Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Friday 2 June 1911, page 9


CLUB NOTES.

THE LEAGUE.

Fitzroy are in a happy frame of mind; they have overcome their troubles, are win-ning their matches, and are gaining ground every day. Last week, after the Geelong match their president (Mr. D. J. Chandler) entertained them at a motor drive and dinner to South Morang. Ten motors and a motor omnibus took the players and com-mittee out, and after an enjoyable evening brought them back. Bamford, the Ben-digo ??? made a fair start, but injured his thigh last Saturday, and may rest to-mor-row. Maxon, from Mount Lyell, a ruck and place man, will play to-morrow, and so will Dee ?? if his permit goes through to-night. Lenne was a great success as full back last week, and filled a position which had been troubling the committee.

University have obtained a permit for their old captain H. Cordner, but it is not likely that he will play again. He has no desire to tun in. Cumming, from Perth, will probably strip to-morrow. He is a tall forward. Now that the running is over the students hope to see Kerr in the team once more, and, with Hartkopf, Brake and Greenham returned from Ade-

laide University should have a strong team

to-morrow.

Essendon are mourning the death of an old supporter. Mrs. Alexander, of the Rose of Australia Hotel, had placed a room at the disposal of the committee for their meetings for 20 years, and the men who have served on the Essendon committee have the kindliest recollections of her. Charles Alexander, her husband, was one of Essendon's early champions in the days when Colonel F. G. Hughes, Messrs. H. W. Bryant and Stewart McArthur (the barris-ters), W. H. Martin, W. Meader, A. C. Walker and T. Nally were famous in the red and black uniform. O'Connor, who has been away, is all right again, and will probably play to morrow, and Sewart has recovered from his cold. Martin injured his shoulder last week, but he was able to resume work yesterday.

Geelong were disappointed at their mis-fortune especially when they learned that Whittington's badly dislocated shoulder will probably keep him out of the team for the rest of the season. Palmer, suffering from sciatica will be an absentee for some weeks, but Doull and Morgan are both available again. The rain has made the Corio Oval in good order, and they expect a record crowd when Essendon file through the gate to-morrow. The people in the dis-trict are taking keen interest in the team this year and the demand for members' tickets still continues.

South Melbourne paid the penalty of over-confidence on Saturday, and let Colling-wood get a break on them which they could not overtake. The president Mr. Henry Skinner warned the team before they went out, that their slackness at training would bring its own reward. He pointed out de-

fects, but it was of no avail. This week they have taken heed, and the training, de-spite the bad weather, has been keen and systematic. Milne will be playing to-mor-row, but Ricketts is still on the injured

list. Carpenter is all right again, but George who has received his permit, will not be available for two or three weeks.

Richmond are looking forward to a good game with South Melbourne tomorrow, especially as they have Bourke and McGuire once more available. To-morrow Heaney will be played right back in goal, and Abbott will be moved out on to the half back line.

Last week the team had a visit from their old comrade "Bill" Lang, fresh from his fighting experiences in America, England, and Sydney. Lang has followed the ex-

ample of the American pugilists in the matter of dress, and was quite a notable figure in the Richmond reserve last Satur-day. His clothes were of the latest cut,

and his grey suede gloves gave no idea that those hands had so recently worn "the padded mits" as the Yankees call boxing gloves. When Mr. Andrew Manzie said, "Which is the more profitable, Bill, boxing or football". Lang's smile was so compre-

hensive and full of meaning that Mr. Manzie recalled that his men only receive £1 per week and expenses, with a prospect of a dividend at the end of the season, while Lang wants £500, win lose, or draw, to meet Lester, the young American, again in the boxing ring in a contest which might only last seconds. One thing is cer-tain, Lang is not going to risk anything by playing football again.

St. Kilda committeemen feel that they must have used the wrong specific on some on their men for heart failure. The fault

on Saturday was an excess of vigour, and two of the team will have to look on for

four matches, as the result of their be-haviour and their interview with the in-vestigation committee. Last year I pointed out that there was a lack

of football experience in the commit-tee, and I am afraid that is still the case.

One of the leading St. Kilda men writes-" We are getting so used to adversity that I often wonder if some of our heavenly

friends, the saints, have prayed, as St. Pat-

rick did for Ireland, that we would never

be without a trouble." Plowman (ribs), Newbound (ankle), Baird (foot), Lowen-stein (leg). Ryan and Thanet, the casual-

ties of the opening matches are on the mend, but Hattam's shoulder is sore still, and he will probably be out for two or three weeks.

Briggs, formerly of Fitzroy, should streng-then their forward lines, and Taylor is a likely man from Carlton.

Carlton are pleased with the form shown by their young Gippslander Green, who shaped like a footballer last week. John-

son excelled himself, and kicked six goals.

Dick will be in the team on Saturday, and Bowen who was hurt against Fitzroy, is

all right. Janes will play to-morrow if his

clearance arrives in time for the permit meeting to-night. The committee has char-

tered the s.s Edina for one trip to Gee-

long on Monday. The steamer will leave Queen's Wharf at half-past 9, returning in the evening at quarter-past 6. Tickets are going off well and early application is necessary. A musical programme has been arranged, and those who wish to dance may do so to the strains of a sting band. For those who do not care to trust them-selves on the sea, a special train will leave Spencer-street at noon on Monday, return-ing at half past 8 it night.

Melbourne supporters will be glad to learn that Monk has resume training after his serious illness, but it will probably be two or three weeks before he is in form. Fairbairn's hand is still bad, and he is a doubtful starter, but Smith is all right again. On the other hand, George and Cope will not be playing for two or three weeks. The committee tried "an unbroken colt" last week, but he was too fond of wandering, and though it looked so simple from outside the fence, he has decided to quit the game. He may be more useful to the club in another capacity.

Collingwood have received shoals of con-gratulations on their victory over South Melbourne, in marked contrast to their in memoriam card of the week before. J.

Sharp the former Fitzroy captain, having received his permit, will be available for the half-back line to-morrow, and his ex-perience should steady the Collingwood de-fenders. "Do you wish to leave Fitzroy?"

asked the chairman of the permit and the umpire committee on Wednesday. "I have had the honour of being excluded from the team." was Sharps quiet reply, and those

who knew the circumstances realised what

a wealth of meaning lay behind the words. Anderson is showing splendid form at practice, but his permit papers are not yet complete and he will have to wait. Flem-ing a forward from Glenaroua, may be given a trial tomorrow. Lee is available

again, and so are Jones, Hughes, and O'Donoghue, so that Collingwood will have their best side for the season to-morrow.

THE ASSOCIATION.

Footscray will have a strong team afield to-morrow, though Nash is sill doubtful, but hopes to be right. Craddock is quite recovered, and will be in the team. Ban-bury and Spence are also available. Baxter hurt his leg on Saturday through a kick from one of his own men, but it takes more than a kick on the shin to stop the little man. Body will be ready next week, his clearance papers having arrived from Tas-

mania.

Brunswick will have their full strength available to-morrow, when they meet Foots-cray. The men are well, and sticking to their training. The Millsom brothers, from Tasmania, have received their permits and are available, but they may not get a chance to-morrow, for it would not be safe to try experiments against Footscray.

Brighton delighted their supporters by their display against Essendon, whom they might have beaten with a slice of luck. Turnbull was lame after the first minute of the game, a knock on the knee hamper-ing him. He has been in the hands of a masseur all the week, but hopes to play to-morrow. Bridgford, who was injured unit before the finish, is a doubtful starter. Taylor, whose ribs were injured, is on the mend, and anxious to get into it again. He may be playing to-morrow. The return of W. Robinson to the team and to form has given the Brightonians fresh hope and they expect to give North Melbourne a good game to-morrow.

North Melbourne returned from Prahran satisfied. They had won the match, and with it no little money in bets, for the sup-porters were confident. J. Johnston, who played so well last week, may be an absentee to-morrow, for he hints at going to Colac for a holiday. Dwyer, from Ballarat who lost his way to Toorak-park last week, will be available, however. North Melbourne in earnest is a hard side to beat. The ground authorities might with advantage consider the advisability of providing special accom-modation for the press. It may be a delight to match football surrounded by ladies—if one support the same team as they do; but when one is looking critically at a game the charm of the company of the opposite sex is thrown away on the average pressman, and there are no barrackers so biassed as ladies.

Essendon received a shock on Saturday from Brighton, from which they have hardly recovered. They have been blaming their own men, instead of giving the Brighton fel-

lows full credit. Over-confidence is a bad fault as Humpty Dumpty found, and Es-sendon were lucky to escape. They are tak-ing the Preston match to-morrow very lightly, and will probably give their re-serves, Wilkinson and Quinn (wing men) and French (forward and rover) a run. M'Cann, who put his shoulder out in the first match, is training again but will not be in the team for a few weeks.

Preston have obtained the services of W. M Gee, formerly captain of South Mel-

bourne and Port Melbourne, and he will coach them in future instead of G. Spar-row. M'Gee knows the game, and should be able to impart some system into the Pres-ton ranks. Tozer should strengthen the for-ward ranks to-morrow, though perhaps it will be the backs who will want assistance against Essendon. O Connor will also make his reappearance.

Northcote are strengthening their team gradually, Jackson (Port Melbourne), Holmes (Collingwood, formerly of Bendigo)

and McKinlay (Footscray) having obtained their permits. McKinlay was captain of Footscray in their last premiership, and would lead Northcote well. It would also leave Rourke free to continue his whole at-

tention lo the ruck. Northcote are looking forward to their game with Preston on Mon-day. So far they have had a pretty hard row to hoe, for they have taken on all the strongest teams, Essendon, Brunswick, North Melbourne and Prahran, as well as Brighton, and have to meet Port Melbourne to-day. It will be a relief to meet one of

the weaker teams.

Port Melbourne will have practically the same team to-morrow as last week. They recognise that Northcote is improving, and intend to take no risks. They are narrow-ing down their training list, and have let

Jackson and McGee go to other seniors, while Curtis has been granted a clearance to the local juniors.

Prahran took their beating by North Melbourne as true sportsman. After the game was over the committee were in-formed that several disinterested witnesses were prepared to testify that in the case of one North Melbourne goal the ball had been touched a Prahran players 3ft. in front of the posts, and that the goal had been signalled in error. The committee, however, were not prepared to dispute the umpire's decision. "We have had a fine game," said they, "and what is our bad luck today may be our good luck to-morrow. It is a bad precedent to estab-lish." In another case Prahran were un-lucky, for it is by no means certain that the shot Hassett made was touched. Dims-ing the captain, will be absent to-morrow, on account of the sudden death of his father; but Darby will be in the team again. Williamson the big man, did not shape too well on Saturday, but looks like a foot-baller.

Williamstown will have Streekfuss and Trewartha in the team again to-morrow, but Gibbs is a doubtful starter. He was kicked on the knee last week, and has been limping all the week, so may take a rest

to morrow.