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FOOTBALL NOTES.
BY MARKWELL.
THE SEASON OPENS.
Weeks of pleasurable anticipations for one
class of players, and of concentrated anxiety
for another class, culminated last Saturday
in the opening of premiership matches. It
was unalloyed joy to those who, with self-
confidence begotten of past seasons'
triumphs, returned to the arena, enter-
taining no doubt of their ability to again
command the applause of the multitude; and
it was the crisis of a crucial experience for
those who made their initial entrance upon
the stage of senior football. The latter class
was, as I hinted in a previous contribution,
more numerous than in seasons that have
gone, and their first trials in big games were
watched with keenest interest. Speaking gene-
rally, they stood the test admirably. There were,
as might have been expected, a few instances
wherein the young players appeared over-
awed with their surroundings, and too
nervous and flurried to do themselves justice,
but these instances were few. The coolness
and efficiency of the great majority of fresh
men spoke well for the junior clubs in which
they had learnt the game. All the senior
clubs have recognised that in the face of
recent permit regulations the juniors are
almost the only material with which they are
allowed to repair a weakened company, and
it is becoming an admitted fact, which this
year's experience tends strongly to confirm,
that repairs effected in this way are more
lasting than was the case when touting for
senior players was the practice.
FIRST BIG MATCH.
In dull but mild and dry weather the
season was last Saturday ushered in. Attend-
ances were in the main satisfactory, the
greatest number of spectators assembling at
the M.C.C. ground to witness the contest be-
tween Melbourne and South. The former
sent out a very powerful team, comprising
nearly all the players whose form during last
year was good enough to warrant their being
kept for this; and, between you and me,
there were not many men in Melbourne's
team last year who were not stars in one or
more branches of play. Two juniors
only were required to fill up the gaps, and
possibly one of these would have stood down
but for Healing's accident the week before.
South, on the other hand, numbered no
fewer than seven junior recruits, and their
team was further altered from last year's by
the inclusion of Fraser, the ex-Port Mel-
bourne forward, and B. Page, the well-
known sturdy battler of three or four seasons
ago, who has returned to the field to
help his old club win back its laurels.
Being thus practically a half-new com-
pany, the Southerners were placed at a
great disadvantage from the start. Elms
having definitely retired from the field after
many years of able generalship, and many
more of successful play, the honour
and responsibility of captaining the red and
whites has been conferred upon the veteran
McKay, to assist whom in the direction of
affairs the hard-working Gibson has been
appointed. Melbourne's leader has not been
changed, E. Fox having been unanimously
re-elected, while the vice-captaincy has fallen
into the hands of O'Loughlin.
A brilliant start was made by Melbourne,
whose ruck, consisting of McGuinness,
Christie, Moodie, and Fry with Moysey for
rover, marked at short range with the
greatest certainty, and the bulk of whose
placed men seemed faster in getting to and
in disposing of the ball than the men in
red and white. Superiority in these direc-
tions on the part of the home team was to some
extent neutralised during the opening term
by indifferent shooting for goal, and South,
improving in the matters of picking up and
little marking, made the concluding portion
of the first half fairly interesting. After the
interval they played quite as well as Mel-
bourne, whose great ruck was thoroughly
held in check by Gibson, McArthur, Little
and Duggan, all four whom from this to
the end of the game manipulated the ball
artistically and effectively. It was during
this latter half of the play, that the inex-
perience of certain of South Melbourne's for-
wards showed itself, in that they were far out
of reach and, of course, out of their places
when the followers with magnificent rallies
sent the ball up in front. The laxity of the
men alluded to was in marked contrast with
the attention to business noticeable in the
Melbourne defenders, a couple of whom were
sure to be there when the ball came. The
astute Elms would have seen that this kind
of thing happened only once if it happened
at all in the match, but Captain McKay
seemed oblivious to the weakness mentioned.
I am very strongly of opinion, too, that the
new commander would have got a good deal
more out of his men, whilst Melbourne had
the whip hand of them, had he given Windley
the position of rover and gone back himself
to help the goal-keepers, who (Charrett and
Waugh being away) were weaker than they
ought to have been.
No one who saw the encounter but will
admit that the soundest and most scientific
game of the forty was that played by the
Tasmanian, McGuinness, whose every act
bore tangible effect upon the proceedings.
Next to him upon the same side for quantity
and quality of work came Christie, who was
seen right at his best. Moysey was well-nigh
as conspicuous as McGuinness or Christie,
and his influence upon the match was great,
but his predilection for a run weakened his
general usefulness to some extent. Moodie
was the quickest of the ruck in passing the
ball, and he was rather smarter at giving
than receiving favours. He kicked two good
goals and hit the post on a third occasion.
Girdleston was the pick of the forwards,
getting the ball often for himself, and be-
sides feeding his fellows, securing three
goals, two with smart running shots and the
third with a marvellous long place kick.
McCarthy did not always help himself as
boldly as his friends could have wished, but
his two goals made amends for some
shortcomings. The remaining goals
were put on by Moysey, McGuinness,
and Swannie, the last-named a beginner
who once or twice shaped fairly on the ball.
O'Dwyer, Moore, O'Halloran, and Massey
defended ably; and Fox kicked better than
usual. Lewis has apparently recovered his
form of two seasons back; for his marking
and sprinting were really fine. Mitchell, a
recruit from Austral, showed a deal of pace
and good marking ability on one wing, and
O'Dea's prodigious kicks on the other wing
were a feature of the game. Jo Wilson and
O'Loughlin did a lot of serviceable work half-
forward and in other parts of the field.
More markedly even than McGuinness in
the Melbourne team did Windley, with his
telling runs, clever dodging, and powerful
kicks, stand out amid his fellows of the
South, although for earnest and persistent
effort Gibson was very hard to improve
upon. I have seen both McArthur
and Duggan to greater, advantage
than on this occasion, and McKay
failed to bring off those high marks so
characteristic of his play when in form.
Doubtless the fact of his having to watch the
team as skipper hampered his movements,
and if it did, it was all the more reason why
he should have stayed in a place, and given
Windley a free hand. Forman (back) was in
great trim—so great, in fact, that the Southern
executive would like to have him the season
through. The dashing ex-secretary tells me,
however, that he has determined to play no
more. A. Burns and Adamson were busy
forwards; and Fraser, without over-exerting
himself in the way of marking, ran in a
couple of goals; Adamson, Windley, McKay,
Burns, and Shannon notching one a-
piece. Of the new men, Barlow (back),
Jolly (wing), Little (following), and
Southern and Shannon (forward) made
excellent first appearances. The umpiring
was capably looked after by Molyneaux, who,
acting upon the suggestion of "Observer," in
The Argus, threw the ball well in every time
it went out of bounds. This had, I am
certain, a good effect upon the game, but it
did not prevent a deal of crowding upon the
ball in the first and last quarters. The
umpire might have more nearly succeeded in
keeping the play open had he varied the
distance of his throw from time to time. He
made one bad mistake, noticed by every one
but himself, when he allowed Adamson of
South a mark for an undoubted hopper
within range of goal. It was just as well the
goal was missed when Adamson took his
kick.
ESSENDON'S START.
Against Richmond, on the Jolimont en-
closure, Essendon opened the year with a
win that on paper, looks much more decisive
than was actually the case. They certainly
doubled the goal score of the yellow and
blacks, and the behinds were out of propor-
tion in favour of the winners; but every one
of the thousand individuals who saw the en-
gagement will tell you that Richmond's play
was as good as was that of their conquerors
at all stages except during the second term.
That second term, however; was very greatly
in favour of the premiers, and clearly indi-
cated that, in spite of the retirement of the
illustrious Captain Dick, and the enforced
absence of men like Forbes, Thurgood,
and Kearney, the team is still a powerful
one and not to be trifled with. There was a
plentiful lack of cohesion about their play
during the greater part of the afternoon,
but occasionally they showed that they had
not entirely lost the art of pulling together.
That they were weak forward, so far as
straight kicking was concerned, is proved by
the inordinate number of behinds in their
total. They missed a heap of chances from
deliberate and unimpeded tries, but the fact
that they were able to make these chances,
though they failed to take advantage of them,
suggests what was actually the case, namely
great marking qualifications amongst the
forwards.
I agree with the crowd in thinking that the
form shown last Saturday will have to im-
prove, and greatly improve too, if the team is to
beat Melbourne. At the same time, seeing the
calibre of the players, new as well as old,
and seeing also that Crebbin and Gus
Kearney may be included against the metro-
politans, I venture to think the latter will
have their hands quite as full as they want
them on the afternoon of this day week.
Alick Dick has been succeeded by Sykes, for
whom the team has every respect,
and under which they will work as loyally as
they have been accustomed to work under his
predecessor. If, however, there is a weak
spot in Essendon, it lies in the extreme diffi-
culty of adequately replacing the retired com-
mander. Sykes will do his best, and his best
will amount to something considerable, but I
doubt if his perceptions are as keen as Alick's,
nor do I think that in an emergency he will
be found so cool or so fruitful in resource.
Certainly, nothing has been lost by the
infusion of new and vigorous blood into the
team, and I congratulate the club upon its
capture of capable recruits in the persons of
O'Loughlin, Johnston, Jones, Kinnear, and
Ramsay, who constitute a quintet of as likely
players as could be found in any team this
side of the line. O'Loughlin and Johnson
were all there in the ruck against Richmond,
and Kinnear and Ramsay, both placed and
following, did sound and taking work; whilst
Jones (forward) marked better than anyone
else in the match, and except that his aim
was not to be relied upon, he was all that
one could wish. Of the older members,
Findlay, in the neighbourhood of the centre,
played the game of the afternoon; George
Vautin roved effectively and prettily;
Grecian outstripped all other wingmen,
though his club-mate Palmer was anything
but poor, and though both Catte and Soder-
strom of the opposing team were consistently
clever and industrious. Wright's play half-
forward was marked by the neatness and
adroit passing that last year characterised it,
and in addition his kicking was first-rate.
His two goals were beauties. Late in the
day when Byers, the vice-captain, unfor-
tunately to retire with a fractured collar
bone, this same skilful Wright played a
sterling game in defence. It was bad luck to
have Byers so seriously injured, for he was
playing in rare form, and he is bound
to be much missed next week against
the reds. No better game than that
played by Ball in the ruck has been
seen from the same player this many
a day, and certainly he is entitled to
pre-eminence amongst the followers in either
team. Clarke, on the half-back line, was
more than respectable, and will be as good as
ever this year. Christian marked well enough
forward, and kicked three goals, but
he missed three times three at least, for he
was kept well "fed" by his friends whilst
the match was in progress. Sykes managed
the team very well, and did good work on his
own account forward as well as following.
His goal was the finest in the match.
Richmond must be complimented upon
having held their own in general play during
most of the game, and that, too whilst lack-
ing the services of R. Kelly, Elder, and
O'Meara. Their followers especially earned
credit, for they were always as clever as the
men against them. Parker and Taylor must
be bracketed as the most consistent pair of
workers on the side; and Sparrow and
McNamara must go together as a capable
brace of defenders, the former having the call
in the matter of long kicking. The wingmen
I have mentioned before, but I may as well
add that Soderstrom's form was particularly
good for a man who has been a season or two
away from senior football. T. Ryan showed
coolness, judgment, and ability forward, and
Alsop kicked two good goals. For his second
senior match Burke did remarkably well
following ; whilst O'Grady, another new-
comer, and the old warrior Cornigo were
better than good both back and on the ball.
McCoy umpired the game excellently
A TOUGH FIGHT.
The ground at Footscray was a trifle hard
and bare in places on Saturday, and as the
game between the home team and their Fitz-
roy visitors was keenly and very vigorously
contested, the natural sequence was that
very few men on either side came through
with what is vulgarly termed a whole skin.
In fact, there has been a run on court plaster
in both suburbs during the week. It was
a grand game, nevertheless, for the teams
were very equally matched, and both were in
the pink of form and condition. The
maroons won in the end simply because they
turned their chances to the best account,
whilst their adversaries, who had, perhaps
more frequent opportunities of scoring,
kicked without judgment, and consequently
without success. The Footscray team were,
on the whole, better and smarter at marking
and in the open, whilst their visitors ex-
celled on the ground and in the closely
packed ruck play. This difference in style of
play was exactly in keeping with the
difference that was noticed in the physique
of the two teams, Footscrayites for the most
part towering above the heads of their more
thick-set but shorter antagonists.
It was Captain Banks who stemmed the
early tide of Footscray's success and it was
the same sturdy veteran who by word and by
example throughout the match did more
than any two others in the team towards ac-
complishing Fitzroy's victory. He played a
really splendid game, and it was noticed that
the greater the difficulties that surrounded
him, the more strenuous and the more suc-
cessful were his exertions. McMichael gave
him singularly valuable aid in defence when
the terrific onslaughts of Footscray rendered
defence anything but child's play. On
the centre line the advantage lay with
Footscray, whose fliers (Hood and Evans)
were undeniable, and for whom Dick was
thoroughly reliable. Nevertheless, I must
not withhold from Brooks and G. Moriarty
full measures of eulogy for their excellent
performances in this part of the field.
The new back man, Flynn, was not
bad and Jim Grace marked, played,
kicked in rare style forward. Of
Cleary's inclination to waste time dis-
honourably, when time was a consideration
to his opponents, I shall simply take passing
note, and of his general cleverness in the
ruck and amongst the forward section it need
only be stated that he has apparently lost
none of the skill for which he has long been
famous. Lamley, Russell, and Melling lent
valuable aid in the close fighting, and
McSpeerin's only fault was that he sometimes
tried to do too much on his own account, and
seemed afraid to trust his fellows. There can
arise no question of his ability as a forward
player.
A fine, honest, manly, and singularly use-
ful ruck game was played on behalf of Foots-
cray by T. Stranger, who appeared to have
gained in pace and activity since last year.
Armstrong, amongst the followers, proved
himself far and away the best of the team's
new men for the year, though Binder, from
Geelong district, shaped well back, and
kicked off in telling fashion. Evans was
faster than his fellow-wingman, Hood, and
they were both too nimble for their oppo-
nents. Sometimes, indeed, they were extra
speedy, and overran the ball. Another pair
of last year's team, namely Hobbs and
Walsh, were strongly in evidence forward,
where their efforts to secure goals did not
meet with the success they merited. Pender
was good in the ruck, and the seven-foot
infant, Thompson, marked admirably, and
was a pretty constant check upon the forward
movement of Fitzroy. Neither side spared the
other very much at any time during the
encounter; but there were not many spiteful
bits of play, and what there were might, I
suppose, be attributed to the soreness now
and again occasioned by contact with the
hard spots in the ground before referred to.
Crapp made a thoroughly efficient umpire.
GREAT GAME BY GEELONG.
On last year's form North Melbourne were
clearly not to be trifled with, and they have
lost no players since then, but have, on the
contrary, been strengthened by the arrival in
their midst of Kirkpatrick and Parrie from
Footscray and of Currie from Essendon dis-
trict. These facts require to be borne in
mind when estimating the merit of Geelong's
very decisive win against them in last Satur-
day's encounter at the Pivot. I am told the
home team had things all their own way
after the first 15 minutes, and that the constant
succession of chain-marks from half intervals
reminded onlookers of the days when
Geelong owned the premiership. That is the
kind of game they can play to perfection when
they set their minds to it, and evidently they
have set their minds to something this year,
for they are reported to be turning up to
practice and training as they have not
turned up for years. If they can kick 11 to
2 against a strong North Melbourne team and
beat them badly in all points of play they
are unquestionably a particularly dangerous
combination, and they may, after all, upset the
calculations of those Melbourne fellows who
think there is nothing in it but themselves
this year.
The game under review, besides being
lop-sided, was often a bit rougher than was
absolutely necessary, and accidents were con-
sequently more numerous than they should
have been. Early in the fray North lost the
services of a good man in O'Dea, whose
chest was badly bruised in a crush; and
towards the finish Davis, the Geelong fol-
lower, got his scalp laid open; whilst Webb,
of North Melbourne, had his nose injured.
It is, fortunately, not often so extensive a
casualty list accompanies a notice of a game
under our rules. Farr, the central umpire,
it not held culpable for the wounds received
by players, as these wounds were, they say,
purely results of accidents, but his disin-
clination to interfere was, at any rate, one
leading cause for the occasional roughness that
was noticed.
North had absent W. Stuckey, Travis,
Reid, and Rolent, and amongst their chief
performers were Captain Wilson and Oates,
back; Rutley, forward; Bert Launder, in the
centre, and J. Taylor on the wing. Sicily on
the ball was admittedly the pick of the two
teams, and Grierson forward and following
and Webb following were useful members.
O'Dea was likewise doing good work prior to
his retirement. Geelong owe a large share
of their win to James, the tall, on account of
his many high marks, and more because of his
having potted no fewer than six of the goals
recorded for his side. McCallum was in rare
good form on the wing; Brockwell, the elder,
and McKinley were a brilliant couple of
followers; Harold Wilson defended in his
best style; Decoit forward was unselfishness
personified, and Leahy from half-back graced
the proceedings with many a fine run half the
length of the ground. Jo McShane led the
team gallantly to victory and played the
usual good game on his own private
account. His election to the elevated posi-
tion of captain and Harold Wilson's appoint-
ment to the lieutenancy have pleased sup-
porters of the club and Geelong people gene-
rally, and the hope is freely entertained that,
as it is the first time for years local boys
have been in command better things may be
in store for the team. The fancy fair at
present being held in aid of the cricket and
football clubs is, so far, a huge success. The
takings have rarely fallen below £100 a
night, and Saturday's brilliant performance
in the field gave a decided fillip to the
business that was transacted by fair stall
holders in the evening.
COLLINGWOOD REJOICES.
There is joy in the camp at Victoria-park,
not because of Collingwood's win against
Port Melbourne, but on account of the com-
fortable fashion in which that win is said to
have been accomplished. For a few minutes
after play started Ports prevailed; but it
was for only a very few minutes, and then
their visitors assumed the control of affairs
entirely, and kept it right up to the half-time
interval. During the third term the Woods-
men, apparently thinking they had the game
well in hand, eased off a bit, whilst the
locals did all the scoring; but the final bout
saw the magpies again at their best, and its
termination left them a substantial margin of
goals to the good. All the same, I am in-
clined to think that had the Port Melbourne
warriors buckled to as determinedly before
half-time as they did afterwards Colling-
wood's margin would not have loomed so
large. I would not, to be sure, dare to ex-
press any such opinion as this within a very
long distance of the flat, in which neigh-
bourhood the talk now is all about the
dressing down that is to be administered this
afternoon to the representatives of the metro-
polis. A little bird (of the magpie species,
of course) has whispered this last piece of
intelligence into my ear.
At Port Melbourne many supporters of Col-
lingwood, as well as the general body of
local barrackers, awarded the laurel wreath
of championship to Gibson, of the home
company, whose labours all day in the ruck
were as effective as they were brilliant
and as untiring as they were free from
the least semblance of unfairness. Of the
remainder of the team, Cornelius, the newly
elected captain, and the elder Mounsey were
stubborn battlers all through the fray, and
so, too, were McMurray, Cullen, and John-
ston. Ports missed the services of men like
Wills, Graham, and Maddox, whom they
have lost for one reason or another; but
their chief cause for chagrin was the unac-
countable absence of their recently acquired
goal-maker, the ex-Woodsman Anderson,
who, it has since been discovered, has
found employment at Rutherglen. Of the
seven recruits the younger Mounsey was
a genuine success, and both Blair and Powell
(from local junior clubs) gave excellent
promise. The winners name Murphy as
their best performer, and mention his con-
tinuous and telling labours in the ruck as
well as his useful goal secured after about
the finest mark of the match. Dowdell and
McInerney, who never seem to be off colour,
played as well as ever they played; and Con-
don and Smith were the best pair forward,
each bagging a brace of goals. The
centre line was well looked after by Sime,
Strickland (captain), and Panam, and the
main line of defence was quite as ably
manned by Proudfoot, Monaghan, and Arnott.
Proudfoot in particular took the eye of local
partisans, one of whom was heard to remark
"Hang it all! I think I'll run down to the
pier for an anchor to fix on that big chap in
the goal." Jo. Shaw has umpired a good few
matches at Port Melbourne, but in none has
he enjoyed himself so thoroughly as in this,
for he was in rattling form, and his treatment
by both crowd and players was satisfactory
in the extreme.
A BULL'S-EYE EVERY SHOT.
This or very nearly this was the case with
the local marksmen at Williamstown, whilst
their disappointed opponents from St. Kilda,
as a rule, either miscalculated the trajectory
or were at fault in their alignment. "Oh!
we ought to have won easily," said a St.
Kildaite to me on Saturday evening, "and
we would have won had it not been for those
extraordinary goals kicked by W. Warren from
angles so acute that daylight was barely
visible between the posts." It is ever thus.
The man who scores from a barely-possible
chance is twitted (by the other side) with his
wonderful luck, and the team that turns its
opportunities to account is never permitted
to take the credit of winning upon merit.
Now, to the reasonable and unbiassed scribe
this appears unjust and senseless. Since it is
admitted that the side kicking most goals
in a match must win, and since goat-kicking
is an art that may be developed by prac-
tising with brains, it should, I think, logically
follow that the side by whom the heavier
total is acquired are the better side, and have
honestly earned their victory. Reasoning in
this way, I have no doubt about Wil-
liamstown's superiority over the Saints. The
latter may be, and perhaps are, the more
brilliant performers in most parts of the
field; but they are evidently no match for
the Townsmen forward, and inferiority in
this particular neutralises every other ad-
vantage.
W. Warren's display was sound in other
respects as in goal-getting, and in the role
of marksman his brother Peter was almost
his peer. Nor were the villagers so far
behind St. Kilda in the ruck as they are
said to have been, for McCubbin, Brown-
field, and Fribbs had very nearly as much
say in the game as the best three followers
opposed to them. In the centre, too. Thomp-
son did really clever work; and Coram
forward and Hall and Riley back were
never badly beaten by their men. St.
Kilda's well-wishers are right glad to
know that Ramsden has returned to
the fold, and that he played his
customary great defensive game against
last Saturday's victors. They note also
with pleasure that in Hogan, late of the
collegians, the team possesses another back
man of uncommon ability; but they must, I
fancy be very angry with Abrahams for
missing those three easy shots, each from a
distance of less than 30 yards, Lowe is still
the same white-haired boy he has ever been
to them; and they readily welcome into their
ranks M. Blake, who was Lowe's best helper
in the ruck, Phillips receives their com-
mendations for straining every muscle
in defence of goal; and they pat Jen-
nings, Hobbs, and Whitehead on the
back and say, "Well done, young fellows !
You are the right stamp of lads to help St.
Kilda to the premiership." What their
opinion of Umpire Tiernan may be I know
not, but a thoroughly impartial spectator,
I and one acquainted with the game as it was,
is, and ought to be played and umpired, has
told me that the young debutant "knows his
way about in a football field." From which
shrewd observation I gather that the little
gentleman is likely to prove a successful arbi-
trator. I should never be forgiven if I forgot,
as I very nearly did, to mention that Vice-
captain Shaw, who commanded St. Kilda in
the absence of Lockett—the unanimously
elected successor to our dear, old friend Alf.
Smith—played the finest game he has ever
played, and that Simpson's deft foot drove
the ball twice through the opening, and once
straight at the post during the afternoon.
PERMITS.
The following additional permits were
granted on Thursday evening last:—R.
Kelly, Melbourne to Richmond; Dobson,
Melbourne to Richmond; C. Grunden, Wil-
liamstown to Footscray; W. T. Ahern, Fitz-
roy to Melbourne; P. Manchester, Footscray
to Melbourne; W. Callaghan, Fitzroy to
Collingwood; J. Virth, North Melbourne to
Collingwood; R. M. Rankin, St. Kilda to
Carlton; G. Webster, Fitzroy to Carlton; W.
H. Halkerstone, Williamstown to Carlton;
E. Sutton, Carlton to Melbourne; A. Thomp-
son, Carlton to Williamstown; C. Foletta,
Collingwood to Fitzroy; H. Hellwigg, North
Melbourne to Collingwood; E. McClumpa,
South Australia to Carlton. Permits were
refused to—P. Williams, Carlton to South
Melbourne; Connell, Collingwood to Fitz-
roy.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Northern Tasmania started the season last
Saturday with a fairly good game between
Launceston City and South Launceston, in
which the former posted 2 goals 11 behinds
to the letter's 2 goals 5 behinds. There never
is much interest taken in the first go or two
at this end of the little island, and this game
proved no exception to the general rule
Down south the opening game was played by
North Hobart (just promoted from junior
ranks) and Kingston. The result amply
justified the admission of the Northerners
into the higher sphere, for they won the
game after an exciting finish with 4 goals 3
behinds to Kingston's 3 goals 7 behinds.
PREMIERSHIP FIGURES.
In accordance with the custom of seasons
gone by I have for this occasion placed last
Saturday's winners in the order to which their
relative goal scores entitle them.
$