Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 10 June 1907, page 5


FOOTBALL.

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THE LEAGUE V. BALLARAT.

A ONE-SIDED MATCH.

By OBSERVER.

A team selected from the Ballarat clubs played

the Victorian League, on the Melbourne Cricket-ground, on Saturday, but the game was too one-sided to be interesting. The Ballarat men laboured under

many disabilities, the first being that their boots were not, apparently, properly studded for the Melbourne Cricket-ground turf. As a consequence

they were unable to turn quickly, constantly lost their footing when there was a chance of doing something good, so that the game was to them a series of disappointments. Under the best conditions they would have found the exceptionally fast and clever League team a tough proposition, but handicapped as they were, their task was

altogether too difficult. The hand-passing of the

League men was altogether to quick and clever,

and, as Ballarat tried very little of it, they were

constantly beaten at close range. The redeeming point of the game was its openness, and the fine

fast, clever football-qualities not often seen in club matches.

The Laegue commenced to score quickly, Landeman and M'Gregor getting two goals for them in

as many minutes. It was noticeable that, with all

sense of responsibility removed, their shooting was particularly true. In club games they would have scored fewer goals with greater effort. After the fourth League goal had been scored, the Ballarat men roused themselves. Treloar and Brind were playing a fine, hard game in defence of their goal,

with Hayes and Turnbull backing up well on the centre. The first attack on the League goal came from exchanges by Turnbull, Seward, and Fairburn, but Dolphin turned the rush just in front.

Immediately afterwards Barker scored their first goal. It was their only success of the quarter, and the League led at the finish of it by seven goals to one. Although the League men continued to post on goals with almost monotonous regularity, Ballarat brightened up a bit in the second quarter.

Seward, with a long kick, passed to Thomas,

who hit the goal-post. Immediately afterwards Nicholls by smart play, got into position, and

scored their second goal; while a little later, after

Treloar had stopped a rush on the Ballarat goal, Seward got it in their ruck, and punted third

goal. Gray missed an easy chance, but all the

Leagues seemed to shoot straight, and the Collingwood

captain, Leach, had scored four of the five goals by them in the quarter.

The League had matters so much their own way

in the third quarter that they were able to take

it in turn to score, and in this term Gent got four of their goals. At the last change they were

leading by 15 goals, and they put on another to before the finish, three of these scored by Millis. The game, it will be seen, hardly needs detailed description, the League men being superior in every phase of it. If they got most of the goals they also broke most of the rules, but these were

just technical faults, for in matches of this kind

the teams are always on good terms.

It was almost impossible to say who played best for the winners. In their dark blue, with white knickerbockers, most of the players were completely disguised, and even their club followers were never sure as to their identity. Amongst their defenders Dolphin and Shea were the more prominent, while Gibb, Oaten, and Kennedy made a fine centre line. M'Gregory and Grigg were both fast and tricky, and played very attractive football. In their harvesting of goals the most successful reapers were Leach (five) Millis (four), M'Gregor, Naismith, Gent, and Landemann three each, and Grigg and Wells two each. For Ballarat P Bourke played a rattling game both roving and back; Brind and Treloar were constant backs, and Nicholls, Ryan, Seward, Farbairn, Turnbull, and Thomas made the best of a bad bargain. Ballarat played in the colours of the local association -maroon. The scores were:-

First quarter.- League, 7 goals 8 behinds; Ballarat, 1 goal 1 behind.

Half-time.- League, 12 goals 11 behinds; Ballarat, 3 goals 3 behinds.

Third Quarter.- League, 18 goals 15 behinds; Ballarat, 3 goals 6 behinds.

Final.- League, 25 goals 20 behinds; Ballarat 3 goals 7 behinds.