
air sovoral sou sons back, by taking
several very fine marks In champion
ship stylo.
At Carlton, on June 19, tho. Blues
kicked C-14 to 4-9—n grand total of 83
points. Last '.Saturday Carlton scored
6-13 to 4-10, which makes a grand total
once again of 83 points.
O'Brien, of Xavler College, who played
his first game with 'Varsity last Satur
day against Ffizroy, performed very
creditably Indued. Lurking, of the
.Grammar School, also showed promise.
The Police Club finish tho season by a
run to "Wurrugul on Wednesday next.
During their stay they nro to be enter
tained by Count Von Horn, and tho pie-,
shlcrit of tho Worrngul elub, Mr Straker.
George Ogllvlo and Albert Broadlicnd,
of Foqtscniy, have both been . Buffering
from damaged fingers. .1 bear tlioy Hnvo
been' training hard, mid expect to bo
well enough to strip for Footscray to-
tt Im not goporally known that George
Elliot, 'Varsity's brilliant half-back, was
badly Hurt early In the game , against
Fltxroy Inst week. During the second
half Elliott was put up full forward,
ami succeeded In kicking two goals lit
a critical junoturo.
Two Magpies — Dick Vernon and
Percy Wilson — are Just now in
grcal form. Vernon has recovered that
quick, dashing game h6 showed Col
llngwood In the curly "part of tho sea
son:, while plucky little Wilson has
como along amazingly,
. Th'6 .Essondon (L) team will not be
-finally chosen until to-morrow morning.
Tho waathor and', tlie state of the
ground will have a lot to do with the
choice. It U not absolutely certain
that Belcher will .play, .while at latest
Prout U reported to he ntirslng an in
jured foot." Both probably will be In
the team.
Maine, the EssenOon (A) captain. In
jured one of IiIh legs at practice last
week, .\t llrsi It was thought that he
might bo seriously affected by the ac
cident. Forluiiutely, this lias nut proved
to .be Ihe cuso. and bo was oat .train
ing yesterday.. I'jlip who '\x«« hurt
!whcii they playetl pari' Melbourne. Is
'all rlphV again; ' '»
Thnt/Varslty have not finished ;hlgh-)r
lit --'J l\a'. premiership list, is -no, rault. -of
their trainers, principally. Joe , M'C'or-
mlck, who was thanked on 'behalf of
the 'Vnrsltyi elub -last week by ' Harry
Cord nor,, cnplnhujf. Jie." Blue and Plunks,,
for his littcntldn iHirlng-ihii scasomv.lia'
'nDalstunt "trainers' '"were also patted' on
ho bafk«.
Dookie .McKcnzIo played the game of
his life, and was the best man on tho
ground In the Brunswick - Prahran
match.
M'Nanmm has been showing his old-
tlmo League brilliance at training, and
Atkins has Improved out of nil recog
nition.
Footscray have paid very close at
tention to training during their fipell.
They expect to give a good account of
themselves In tho semi-final, and show
form .something llko that which de
feated Brunswick (twice), and Wll
Uamstown,
Frahran's decision to omit four of
their players from the final marks a
firmness on the part of tho committee.
Thorpe, of the Beverley team, and n
brother 'of Wilson, who has been on tho
injured list aro spoken of as likely to
bo two of tho recruits for tho flnul
battle.
Carlton and vEsuomlon'a -groat game
last Saturday will long he remembered
by those who wore fortunuta In seeing
It. A grand manly slrugglo it was.
They 'moot again to-morrow, and with
a lino day there Is no reason why an
equally entertaining spectacle should
not bo witnessed on the Melbourne
Criekot Ground.
Charge and Colleson, two of tho Leo
pold followers, have been training with
South Melbourne. It Is not Improbable
that one of theni may bo noon In the
Southern team. South nro In want of
n good, handy follower Just now, es
pecially us Callan's football la over for
this season, owing to the accident that
befell him at Tcrang the other duy.
Davo Smith plnyed his best game of
tho season on tho half-back Una against
Carlton, it Is doubtful, lu fact, If tho
popular honorary coach of EsBendon
1ms over played bettor, and that Is say
ing d. great deal. With Busbrldgo and
Len.Bowo In lino form, tho Essondon
first lino o! dofenco was splendid, and
cosily the strongest feature #of the
team.
The members of the aisbcrno Associ
ation team were loud in their apprecia
tion of tho hospitality extended tb them
by the Pollifn club 'on Wednesday.
Mulnly owing- to tho efforts of.thc elub'H
chtllrman, Mr J. K. Chapman, supported
by Major W.- M'Klrdy and Messrs. F.
Paget, Harry Sehwaitz, and A. G. Cur-
ran, the visitors had a right royal time
during their sojouni In the metropolis.
The, game- was won by the Pollco, wbu
obtulnafl 70 points to 20.
Some discussion took place on Sat
urday ill 12a.it Melbourne, wben.un Ks-
Hondon pluycr marked just before the
bell rang for -three-quarter time. Ho
hud u shot for goal after the ringing of
of "the? hell, and the bull rolled hchiinL
Tho goal umpire gnvo a behind.
1 have been asked it ho acted rightly.
Providing, thai tho hull wan not touched
by any of the opposhig pluyors the um
pire' wuh' perfectly rlghl In Ida dcelainn.
Had. the ball gone blcur between the
posts n goql." would have 'been Kcoredi
'.according to law G. But It lias been
ruled that -Immediately the . ,1s
itouohodHyy .one .af;,t he"(ippoftn,K . playcttf
bfterThb bell hua been 'rung,- It'shalbbe
dead, .
The .Esscndon (A) team has been
training during the week on tho North
Melbourne ground.. The players arc in
great form.
Prahran felt the effect of the pace nt
which the game wns plnyed and wore all
out In the last quarter, while Brunswick
showed better staying power.
M'Oregor, Carlton's 'cuto centre,
received a knock on the thigh on 'Satur
day. it affected -hlfi piny to somo ex
tent. Ilo was not out training on,
Tuesday, but the Injury was not sovero'
enough to keep hint out of to-morrow's
engagement.
"Interested'' Is the signature of a cor
respondent who nskH for the scores of
the League, matches on May 15.. They
were:— Esscndoit, 8.18; Ocolong. 9.6;
Fltzroy, 9.14; HIchmrdd, 4.13; St. Kllds,
G.12: University,- 2.9; South Melbourne,
12.16 Melbourne, ,3.8; Cfirllon, 7.8; Col
llngwood, 4.9.
Tho services of 26 pollco font con
stables hnvo betm engnged In connection
with tho big u\alch on the Melhourno
ground to-morrpw. Four mounted men
will also bo present. This will consti
tute a record mipihcr of policemen on
duty on that ground. At South Mel
bourne. on thi'(ioccus!an of tho Essen-
don-South' Melbourne match, the'ro wore
37 guardians o£ the pence and good
order on duty.
Tho first meetlpg of tho new qornmlt-
teo of management of the North Mel
bourne ground was held at the city Town
tlnil on Wednesday. Representatives
from the parks and gardens committee
and cricket and football clubs, are In
cluded on the now body, nnd.n numbor;
of suggestions were mentioned for early
consideration. There, when carried Into
effect, will mean a great improvement
In the football and crlckot ground Ap
pointments. ,
An Muscnilnn -supporter uL Ivist Mel
bourne barracked oo vigorously on Sni-
urduy thut lowaWls tho cud of the game
his voice resembled tho noise mndo by
an ungronscd snw tearing through dry
wood. When Wbolpton retired for u
couple of minutes and Prout. llmpod to
the fence with crump Iti ono leg, the
barrnckor sawed thu ulr with his arms
to uhmIsi him lu getting rid of tho yell,
"Essundou nrc playing them v.'lth only
sixteen men." Just then the players
cumc thundering down Into Curlton ter
ritory. Two men were .vigorously rub
bing out the cramp from Prout'n leg.
He saw the oncoming runh. and. forget
ting for the moment the pulu lu his
limb and the attention of tho masseurs,
he sprang to his feet, streaked -out i<>
the half-forward line, seized the bnil and
swung It through goal. He had dune
a splendid act, and retired to thu fence
to he rubbed down some more.
Joe Johnson again gave' Dowsing a |
lively time In tiiu centre, while O'Shea
belt! his own with Conquest for thtee
quarters, and completely overshndo.xcd
him In the Inst.
A very prominent I-lsseadon (L.) player
wan asked on Monday right us to the
chances of his team to-morrow. "Will
we win 7 ho drawled. "Why, we'll be
premiers, certainly." .
Jim Baxter, brother of Collbigivood'n
rover, played, on .Saturday, for the fhvt
timo this year, with Colllngwood. Ho Is
a nuggcty llttli! chap, and his piny
was full of fire and dash.. He linn Im
proved a u lot since he hud played with
the Magpies.
Saturday will be a .field day for- En-
scndoulans. Followers of thu black,
crimson-sashed guernaey. will find two
attractions bidding for their nttcntlon.
With only two big gomes on and nn Ei-
sendon' team playing In each, the dis
trict Is ccrtulnly well represented.
Port's committee are tendering- a din
ner to their players, to-morrow evening
at Sergeants' Cafe, at S o'clock, when
it lp hoped thut n: large gathering of
players will be present. Supporters
muy obtuln tickets from the lion, secre
tary. Port's ladies' committee are en
tertaining the players at 'a swclnl In lite
Town Hall to-night (Friday).
The. match between the xJeague and |
Association umpires for the benefit of :
tho Mick Grace fund Is likely to prove
un attractive nffulr. 15,000 tickets are i
to be printed and will be on rale at both j
matches to-inorrow. Tho < -joint r hon, '
secretaries aro Messrs, R. Boyle, ' F. j
Gregory, and .T. M'Dowoll, and they are
working whole-heartedly in the mutter. |
. Jim Flynn, nn ox-cnpla|n of the Carl-'
ton team, has announced his willing
ness to piny in the final matches If ho
wore' wanted owing lo any of tho re
gulars being unable to tukc the field.
But, . unluckily, for hint, ho recently
strained the sinews or ono of his legs,
and how if ho were called upon to go
forth and do battle for the old Blues
ho would not be able, to-do so.
The University Students consider that'
they have not had the best of tuck this
sousoh, though. UH good sportsmen,' they
accept their pbsltlon. . Several matches
during 'the season'. Have heou thrown
away through faulty kicking. Alto-
gather 'Varsity has had- a pleasant sea
son, uncb huB onco ngulir Justified iu
admittance to- the League. Certainly
t|ieru lias, -been no happier family of
footballers plnylng this year.
At the. conclusion of the match nt
Fltzroy last Saturday a ploaso'ni func
tion, look place In the 'Varsity dresnlny-
.room. .Mr Jnnio's Allan, Otio of the
founders of ,tho 'Varsity League team,
and also u medical student, was about
to lenve for Edinburgh to romplotc his
medical studies. Mr Allan, or "Jim."
oh ho wan popularly known, was trea
surer of ihe Students' team bint year,
and worked very hard in 'Varsity's In
terests. Professor Spencer, the presi
dent, proposed Mr Allnn'H health, and
on behalf of the University club wished
him success ut the Home University
and hon voyage. Mr Allan left by the
3..H. Afrie last Wednesday.
After the game at Colllngwood on
Saturday Mr Brazley, M.L.A.. on bsbulf
of tho team and supporters who visited
Sydney, presented Mr R. \V. Copelattd
with a pearl pendant for -bin wife. The
president made mention of the capita)
programme Mr Copelund. had arranged
for the pleasure of the team, and which
was carried out without a hitch. Mr
Uopelnnri, In reply, said It was the most
enjoyable trip, that ho ever hud the
pleasure of managing 'for the club. The
boys had proved thcmnolvoM a lot of
sportsmen in Its broadest sense, ami
from the time, they left Melbourne until
their return he never 'had, a moment's
anxiety, "and nil he would like them to
do how \o , cup a-n)ost pleasurable kou-
hop . would-be tp capturc the IP09 pen-
qivnt; 'and bring 'it -to the Mugples' newt
.at Victoria Park ;
| Duncan M'lvor- reappeared with Col
llngwood last week; ilia Injured limb
tdood the strain of the game well. Seve
ral times he tame through from half
back In fine stylo.
Dolphin, of South Melbourne, Is pretty
well himself again. There was very
I little trace of ills recent Injury when
he took the field for training operations
yesterday evening.
McLennan, the Fitzroy centre,
plnyed the best game on the ground on
the occasion of tho mutch against Uni
versity, notwithstanding the fact thnt
hu was ngnlnst II. Cordncr, who has
eclipsed nearly all the stars In that part
of the field this year.
As n curtnln-rnlsor to the big League
match to-morrow, the Beverley and
South Ynrrn teams of the Metropolitan
Association wilt play their final game.
This match will ho started at 1 o'clock,
nnd will be umpired by Coombes, who
was u League olllclal last season.
Norman Oliver was badly damaged In
the Colllngtvootl-Melhnurno game. He
was sandwiched between two of the
Melbourne men and had to be carried
to the pavilion. He sustained nn injury
to his knee, and one of his cnrs was
bored clean- through by h boot stud of
one of the players. " |
I The Richmond Club's outing to Aspcn-
' dale last Sunday was onjoyed by all
present. Four impromptu races were
, run on tho beach. Mrs Whltnkcr won
| the Indies' race, Mr. \V. Parsons tho
| committee race, \V. Burns the players'
race, nnd W, Male the supporters rnco.
j The prizes won will be presented at tho
I elnb'-s "Cinderella" on Thursday even-
| Ing next, at the Richmond Town Hal.
Tho only' football club tickets, that
will be recognised at tho League semi
final on tho Melbourne ground to-mor
row will bo those of Esscndon nnd
Carlton. Holders will he admitted to
the outer ground, from which they may
outer to the grand sand reserve hy pay
ing Is' 6d." ,Tho price,. of admission to
the seml-flnnlH has been lncrenscd, as
usual, to Is to tho outer ground, and 2s
6d to tho grand stand.
Esscndon (L.) supporters see In the
victory of Brunswick last Saturday a
happy augury for tho .hlwcchh of their
own team on Saturday. Brunswick
were beaten by Prahran, nt Prahran,
and again at Brunswick, but tlio week
following the latter match Brunswick
downed their former conquerors. Es-
sendon wore beaten by Carlton at Carl
ton, and again at East Melbourne. A
week from tho latter match tho teams
meet again, and tho question Is, will
E.isendon emulate the Brunswick per
formance?
Tim concert for tho benefit of Mick
Grace on Wednesday night wan a huge
success. The Fltzroy Town llnll was
not large enough tu hold nil who de
sired to attend. Mr Gerald Brosnati, hon.
treasurer of the fund, requests that nil
tleketholdcru should forward at onco.
either to the hon. secretary (Mr 11. Bus-
sell) or himself, all unsold tickets as
well as money received front the sale
of tickets, «» they want tu got the bal
ance-sheet out us soott as possible. He
also wishes to acknowledge receipt' of
following donations:— East Melbourne
Cricket Club, L2 2s; Mr It. Wardlll. LI
Is; W. Potter. 10s; A. B. Sloan, 10s; .C.
Trcthewny, 5s; 11. .Marks. 5:?: A. Moses,
f.»; Messrs GrlltlthB and West. Ks; Mr
M. Fitzgerald. 2s Cd: P. Costello, 2« 6d;
O. Logan, 2s fld; A. Bcmodou, 2:» 6d; II.
Johnson. 2s 6d; J. Herman. 2h Cd; O.
Fogurty, 2s Cd; also smaller donations
amounting lo 1Cs, collected by Mr A. II.
Sloan.
A'mcetlng wilt be held at the Croxton
reserve .to-night to consider the ndvli'a-
blllty of forming a footballers' cricket
club.
The reports concerning Footscray's
new blood, aitd the minute attention to
training out at Footscray, havo caused
tho previously distressed slocks to rise
with a bound.
' 3 6
A number of prominent Brunswick
citizens were in the dressing room, and
congratulated the lads on the win
ngalnst Prahran. Amongst them were
tho Mayor (Cr. F. T. Hlckford). Cr.
Jewel, the Town Clerk. Dr. Hhcchan, Mr
Haydcn. and Mr W. A. Taylor.
Jack Shorten, of tlm Magpie team,
repeated his performance of tho previ
ous week, and played most determin
edly against Melbourne. Ho Is now re
garded ns a coming champion, ft Angnn
also plnyed much better than usual, Ho
got rid of the ball quickly, with great
advantage to his side.
The news .at. East Melbourne on Tues
day evening \vnn of n most encourag
ing nature, in as far as supporters of
Esscndon arc concerned. Not only had
the whole team of last Saturday pulled
up sound nnd well, hut Belcher nnd
Londerlgnn, the two wounded, had
practically recovered from the Injuries
which left them on the wrong side of
the. fence Inst week. Dr. C. D. Russell,
Vice-President of the club, v.-bo has
been attending Belcher, watt pleased and
surprised by the rapid recovery of the
champion, nnd unless something un
foreseen occurs, be is confident that
Belcher will be able to take tho field
to-morrow, sound In wind nnd limb.
Londerlgnn was training hard on Tues-
i day night.
Adolalde takes its football much more
seriously than does Melbourne, appar
ently. Here, the homo of the great
game, the beef tea and sherry still form
tho principal plek-mc-up at the Interval
but lu the sister capital they have hit
out on the American plan of "doping"
the players. In Uncle .Sam's land, base-
bailers, runners, und pugs have been
primed up with oxygen for a long tlmo,
and have found It wonderfully stimulat
ing. Some lacrosse players In Adelaide
n couple of weeks ago tried It and found
It so successful thnt somo of the Nor
wood footballers took a cargo aboard
on .Saturday. They take It like laugh-
lug gas.
Oh, yes' we re very much alive vm
nnd very far from 'dend'!" say- Mr vu
Hyatt. In speaking or Foots, ru-«
chance In the. scml-flnal match, "i ti'„,
admit that recent performances of o"r
team have quite perplexed our nv\
ardent supporters and sent our lady 'yl
Into a state of abstract despair, yet \i
llevc me. dear Klckern. we have ha-i "
busy week, and there Is much rrlc'n
ness and hope In our tamp, y "
looking for victory," /"
$