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SPORTING NOTES AND COMMENTS
FOOTBALL.
Screaigh's Fine Performance.
(By 'Follower.')
A performance of great merit on Satur
day was that of H. Screaigb, the East
Perth and carnival rover, who kicked nine
of East Perth's 16 goals against Subiaco.
and at one period seemed fcQ be the only
player on the ground able to shoot
straight. 1^ his two seasons in league
football Screaigh has been an outstanding
player, and though lacking, perhaps, the
polish, rivals East Perth's recent cham
pion rovers— L. Duffy and W. Thomas—
in pofnt of skill pnd effectiveness. It is
a significant fact that Screaigh won the
trophy for the best and fairest player in
the East Perth team last year, when he
waa hawipg his first season in league
ranks.
Screaigh distinguished himself last sea
son with consistently good play and this
season seems to have improved consider
ably, and must be well in the running
for the Sandover Medal. Short ae he is,
he is able to stand up to the hardest of
matches, and until one notices how well
proportioned he is it is difficult to under
stand how he keeps his speed and stamina
after hard knocks. One of the most
admirable features of Screaigh's play, and
one which is not usually found in small
men, ia his straight-ahead style. He does
not waste time and ground by Jong,
?weeping turns or dodging backwards and
forwards. If in trouble he turns like an
eel, swiftly and sharply, and does not
waste time in getting rid of the ball. On
Saturday it was realised how one player
can note a weakness in the defence and
Ufie it to the best advantage. Screaigh's
excellent ground play and goal sense kept
East Perth well in the picture in the first
half and in the second, when Subiaco was
badly beaten, he played havoc with the
defence At present Screaigh has
a habit, which hag so far
benefited him, but may prove dan
gerous. When going through with the ball
and confronted by an opponent, he drops
the ball and at the same time throws up
nis head, almost invariably causing his
opponent to give away a free-kick for
Holding him round the neck.
It must be rather disappointing to East
Fnemantle to see and hear of Screaigh's
?uccess, knowing that he might easily have
been m its side, which, though containing
too many small men, would welcome one
of Screaigh's ability. East Fremantle
earned the services of Reynolds, Taylor and
McGlmn from York, where Screaigh ajso
warned his football. Two years ago East
Fremantle asked Screaigh if he would be
prepared to join that club and when he
stipulated that work would have to be
found for him, he was asked, to Wait for
further word. The reason slipped by and
Screaigh received no communication from
East Fremantle. Tben Brentnall. the
former State and Eatt Perth half back
*? uxt aPecial P05?* of informing his old*
ciub that a potential champion was wait
ing to be snapped up by a league team.
The East Perth secretary (Mr. F. D.
Book) made a trip to York and against
his judgment— he thought on ap
pearances that Screaigh was too small and
meek — invited him to play in the scratch
matches last season. Since then Screaigh
has not looked back.
East Perth supporters thought that
Screaigh's performance in kicking nine
goa'ti was a record for a rover, but have
since learned that McGlinn (East Fre
mantle) had gone one better. On August
22, 1931, McGlinn kicked 10 goals out of
23 scored by East Fremantle against Clare
mont-Cottesloe. He roved that day and
a week later failed to kick a goal against
Perth when he was tried as goal-sneak and
East Fremantle scored 21.12.
Value of Good Forwards.
Champion forwards are hard to find, but
every club should make an effort to have
a reasonably strong band of forwards, men
who can get the ball for themselves, lead
out well and, above all, kick accurately.
The job of the full forwards and to a
lesser extent of the half-forwards, is to
kick goals, and if they consistently fail
to do so, they are not worth a place in
the team. A forward must keep his posi
tion, and it is his duty to break away
from his opponent when his side launches
an attack. To find a good example of
clever, concerted forward work one
naturally goes back to the days when East
Perth was at its height, when forwards
moved like clock-work according to the
late P. Matron's instructions and with
the ever-ready 'Bonny' Campbell to finish
off the attacks. That is not to say that
other clubs have not since produced
capable forwards, but it is doubtful if any
bunch of forwards has since co-operated
with the same precision and success. It
is not an easy task to play half-forward
or full forward, for the backs have the
advantage of being able to tear straight
through and_ not worry about turning.
Still, goals win matches and forwards are
chosen to kick them.
On Saturday there was a striking ex
ample of weak forward play, when Subiaco
wasted golden opportunities of establish
ing a big lead by half-time. Much of the
blame has been placed on S. Daily's
shoulders, but he has proved before that
goal-kicking is not one of his accomplish
ments. Subiaco experimented with the
placing of the team and was un
successful, and though past per
formances of the team called for
a radical change, the transference of Daily
to attack proved unsuccessful. What
Subiaco needs is a man who can kick goals,
and also play surely on the ground and
mark well.
West Perth has done well with. Tyson
at full forward, despite the fact that Niven
has left, chiefly because he has the ability
and the brains to work in with the rest
of the team. Now that Leunig is doing
well, Claremont-Cottesloe is making pro
gress. East Fremantle possesses a good
goal-sneak in G. Doig. who acts to the
instructions of his coach, with the result
that he and other members of the side
score well. Perth is rearranging it« for
ward division and its performance in kick
ing nine goals without a behind in the
last quarter last Saturday almost enabled
it to gain a great victory. East Perth is
fortunate in the possession of the nimble
Screaigh and the -cool P. Lockyer, but
South Fremantle's side would be much
better-balanced with a heady forward like
A. Lawn in the side. Figures speak for
themselves, and the following list gives
the goals and behinds scored by the vari
ous teams: —
For. Agst.
East Fremantle ? 128.122 104.13G
East Perth ? 152.150 123.145
West Perth ? 110.129 92.105
Claremont-CotteEloe .... 99.105 105.136
South- Fremantle '.. .- 104.128 125.1*3
Subiaco ? 107.1«5 122.109
Perth ? 109.109 144.134
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