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On this Page 17
FOOTBALL NOTES.
BY MARKWELL.
"GO IT GEELONG."
One of my most vivid recollections in
connection with football in the long past is
associated with this particular battle-cry, with
which my ears were most violently assailed
for a good two hours on a Saturday afternoon,
I know not how many years since, in the
M.C.C. grandstand. It must have been in
the days when Geelong were carrying all
before them, for their following was
exceedingly numerous and, as the cry
suggests, likewise exceedingly boisterous and
happy. The history of that particular epoch
is just now repeating itself, and Geelong's
supporters are again numerous and likewise
again noisy. And, what is more, they have
every reason to be noisy, if noise may be
taken, as it must in connection with foot-
ball, as indicating internal satisfaction. For
the warriors of the Pivot once more head the
list of teams, and hold that proud position
purely and unmistakably upon their merits.
They have this year, with almost identically
the same twenty as did battle for them last
year, and perhaps for this very reason,
introduced and developed a system
differing in marked degree from past
or present methods of other clubs,
and they have so perfected it that
the probabilities point to their going
through the season triumphantly. We have
not had many opportunities of seeing them
away from home and on their mettle so far
as the campaign has proceeded; but we have
observed the ease with which they over-
powered capable teams from Fitzroy and
South Melbourne, and this day week at Rich-
mond we had brought strikingly under our
notice the overwhelming superiority of their
skill and tactics under conditions that were
anything but favourable to a display of clever
football. True, their height and weight were
telling advantages against the diminutive
representatives of the eastern suburb, and
true, also, they used these natural advan-
tages with the greatest possible effect, aided
by the shortsightedness of a weak umpire.
But it was their systematic methods and not
their superior physique that gave them com-
plete control over Richmond both with and
against the wind..
To a man they are in perfect health and
training. A lady resident of Geelong, and
one of the keenest observers of what tran-
spires in that town tells me that early on
Tuesday and Thursday evenings every week
players and ardent well-wishers may be seen
to the number of 50 or 60 making their
way to the local oval, where the mem-
bers of the team run round and round the
ground, as she put it, like so many lunatics,
kicking and knocking the ball to one a
other whilst they run. After a couple of
hours of this kind of work, and when due atten-
tion has been paid to muscles, tendons, and
joints by skilled trainers in the dressing-
room, the crowd, which by this time has in-
creased to something like a hundred, fall in
and march back to the town, livening up
the line of march with lusty and not un-
musical choruses, and anon halting in front
of the Exhibition to give assembled towns-
folk a sample of their quality, Thus are
they, as a football team, the idols of the
town in much the same manner and degree
as were their predecessors of the seventies
and early eighties. There are just two points
in connection with their magnificent style of
play that give me pause in singing their
praises. One is that they against Richmond
showed a more decided tendency to hold the
ball too long, while they dragged themselves
and it through the crush by sheer weight
and strength. An umpire right up to
his work would, I am confident, have
free-kicked them fifty times as often
as Tiernan did for this one fault.
The other point is a much more serious one,
as it cannot be remedied so easily as the
first. It is that their system, which consists
largely of expert hand-passing and dexterous
snapping up at full pace, requires for its
proper success that ball and ground shall be

perfectly dry. They are the cleverest team I

have seen in the field for many years, not
excepting Essendon at its best. They are to
a man ever on the alert to take the ball or
to shepherd a comrade; they mark at long
and short range as well as any team; and
their forwards cannot be beaten at dexterous
passing or accurate shooting. But, in spite
of all these excellences, I candidly believe
that not only Melbourne, but South, Essen-
don, Fitzroy, and perhaps one or two other
teams, would get the better of them on a wet
day.

Against Richmond they lacked the services
of Peter Burns, whose form in previous
matches has rivalled his best in old South
Melbourne days, and without whom the
team could not be said to have been seen at
anything like its proper excellence. The
injured sinew behind his thigh may be
sound enough to warrant his stripping to-
day against Essendon, and even though
it should not he will be certainly well
enough to take the field in the Melbourne
match the Saturday after. For weeks past he
has played the finest game on the side, and
his absence last Saturday gave McKinley full
scope for his abilities on the ball. The
opportunity was made the most of by
McKinley, whose high-marking was the finest
of the day, and whose unerring judgment in
kicking and passing to his men gave him un-
questioned priority over all his comrades.
He was on the ball all day to great effect. His
fellow-labourers in the ruck, Davis, Brock-
well, and Singleton, all likewise played sound
football, and the quartet was superior to
Richmond's ruck, though the latter was fully
equipped and played quite up to form. The
three McShanes were strongly in evidence,
Henry and James forward and roving, and the
veteran Joe in and about the middle of the
ground. Marmo and Armstrong, the former
for brilliancy and the latter for persistent ex-
cellence, were the pick of the team's defenders.
On the wing McCallum played the best game
he has played this year; and forward there
were three most dazzling luminaries, in the
persons of Lockwood, Murphy, and Decoit,
with whom the opposing defenders were
absolutely helpless. Harold Wilson, right
back, had little or nothing to do; and
McPherson, who made several lovely dashes
in defence, marred everything by a
single act of inexcusable roughness
against one of the lightest and fairest
of the Richmondites. No man worked
harder or marked better than Parker of
Richmond, whose exhibition was most
praiseworthy, except inasmuch as he
foolishly and with bad taste kicked the ball
out of the ground once when it was called up
by the umpire. As I have shown, Richmond

had nothing to thank the umpire for in the
match (though the latter was doing his best
all through), but to openly flout him as

Parker did would be unwarrantable under

much more exasperating conditions. O'Meara

and Taylor both played good, useful games in
the ruck; and Dobson was an active and
aggressive little rover. Cornigo placed and

following was in the main as useful to the
side as Parker; and Elder, Simpson, and
Bourke, each of whom had a turn on the

ball, showed to considerable advantage;

whilst Kelly handled his men well, and was
far from useless as a player besides. Harris,
Bahen, and Backhouse shaped more than
fairly on the centre line; and Ryan and Catt
in their respective places came often under
favourable notice. One feature of Richmond's
display must not be overlooked, namely, that
in seven shots, all told, during the game
they secured four goals and hit the post

twice.

FOOTSCRAY STILL MOUNTING.

Against the gale, which at Footscray blew
straight through the southernmost goal, only
one behind was scored the whole match
through, and that was gained by the home
company. It was simply a matter of con-
tinuous attack whilst favoured by the wind
and continuous and desperate defence when

playing against it; and the only question to
be determined was which team would be able
to turn to best account its two periods of
advance. I am happy to say that although
the respective attacks were vigorous and well;
nigh overwhelming, there was no evidence of
unfair kicking out or time-wasting by the de-
fenders on either side. The game was in

this respect a model game and the general
spirit of the contestants, though they were
nearly all massed together upon one half of
the playing space, was most friendly
and sportsmanlike. In this connection
Footscray people themselves compliment
George Vautin in particular for the very
manly way in which he assisted to keep the
ball in play whilst they were kicking with the
wind. There was not much to choose

between the teams, though what there was
preponderated in favour of Essendon, who
played the sounder assisting game, and who
must consequently be reckoned unfortunate
in losing. As evidencing the strength of the
wind and its exceeding value to the
team it favoured, it will be sufficient to
state that O'Dea and Officer of Essendon each
kicked a goal from distances of considerably
over 70 yards. Indeed, one of the
characteristics of the contest was that several
chances at easy range were mulled by either
side and some really difficult ones were suc-
cessfully brought off. So far as absentees
were concerned the teams were about
equally handicapped, for whilst Palmer and
Grecian were away from Essendon, neither
Hood nor Evans appeared on behalf of

Footscray. The finish was intensely in-
teresting, and Footscray's winning goal was
very cleverly secured, just on time, by little

Maynard.

Necessarily the defenders in either com-
pany had their hands pretty full for half the
game, and, as a matter of fact, for the whole
game they were busy enough, since when

defence was needless they were only too
eager to rush to the assistance of their for-
wards. In this way Officer, Vautin, and

Sykes were continuously in evidence, though
their most praiseworthy labours were exe-

rted whilst defending. Finlay played a fine

game on the centre line, where, too, O'Dea's
long-kicking was a telling item. In the crush
—and most of the play was done in the crush
—Ball worked with pluck, energy, and deter-

mination that could not but make him a
notable factor in the game, and "Jones" and

Waugh were both as full of skill and resource

as in previous matches, whilst Forbes marked

well and kicked a goal, but was hardly at his
best in other respects. Young Dean deserves
to rank first for the day on behalf of Foot-
scray, as nothing on the side approached his

shot, clever and continuous labour in the
ruck, where his chief helper was the in-

dustrious Stranger, and where Morton like-

wise gave excellent assistance save when,
as sometimes happened, he held on to
the ball too long, and had a mark given

against him by the umpire. O'Loughlin was

the sternest and most reliable of defenders,
and Williams and Grunden showed first-class
form amid-field, whilst Davy was conspicuous
with enormous long kicks for goal. Maynard
did some very pretty running and kicked a
pair of goals. Chadwick shaped well for-
ward, and Molyneaux and Pender were very
serviceable when and where the fray was
thickest. McCoy's umpiring gave complete
satisfaction to all concerned and was an
evidence of his ability to cope with

difficulties. It is never an easy task to
umpire a game in which the 40 players are
massed in one half of the playing space.

MELBOURNE DEFEATED.

With a strong wind sweeping at right
angles to the goal, as was the case at Fitzroy
on Saturday, there was no telling what might
happen, and Melbourne's supporters antici-
pated trouble from the start. How that
anticipation was more than realised and how
Fitzroy had the satisfaction of taking the
previously invincible reds down a peg are
now matters of history; and there only re-
mains to state in moderate detail the circum-
stances which in addition to the "rude un-
mannerly wind," were causes to that effect.
To begin with, Fitzroy until late in the first
quarter, when D. Moriarty's leg gave way, were
represented by the strongest 20 for the year,
and every man was trained to a hair for the
engagement. Melbourne on the contrary had
their usually magnificent ruck so weakened
by the absence of Fry that not even the in-
clusion of their returned old warrior,
"Duky" McKenzie (who by the way played
almost as well as ever) could make up what
was missing. Roche, too, their famous for-
ward, was not available, and on such a day,
when the chances were few and far
between, a really reliable marksman would
have been invaluable. The fact that
owing to the gale play was all day, or
nearly all day, crowded upon the southern
boundary, where ruck work, and nothing
besides, was ever possible, might not have
made the difference it did to Melbourne had
Fry been fit at his post. As it was, however,
the difference was most apparent, for to the
impartial onlooker it was evident all through
that the Fitzroy followers, with their smarter
little-marking, were having much the best
of the deal. This circumstance, in the minds
of many, furnished the prime cause for Mel-

bourne's defeat.

It was hardly a day for bringing out the
good points of a man or of a team, but it
must be owned that the Melbourne cham-
pions failed to accommodate themselves to
their surroundings, that they wasted time

and strength in trying impossible passes at
half-range, whilst their more wily antagonists
were content to battle along the turf, and
when opportunity offered make sure of their
ground by means of a judicious little mark.
There was little, if any, difference between
the teams in the matter of defence, and on
the wing play it was noticeable the home com-
pany excelled. All things considered, I in-
cline to the opinion that the maroons de-
served their win, although if the match
were to be played again I should expect a
somewhat different result. One would have
liked Melbourne to meet Geelong on an
equal footing in next Saturday's tussle, and for
this reason if for no other it is rather a pity re-
verse has overtaken them. However, Essen-
don and the fates may bridge the distance
that now holds the two apart and furnish
just such a programme as the great body of

the football public have set their hearts
upon.

Since all or nearly all the men were massed
upon the ball, onlookers found much diffi-

culty in noting individual merit, but the
consensus of opinion assigns to Jenkin, of
Fitzroy, the giant's share of most valuable
work in the match, and Cleary, Melling, and
Sloane in minor degree may claim with him
the credit and renown of having, for once in
a way, put Melbourne's followers com-
pletely out of their stride. Tom
Banks, on the half-back line, was an
impassable barrier, and his trustworthy
ally McMichael made ample amends for
shortcomings in one or two previous
games by the brilliancy and success or his
numerous dashes through with the ball,
whilst Reynolds, Buckley, and Folletta had
each a worthy record. Books on the wing
was an unfailing source of strength to
Fitzroy, as he was not averse to going into
the crush for the ball and helping himself.
Another conspicuous contributor to the
team's success was J. Grace, who, on all
parts of the ground, and at every period of
the play, acquitted himself ably. Of Mel-
bourne's backs O'Dwyer ranked highest for
quantity and excellence of work, and that
too whilst O'Halloran was showing form
quite equal to his best of previous seasons.
Healing's was likewise a very useful game,
and Fox never for a moment spared himself
when his posts were menaced. Lewis and
Sholl, about the centre line, made many a
valiant effort, and Wilson and Mitchell were

conspicuous forward, whilst McGuinness,
McKenzie, McCulloch, and Milne were service-
able in the ruck. The finest game on the side

and hardest all through was, however, that
shown by Christy, whose persistent efforts
fell very slightly below the most meritorious
performance in the match. The play was at
times rough and spiteful, and at least two
from each team should be called upon for ex-
planations.

SOUTH ASCENDING.

Nothing daunted by their comparative
failure against Richmond, the Southerners
tackled Williamstown this day week, and
right glad they were that the fixture had

been set down for the Hill and not for the
seaside ground, whereon the Townsmen have
ever shown themselves most difficult to
defeat. They were hard enough to shake off
apparently in this match, though not at
home, for their chances, if they had been
turned to account with the usual deadly
precision, would easily have exceeded the
modest triplet of goals that at the end of the
day constituted South's claim to victory. For
the most part the contest was, like others of
the afternoon, neither more nor less than a
huge scramble, everyone on the ball, and all at
one end of the ground; and in the general
melee it was creditable to the visitors that
they had very nearly as much to say as their
talented conquerors. That Gibson, the South
Melbourne follower, played his best game for
the year his friends assert, and that his best
game was a remarkably good one every
Williamstown supporter who saw it will
readily agree, though that it was in
the main a finer exhibition than
that given by their own clever rover,
James, they will not willingly admit.
Justice demands, perhaps, that honours re-
main easy between them, for both displays
were excellent. Windley, Howson, Waugh,
Hyndman, Fraser, Duggan, McArthur, and
Adamson were the pick of the remaining
Hillites. The one-time champion ruck man,
"Harry" Purdy filled a vacancy, and did not
fill it badly. I doubt if anything would
please the Southerners better than to see the
talented little fellow playing regularly with
the team, and shaping in his old form. After
James, the visitors were touch beholden to
Fribbs, Adams, and W. Warren in the ruck,
to Dyson, Bristow, and Hall back, to J.
Thompson on the wing, and to Coram for-
ward. Shaw's umpiring was thoroughly
satisfactory.

OUT OF BOUNDS

Giving wind and everything else in, the
number of times the ball was sent out of
bounds in the North Melbourne match,
especially during the final quarter when

Collingwood were ahead, was "wasteful and

ridiculous excess." Both teams kicked out

whenever it suited them, and both aided in re-
ducing to a farce a context that might have
proved interesting, in spite of the wind if
sounder tactics had been adopted. On that

play, such as it was Collingwood deservedly

came out on top. The proceedings were very
tersely described to me after the match by
an onlooker. "The play," said he, "was
nearly all day confined to the south-east
corner, and the game simply resolved itself
into a question of diplomatic defence."

Condon, McInerney, and Murphy following
did good work for the winners, the first
named especially distinguishing himself.
Strickland in the centre kept his head, and
always kicked in the right direction. Balfour
played a great game, and Hall forward was
smart and reliable, whilst Proudfoot and
Monaghan, back, just worked like tigers. The
team were without Panam, Callaghan, and
Flaherty, all three of whom will strip to-day
against Fitzroy, I need hardly state that
North Melbourne were handicapped by many
an absentee, for this is their usual condition,

and the repetition or the fact has crown a
bit monotonous. Their latest losses were

Webb, Carrie, and Parris, and besides these
there were four or five others for whom sub-
stitutes had to be found. The best of those
who did play were Sicily, H. and E. Launder,
Graham, Grierson, Stuckey, Wilson, J.
Taylor, and Rolent. The Northern hero
O'Dea was, strange to say, a by no means
prominent member. Crapp had a difficult
and thankless task to perform in umpiring a
game wherein there was scarcely a player on
either side but drove the ball out and over
the bounds when it suited him.

STRONG DEFENCE.

At Port Melbourne the wind took a diagonal
course and goals were to be obtained only at
one end, and from one point of vantage at
that end. The side kicking towards the
railway had all the assistance the wind could
render, but this amounted to little unless by
skilful manoeuvring the ball could be carried
to the right side for goal-getting. The match
consequently resolved itself into endeavours,
on the one hand, to force the play into this
particular section of the ground, and on the
other to prevent its getting there. There was
hardly any difference between the teams in
the matter of ability, but as Ports developed
rather more acumen than their visitors they
were able to reach the scoring spot the
more frequently, and consequently to notch a
win. The contest was remarkable in that seven

goals and only two behinds were totalled in
the first half, whilst in the third term from
three possibles Carlton secured but one goal,
and in the final bout so stoutly did the dark
blues defend that the Portsmen were prevented
from gaining more than a single behind, the
result of their only legitimate chance for the
quarter. A good spirit prevailed all through,
and though the play was much more crowded
than even the wind gave warrant for, it was
singularly free from roughness.

Cornelius was again the leader of the home
team in a double sense, and the pick of his
assistants were McMurray, Mounsey, Freame,
Johnston, Cullen, Hickey, Gavan, Ryan, and
Stephenson, the last three recent additions
from the juniors. Maddox, an old player,
signalised his return from foreign parts by
kicking the first goal of the day, and by com-
porting himself ably throughout the engage-
ment. Carlton's more deserving members
were Blake, Woodhouse, Aitken, Rolfe,
Walton, Melville, Patterson, and Balharry.
Peter Williams, who excels in a close game,
was unfortunately absent. Umpire Schaefer
merited commendation for the efforts he made
to keep the ball in play. His plan of carrying
the ball some eight or ten yards in before
bouncing it might be followed with advan-

tage by other umpires when wind predomi-

nates.

THE GAME IN THE FAR WEST.

Our West Australian correspondent fur-
nishes the following notes, the general tenor
of which goes to show that the enormous

importation of players from Victoria and

South Australia is viewed with disfavour by
residents of Perth and Fremantle. I com-
mend to the careful study of men still
anxious to try their luck out West
the writer's observations anent " fat
billets" and professionalism. He writes:
"Football has been a very strong attraction
this season, owing to all the clubs being con-
siderably strengthened by new comers from
the east. Fremantle, the invincibles for three
years, suffered their first defeat three weeks
ago at the hands of the Rovers, who have
been benefited by the inclusion of such
players as Fischer, of Adelaide, Oldham (late
of the Melbourne), Price, Rigg, Watson, and
other players from Victoria. Fremantle have
had in their ranks Thurgood and Watson, of
the Essendon; Cullen of the Ballarat Im-
perials; Musgrove, who formerly played
with Fitzroy; Morehouse, the old Carlton-
ite; Dave Plant, and others; and now
they are to be further strengthened by Byers
and Chadwick, of the Essendon, who the
Fremantle supporters hope will enable them
to turn the tables against Rovers to-morrow.
There is a strong feeling that this semi-pro-
fessionalism, which is apparent in football
here, will be the cause of much trouble in
future. We welcome any footballers who
come voluntarily to tackle work here, and
there seems a fair opening for that class,
but we don't want this place to be looked
upon as the happy hunting-ground of pro-
fessionals. In some of our matches the
wagering has reached as high as £100 in one
bet, and this is another feature upon which
the genuine supporters of the game look
with much misgivings. Perth and Fremantle
are, alter all, small places, and the would-be
professionals from the East must remember
there is a limit to finding fat billets and pay-
ments for the new arrivals. Concerning
Thurgood, he has proved rather a disap-
pointment in the goal-kicking line. Except
in the first match, when be obtained 6
goals out of seven shots, his performances
have been only moderate. He, however, has
had to rove backwards and forwards at dif-
ferent stages of the games, and is very
closely watched. I fancy, now that he has
been relieved of the captainship, which has
been conferred on his old club-mate Watson,
he will do better. As to Watson, he has
proved a veritable' ringer' in the ruck, and a
player whose fairness has won him many
friends. I should mention that Munro, of
the Ballarat Imperials, who came over in the
same boat with Byers and Chadwick, plays
with the Rovers to-morrow."

RUGBY NOTES.

Saturday's matches completed the third
ronnd for the Nash Trophy and Howard Cup.
As the intercolonial engagements will nearly
fill up the remainder of the season, the posi-
tions of the clubs can scarcely be altered.
The games on Saturday were won by the
Pirates and Pioneers from the Melbourne and
Rovers respectively. Fixates lead the Pioneers
by five points, their record for the nine
matches being eight wins and one draw.
Pioneers have won six and lost three. Rovers
have won two;, drawn one, and lost six. Mel

bourne have won one and lost eight. Up to
the present the competition has been most

interesting and marked improvement has
been shown in the quality of the play. The
Pirate-F.C, merit special mention in this re-
spect, the passing game adopted by them
having proved most effective. The attitude
of young Victoia for the Rugby game is
proved by the position of the Pioneers, which

club is mainly composed of natives of the colony
In order that the best team may be chosen

to represent Victoria against Now South
Wales in Sydney next month, test matches
will be played in the next three Saturdays ;
and as the honour to represent our union is
eagerly sought after, some fine games will
probably be played on the Friendly Societies'
gardens.

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