Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), Monday 7 September 1908, page 9


LACROSSE IN RECESS.

REVIEW OF TEE SEASON,

[Bv Conadia.]

The South Australian Lacrosse Affiocatk-n became of age this year, and ban added another successful season to, its rert.ni Aft«r tJio hnnrn eraaterl bv -the visit

of the Canadian team, the players settled down attain to tneir own style of the game as exhibited in electorate and interstate contests. Local lacrosse has profited nothing from the experience with tbc Canadians, whose methods have not left the slightest impression upon the Australian idea of tbe pastime. The rait, however, eerved to brmjj tbe game much more prominently before tbe nohKc, and during the season just concluded there were more young men playing lacrosse in Sooth Australia, than in any previous period. Quito a number of veterans in the sport dropped out; but so strong has been the rc7cruitinK ' that their placer, were filled readily, and the standard of t'ne game wad fully maintained. The senio: records are shown in the following, tack:— sESKtt ASGOOATIOH. ii hi it th I Uofrenfty .. » 8 1 1 » 3J 17 North Adclside 10 5 * 3 » 63 13 East Tomau . 10 8 4 — 83 65 ii HoldtastBay. W 4 4 S « 86 JO Stot .. ; .. M S 6 2 «S 78 -J Port Adelaide 10 1 8 — , 18 » 2 —The Pren»er«bip.— This was the' seventh year of lacrosse played under the district system. When that scheme was initiated special conditions were allowed in order to preserve the ldeutity of the University flub. It was predicted that the result would be to give that club a permanent lien over the premiership. &ince the district sybtem has been in forw. uowever. University has been nearer to lie bottom of the list than to tlte top. not having been premiers .«ince 1902, and runnerstip only once after that year. It is therefore specially gratifying to note tbe .splendid revival of the students this season, facause they have done much for lacrosse. The oldest hands assert that there never bas been a more intcrertins premiership contest than the one out ot' wbich the University team has just emerged triumphant. Until tlic list two or three Saturdays the honours were within the cnu-p of any one of at least four clubs, ana the uncertainty of tbe results in group after group of Dtatehcs proved very ititnul.itins to the pastime. There was a remarkably small prolwrtior. of run.vvay contes-t» so common wiicn Slurt were at their wnith. Such oneHided niatclies serve to deaden intoredt, and in their place this year we find three ilrawn gamed (including the interstate practiccj. three in which only one goal separated the scores, nnd four showing a difference of only two i^oinU. It may well be understood, therefore, that some exciting encounters were seen on the lacrosse grounds during the season under review. University went through tbe season with only one defeat, that having been at che hands of -North Adelaide on the opening day of the season, when the exciting tally of 3 goal* to '2 was put up against them. Special interact was attached to the next meeting of these two teams on June 37, and another memorable battle resulted in a draw— 6 goals aside. These were the only exceptions to victory that marked the reat-on'h career of the Universities, who uad developed a fast, well-balanced team, but not by any means n brilliant combination. Everybody should be pleased to see them in tbeir old position again. The ruuncn--up in the premiership are North Adelaide, for 11 years now they have been kept out of pride of place. At several times during Ihe season it looked as though the turning in the Ion? lane bad at hat been readied, but luivinc beaten and drawn with the most formidable team in the .'association, they had to be content with -a oraw with Holdfast Bay, and were beaten once by Eoat Torrena and once by Port Adelaide. Curiously enough. 'all the three teams mentioned finish below North Adelaide in tbe premiership table, but '.the anomalies referred to were sufficient ? to place the Norths out of tlte. top running. They serve to indicate the '(dorioos uncertainty' that cb-irncterized the saason. The Norths defeated th* top team, and Were beaten by the bottom! East Torrent tinisiied up only one point behind 'North Adelaide. Ltwt year both these teams 6cored 14. points each, but East Torrens were named as runners-up because of. theft' better goal record. Tbe competition between them is naturallv very keen. 'and vhe honours were practically even this year, for each club bv.it the other, and the programme did not allow of a conqueror. Holdfast Bay did not justify tbe nidi hopes that were formed of them at the besrinniQg of the season. cKhouch thrv had their best year in senior rank.;. Next lo bottom. are Jhe once miehty Stiirfs^-prcmicrs of South Australia in 1003. 1005 MOOG. and 1007. ami once tlic premiers of Australia. Their goal record tumbled down from an average of 12.73 per match for the previous rix years irf district lacrosse to 5.3 per match. This is the first time in the seven years' history of district conditions that the Stints have not been either premiers or runner*, up. TIipv suffered most of all the dubs from defections of cracks, nnd their nnrscrr wns not i-oual lo the occasion. Port Adelaide nre at the bottom of the lint. Thf district never was strons in lacrosse, arid the association is fortunate that the Port Adelaide Club is still able to keep a team in the field. —A New Departure.— ,^_ Tt has been the practice in retrospects of the lacrosse season to include a list of the lc-adin? e.xil throwers; but. yielding to many expressions of opinions on the point: thft writer discontinued keepins these records' It was said that fhmr publication gare undue prominence to forward players, anri were oonlrihutinc to a comparative neglect --f hack and defence play. Had 1hc goal tallies been kent they wonld nrohably have proved less striking than for vears pacL aa not one olnb must.»rH n hnndred authe s?l^n- mTt ' P'*aW* that C. A. Geon, if Bwt Ton-ens, headed the astoecHon nsf. ' ? S«i«or. Prrmrrrs. Riinner*-taa. '? ' ' JSSS— \orth AdHnWc AaVlaida 1^&-Knrth Adelaide Adelaide IK*-— rnirmrirv Adelaide |ff'l-lnin-rcity TroonoU ISM-Tmouold I'niverrity 1WS— Irmtuoi* University ' ? 1S!H— Uni»-T«itv North AdatsMt -lW5_t:nivcr»itv Korth Adelaide imt-— I'nircTidtv Korth Adelaide 1S!-T— North Adelaide Hnhtstity ^^ ]wv»— Unlvcrrilr Ncrth AdeUds IfCA— lnviiioi» VniTersHy' ' ', 1W— Imrmois IMftmity ' lH-1-tiwmnii- lUiriveniry .- .-. l«-2-riri»Trsltr flturt K(O-«turt ' Vniimity ? 11-04-Port .WelsMt Sturt ? . ? W»-«art . East Torms lfOft-Stnrt Kcrth AdHaMs l«W7-Stort East Tormw IStP-UBircnitr Xortb Adrisida — Intent; tc MaJcbes.— Interstate contests were resumed after havincr been mapended daring the year of the Canadian's visit. For tbe first time a South Australian team, picked from those who were able to make Ihe long journey, went to Brisbane, under th* marasenitnt of Mr. W. Fisk. Ihe openine mxtzU agaamt Queendand'3 iirst 13 rciAllcd in a draw— 5 goais a side— but a veek later Quetaekad threw 7 cwls to 3 . arid, if y-u please, claimed the bluo ribanJ of Aostfahan lacrwsi'. The South AastiiInn.' defeated Dnsbarte's second twelve bv 9 n«Js to 7. :u«d, gcing en t« Sydnev, Kored a victory ovor the local premiers ?.Balmara) !iy. 12 souls to C, and over New Sooth Wiles combined by 0 £oal.s to ni! All dcul.ts :. concerning Ihe dcsliny of the blue nband wen.- .settled en tbc Adelaide Oval, wluu South Australia dciMtvd Vicio1 ;ii easily by K sails to 3, the \isitors having admittMi thdl the result would nut hare been muvh different had the full strength of the Stato been avnilable The erjp.»«-»--ent was spoilt by the wcatlier .l»uc a bettor day favoured the nnmul match b»tween the Adelaide and Mclbonnic Uiivcrritics, which was won by the local students by 8 gouls to 1. The .Broken Hill Y.M.C.A. tiara cain.1 all tbc way to Adelaide to play Uie local Y.M.C.A. C3nb, and again honours rer-ted w;th the Iromc sido Oth-r interstate conti-sta uxy n.f-rrct| to in ihe paragraph dealing with the game m.th.' country. Advantago u-as luken of the pre^ pence of the YidornuiK to formillv coudutt liio obseotrrM of tin- An*ir;il;wj:tn T^acrnj-c Union. wIiom* control of tho C4roe bad been a dismal failure n,e mj.iom had been jn a r.owbbT.d -wnuitvn for sovoml years. N«.\t year it is i-rahtlik' that the' local H&KK-intion will ha*»-e -.he r.fcasutc of a visit from a QocenslaiiH tnuii. whtMi an effort will be Vnaije to iftiim «,nie of the splsi:did bospihihtr sfconn to the 8o'ith AusLrar«ns in Brisbnn'. and incidentally. 10 settle the bhw riband «]uest*mi still moi-e ciclmitely. ? —Junior A«»-ctation. -The jonicr season w.is probably the best in the 14 years' history of the Association.* Fifteen teams took part in the premierekip matches— dgnt m the A grade and seven i» ti-e B giade. IVre coold scarcely have been a dc«er competttioR than that proyided by the A teams. a», with the two brt games to be pfatfed any one of {bar clubs could -have wrm the premiership, which was -not actuary docidad until the

last contest took place. The honour was ecwred by North Adehidc, wWi University as ninneni-up. With the exception ot' Port Adelaide B. no team was conspicuously *»enk. as even thox- near to the bottom of the list wtn a fair percentage of thc-r .?natches. The prinripel poalthrowers of th'j scr.sop. wore Godtrty, Schohee. Sorrell, an.1 MounU. In the B grade Hcldfast Bay wcut through with au unhzatrn record, and efcrucd the ri^ht to hold the Garland Cha!lengi' Shield for 12 months. The competition for second Mace, however, wes ke?Ti, and only Sre points separate the second an-i fifth trams, -i.c latter- beins ihe Wo-t place that last year's premiers could sccur-. Pcit Adelaide C put ud lomc tall r«-rina durjnix the season— 28 goals to 3 and 25 to 1 against East Torrans, who were also beaten \.y S'urt to the tnne of 27 gi»ls to 1. Rirt Torrecs huA 178 poali thrown egainst them, ard only 19 for them, but they deserve a wr-d ot enrourajrf-ment. m they _forfci*«! cnly one match. Among the principal go..ttbrower* Jn the B gn»dj W;ere Sorrell, H'-aly, Bagct, Fry, Drysdale, Short, and Rale. : JtTOOR ASSOaATION. -k Crsttt'-. ,''?? ':.?'?? 4 North Adelaide..: *U~ 10 » 1 78 -» Jl Unhrenrfty .. ;. M » 1 8 hi 57 SO Holdout Bay ? .; H »* i-t -.1 1M- « IB Rturt... .. .; ~.U . 9. A 1 -'-??.. Si 10 Deaf MutM ? 14. 8. «, — . « 67. IS East Torreas ... 14' 6 8 1 76 81 11 T.1LO.A:.. ;. .. 14 4- 10'.-^ 4», Ml- 8 Port Adelaide... 14' 1 18'— « 78 .8 ?.. -B Gnae^-.- ' 'Yr -Holdlast Bay ... ii ix —.'-^ & SO; ??« Fort Adelaide .. 11 .8 4 —'lit U U V.M.CA...V. .. 'tt 6 S 1 «8 » U UnWerttty.. .... is a . «? — 85 Tl 1; North Adelaide .: is 5 0 1 oi OS 11 Start ? J .. IS 2 8 S 66 67 B But Jorrens .^; IS . 1 ' « —.19.178 S .....'. —The Oflketf.— The arduous duties of secretary to the senior nksociation have been performed by Mr. :\V.- S. Holies, who rah tlie season, incluidinz the interstate programme, very well. The association wan fortunate in being feble to retain Mr. C. A. Edmunds as Chairman. Messrs. \Y. Fisk and J. Lartier have been the most regular referees, both having been always ready to take the field. The junior association was again piloted through the season by Mr. TI. E. H. Wilson, who is an enthusiastic secretary. —in the Country.— Lacrosse gained considerable ground in the jCountry during- the year. On Yorkc's Peninsula an association sprang up. formed of Moonta, Kadina, -and Wallaroo Clubs. Moontn.won the premiership, and the ri^ht to hold a shield offered for competition by Die Powell, an old supporter of the game. The Peninsula clubs had the pleasore of a visit from a team representing the Broken Hill Association. A combined team defeated Ihe Barricrilefi by 11 goals to 7.* The tables were turned on Moonta, -the Peninsula premiers, wlio were beaten by 13 goals to 2. Goine on to Jamestown— tne headquarters of country lacroxsc— the Broken Hills had 20 goals to 2 pot up against them, which established a new interstate record, although the match would not rank as a first-class one. Lacrovc in now. represented strongly at Kajmnda and Murray Bridge, in addition to other country centres, where it has long been cKtablUied. City.- teams- made. more trips into the country than -ever before.