Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), Monday 9 September 1907, page 5


LACROSSE IN RECESS, .

A NOTABLE SEASON.

[By Canadial

On Saturday the South Austrihan Lacrcsse Association completed the twen tieth jear of its existence as the promotei of properly controlled match programmes

The season just ended was by far the most important m the history of lacrosse in Au3' ? ralia foi the reason that it included a. MSit Ircm a Canadian 1».am To this en.l the various associations had echemed, drcan t, and negotiated for many jears, anil the tour, still so fiesh m the minds or tli* public, was at last made ppasible only bj ihe oigciiiizition 01 a tcm of amatein-to wLoin gate receipts were to ba ot no consideration. In Canada astonishing sum* ire paic' to piofe33ional lacrow* play u a As much .is i20 may be deniandea suc-; ce^cfullv by a snecnl crack foi a big match ' and 10 Live bi ought a professional team here would have been out ot the question The cniDination that -was got logethei bj Mi Jj C Miller was defeated by a proicssional team just before, leaving the Dojnimon fcy 17 goals to nil. Yet it swept through. Australia Syith ;. only one ? defeat.: So 'much for: Commonwealth lacrosse! The tactics of the visitors were quite different: from those which bad-: characterized Australian ''lacrosse, and a lot of trouble , and criticism arose. The Canadians, however,, V'ere not nearly, so rough .as some newspaper ..writers, who don't know lacrosse, frojn, stingray: Barpdoning, would haye iho piiblic .believe..'... Much of the mild, friction which occurred was the result of [clashing lules. .'-?_. Before .the Cabadians arrived the Australian associations ; were warned that : the lacrosse. Javys of the two countries were at' variance^ in important respects, but they: did' practically nothing to.hring, them into, 'inc. ' They.vvere told that the Dominion meii padded themselves from head to foot, anii laid about theni., more freely vvitK the hickory than the Australians did, but, tliat; information also \yeat, unheeded. -v When th'e^. Canadians, arrived they . naturally in- ; sisfedion playing their 0-vn ganie^ and said tliat,;.Ghina'la being the. j home of Jacrosse, Austnilk* had no right.' to force its own hybrid methods upon representatives of' tlic; l)'oniinion., 'Of course, the; Home authorities -ljad to give .in, .and'.when defeat' iolIqvedi defeat for Australia .people began to. diseoyc-r H; ^roughness',;- in. '.the. ^Canadian: ;hethod.s;.; One Sydney. newspaper, has con-' st^htiy described the.-visitors/as ''toughs,' and eijuallv insulting criticisms were levelled at them in other quarters. Everybpdjr eeeriied to forget that-ithe Canadians were pajdng more ont of. 'their 6wn' pockets * £0 educate Australia in.'jacrpsae '.than the Australian .associations .^etDBelves;! were: - payin».:*- XJiie. sitiiifaciotTRlattura of -the 'tour-lVtlic^lifcclihood of -its*vbeing ' a- financials'upcesS: Several wpelifmust '.elapse before lill ' the dceaiivits from Brisbane 'to; Kalgoorlie caii 'be' marshalled.. but' it' is known'. that a large sum for, redistribution -to the guarantors -will -be'' available.' v:The ''Gaiiadians played ,16 matehesT-^two more than' they hn'd bargained for— ahd'.Vyon Iff, liaving. lost onee.to'Austrah'a.; They scored 159 . goals tp \ 3S. -,' In that, brilliant .. record iies the- .provocation for much - of -the abuse that was hurled at- the- visitors.' The. un-conquerable pride of the average' Australian 'sport will help hira; to ^critiqise .the .best i-epulatcd teain in any branch of field- pastimes. jOne point which, should ^ never be forgotten; in connection, with ' the tout1 was the splendid- .spirit 'shown by kindred bodie?, especially the football leagues in all the' States. ?'? Their self-denying action 'in suspendinii their own programmes piactically meant the difference between finan1cuil success and financial failiire'for the lacrpise A'entnre, and- they 'went further bv joming -in £he; entertainment proceedings The Canadians would have been ' better pleased had all the festivities been eliminated.. Even the amateurs make lacrosse a ldhd of business.- A steadier team of athletes, never visited Australijl. They;adhered strictly to traininir princrples throughout, the great ? majority ? of them having been stanch teetotallers.; Off- tlie field they' were fit to take their place in. any society, and yet -they were branded a eang of; 'toughs.' The lesson to be learned from the' tour is that the time is not yet nearly, ripe for an Austrahan team to visit ? Canada. Years musteiappe before the Commonwealth will be able- to .polish up its style to.sufficient'ly .justify ;ftn.'invasion of the'Dqnrinionv.iIn the meantime the various; associations had ?better st'et to work to overhaul the Australian rules, which ,.-.. were ievidently drawn up bv raon with kid gloves on. The rjlayerg themselves know how the Canadians -,ypn their games, and nest, season- should witness an evolution, in .Australian lacrosse. Those who. contend that the tour, has- done no. sood for .the game wiU be pleased to hear that already three new. clubs have been formed in this State Foi purposes of record the complete resnlts of the Canadian tour are here given1 — CANADIANS' .: BECOKD. OoponenU. Won by Scores. QjKSTsland Ccnsda. c—s New South Vaies 'Canada ]i— 0 Australia . A'ustralia ;.— 3 Australia ' Canada , ' 1^-3 S.A. Second Twm Canada 20—3 iA First Team Canada '—3 Victoria, at TiPilarat Caruda j|— 0 An jAiatralian Twelve ' Canada ' ?' 4—0 Vietoriai at Velb. Canada 0— 1 Victoria, at Ikr.dieo Canada - . IB— G Jamfstowri ' ' Canada 12— O ^ Australia Catudi c— -Western Austr.iMa ; -Canada, - J? — ; WA. Seconi) tianx Canada V—1 Kal^ooriie Canada 1Z— O \\esteTi \ustralia Canada IJ— 6 — Local Premiership. — On account of the Canadian tour the usual interstate matches were suspended foi the season The contest for the load premiership, hdowever, was interesting enough not to be eclipsed bv the international carnival. Bivalry'was stimulated on the opening day of the season bv the defeat of Sturt, for the first time m th-ee ?years bv I'-ast Torrens The North Adelaides. too, had developed a fine combination, and foi a long time tho premiership contest, was' a very opon one. As the sea- 1 son progressed, however, the East Torrens team became broken, and lost to Holdfast Bav. with the result that its chances of first honours were gone North Adelaide went under twice to Sturt and once to East lorrens These incidents left Sturt ' high and dry in the possession of the nre- 1 miership for the third voar in succession, ' ?with Ea«t Torrens and North Adelaide level for second place. In the premiership I record which follows East Torrens are named as Vnnners up becauss of their batter goal record. Premiers. Runners jp. Cteason. ' 1888-\orth AM 1 te Adela de. 1689— North Adelaide taefcudfc '-1890— University ' AdeWdd 1891— l)ni\-CT3itr Iroanoi^ r1S-H— Iroanols 'llmversftr 1S93 — Iroquois Uuivcriiti' ]«tSV-Unn«sHv -Jrorth- Adelaide tSOt— UhnemU Nortlf Ad«1aTdo 1 S3o— t, mvcr-it\ - -? Kdrth. Adelaide -1S07— \orth \rlala.de T'pnersity lf9J— Universitv ' ' : Korth Adelaide 1S39 — Iroquob ? ITnivereitv lwo—ironnola nnivereitv iflOl— IroouoU Universitjr 1902— Cniversitr ; Shirt 1903— Rturt : Uoiversitv 1904— Port Adehiile . Sturt mnj— Sturt .' East Torrens ifOft-Sturt North Addaide MOT— Shirt ?? ? Tast Torreiia For th^ee veare in succession University occiiTiy fourth place on the premiership list. Holdfpst Rav and Port Adelaide are brockfted level at the Kottom of the list University and Port Adelaide met twice during thp season, and drew fwice Both 'of thejn, together Miifa Holdfast B3y, are-im» j

, roving teams, and will be after the stronger clubs nest season. The promotion of the Glenelg te.im to senior ranks was thoroughly justified.SENIOR^SSOCJAXIOy. SENIOR^SSOCJAXIOy. , , , I § 1 g 1 i 1 p, ?= H p a « &. Sturt .. .. --.''IO 9 1 — 113 43 JS la't Torrens . JO ^.7 '-3 — v 9') t 55 U Nrrth \deLi'dc 10, h 'S — f- 85 .,,5.0 H tmvereitv ,. M Ss-t &*% 51 70 G HoId'Mt Bav „ J) rj 8 - 53 IB 4, Poit AdelaiJe.. 10 1 7 2 i6 1W 4 —Sturt Club— v -The position of the Sturt Club is deserving of more than passing notice) . District lacrosse has now been in foice for six years,, and Stiu t have b^en premiers tour times and limners u), twice i)urmg that time they hav e played 6i club matches, of' whicn they have won 58 and lost, sit Then goal record foi the si\ jears is^815,toj257, or an averaec of 12 73 coals ner matcli In the

20 yearb' hibtorj- of tne association, no other club has ever put up buch a remarkable record- During tlie six-year period under review, Stuit also defeated combined Victoria and Western Australia Having vv^n the premiership tlrn'e years in succession the club has come into absolute possession of the Tambowie Shield — About Goalthrowero — Tht pride of place among the goalthrowcis is occupied for the ajcond jcar in succession by A. Presgiave, the Sturt first home This plaver did not have the same number of opportunities against the Cana dians as some of the others did, and his record is all the more creditable. It is contended by some pi avers that the tabu latms of the Roal figures gives undue pio minence to , the forward ranks at the . expense of the back lines, which constitute just as important a branch of the team a* the goalthrowers do It is said to encou rage selfishness among certain players Mr Miller emphasized this point m some of his speeches, and when asked for the individual records of the Canadian team in Australia, he oaid that nobody had attempted to keep them Theie is a lot in the contentions set out above, and ihe goal figures which follow are tabulated for the 'last time in these annual reviews LE\DINJ GCKT.THROWERS A. Presjrrave (S ) . 4' R J Verco (L'- . V, A R T-Hlor (K-O « TI R. Tlarrj (HIM 1'-L Humpluis fs 1 « I L Gower (iT) n C A. Gcpp fr'1'! 13 II Kule CS ) 11 W \oblctt (SI 33 M AlcBean (K v) 11 G K. Tliomas CS A 1 20 B llrah (Hill . 10 A, S Mann f E T ) 24 D 3r Stcele (V ) . 10 R. Hopkins (P.A.) 2.1 W. S. Crosbr (H.BO » »S. McLennan (V.) . 13 D. Cowan (U.) . . 9 .1 M Smith (ET) 17 , —Intel state Games — Altfanizh the big interstate contest«. u ere suspended, two minor game** of that de«cuptinn toock place University went to Melbourne and defeated » the students ; there, thir» retaining possession of the challenge shield Top Uroken Hill xVssociation «ent a te?m to Adelaide, winch plaved a drawn game ^ ith the Junior Association— 7 goals aside. ;:: ? : : ? — Junior Association.— ]' ?' ', The Junior. Association have had an ex-' cellont, season.,, , The.premieraliip of the A grade iyas won by, the -Deaf Mutes, with' 17 ; out. pf a ipossible 24 points. Three clubs— ; North Adelaide/ Sturt, and Port Adelaide, —are level in' points *for runner-up honours, '. to which North Adelaide are entitled on aoiil figirresV J\ Two other clubs are level for third .place,, all of which indicates how exciting' the season has been. North Adelaide passed ^iliroueh the B grade: without , a defeat, scoring 132 goals to 26, and claim possession of the Richard Garland challenge, shield ,, .for. -the ;. first 12 months; YJal.C.A; were rnnners-up in this division. I am indebted to Mr. J. 6.' Frost for the following tabulated results of the A- grade contest:— ' ' : ? ' JUNIOR ASSOCIATION.- A GRADE. :?;?' 4,.' -.,..!??---?.-? ??-/'? c-'-;'.''''.«l-' £ ???'? ? 3 ???..? ?[''fk'!'p :-t e'-'S'.;3I:.;:,I . ,Sa- '??& , -i p', o :c- tu D'caf Mutes..; 12 ,8'. 3 1 61 '' 44. ;- 17 N. ASel. B ''M2 '' :0 .' \ 2 80 . «?'. -.14 sturt b :.?;.. .}?..', c.u .,& , . .«-. 35 ,u P. Adelaide^ 12 7 .5 — 63 5J,1 ' 14 ffoldfast BayB 12' '5, '7 ? '— .4S: 50 -10 Uflivereit}- B 12 5, ? ,.'! ..'— , ... 50 .,, ,5(» ? ,1C» East Tfrrens B 12 2''!) 1 ' S7 J13 . 5 . SAl'TCmpA^S MATCHES. TJniversity, '3 , :gbals-:' . Port Adelaide, 3 goals. . .' ! '' . ' North Adelaide': B; 7 goals ; University B,:3:goais: :;.:';':v:;'^:!f::^ ,;.:!::/iwi