Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 5 June 1911, page 9


LEAGUE GAMES.

EXCITING FINISHES,

NOTICE BY OBSERVER.

UNIVERSITY V. FITZROY

[Result of the match will be found on page

1]

FINE GAME AT COLLINGWOOD

MELBOURNE PLAY BETTER

Another great finish was seen at Victori-park on Saturday, when Melbourne met Collingwood. The attendance was not large, though the club reserves were crowed. Melbourne had several of the best men out, and gave a trial to Kennedy, a young player from Blackburn, while Colling-wood will represented. L. Sharp, late of Fitzroy, played his last game with them, Lee came into the team, though still hardly fit, and Anderson, a player from the north-east, had a trial. It was a fine game to watch, always close, always skilful, and unvariably fair, the match a pleasent one to both sides, as well as to the e-tl i. There was never a great deal between the teams, and the deciding goal was only got within a complete of minutes of time. All these circumstances served to make it a notable game. Up to the very last stage Melbourne had a lead, and looked like keeping it, and it was just one free-kick in a hard scrimmage which gave Col- lingwood the try that unable them to match the match out of the fire. Taking it right through, I think Melbourne were slightly the better side. Their pace was good, they seemed to have the knack of being always in the right place, and the only fault in their method was

that they handled the ball less advantageously then Collingwood. Their high marking was ex- cellent. With the exception of one or two men

in the colours they made very few mistakes, and on nearly all occasions got their kick. The I - -i « h which really lost Melbourne the game occurred quite early in the match. On the oc- casion a mistake by Monk, who, although in- cluded in the team is not yet fit to play, cost them a goal. He tried to run with the ball

and lost it, when he might easily have placed

it out of danger with a kick. In another in-r i v'e-i when Melbourne were hard-pressed, there were three of their men right in front of goal.

They stopped the ball, and, being apparently in

doubt for a moment as to which should take it away, a Collingwood forward whipped in, and t i ' «. another goal. These were very serious

mistakes, as after event showed.

The last quarter was particularly exciting. Collingwood were staying desperatly for a shot. when in the heart of the crush Baxter got the free-kick. Melbourne were at that time leading by one point. Baxter scored his goal, and even

then Melbourne had a try, and added another point before the finish. The explanation of this hard finish lay largely in the fact that Melbourne surpassed themselves, while Collingwood played up to average form. In the main game was

open, though an occasional crush occurred round about goal. Collingwood"s finest dash in the match was made right at the start of the last quarter. Melbourne had then a lead of nine points, and Collingwood reduced it to one point within five minutes. Then in a quarter of an

hour's desperate battling not a point was scored. The three best men in Collingwood colours were M'Haile, Baxter, and Sadler, all of whom played very smart football. M'Haile and Odgers kept well start in the centre, and they both did well, but the Collingwood man, given a little room, is always dangerous. Green played in first- rate form along their goal front. Wilson was prominent

both amongst the forwards and in the ruck. Lee shaped fairly well, but a couple of hard bumps during the game took something out of him. In the early stages Sharp was one of the most pro-

minent man in the field at the half-back line, and his marking was as usual, excellent. Amongst

the most notable features of the match was the way in which Gibb, Collingwood's champion wing

man, suffered against Robertson, of Melbourne. For early the whole of the game Robertson beat

him at every point, and it was only in the last . iT'' minutes, when, however collingwood, most , Wenlee. his services, that Gibb was seen at his

best. Robertson was undoubtedly the champion of the match. He was always worrying for the

ball, invariably got his kick, and his marking was also excellent. M'Kenzie, on the other wing, was, perhaps a trifle better than Oliver. Mel-bourne were also well served by Hickey and

Pearce back, while Naismith and Harris were both

second men in their quarter. The best forwards

were Rearton and Kennedy. Brereton bringing down some nice marks. In the ruck Henderson,

Hendry, and Tompkins were all good. Melbourne's " i tali mistake was want of effective shepherding,

too many men going for the ball and too few rarding