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FOOTBALL NOTES.
BY MARKWELL.
IMPROVING PROSPECTS.
There is still hope for the game. Last
week's matches drew, in most instances,
crowded attendances, and furnised on-
lookers with several spirited and exciting
contests. Perfect weather prevailed, and no
doubt was a factor towards filling the
grounds, but the chief attraction was the
fact that everywhere the contesting parties
were admirably matched. And not only were
the games interesting on account of the close-
ness observable in the finishes in almost
every case, but also, and to my thinking
more so, because of the improved character
of the play. It would be an exaggeration to
say that the scrambling element was en-
tirely absent even in the most pleasing of the
six engagements, but it is absolutely true
that in no single instance did ruck work pre-
dominate to so disheartening a degree as in
the majority of matches last year. The after-
noon's proceedings, moreover, showed that
in all-round capacity the teams, with, per-
haps, a couple of exceptions, exhibit
marked improvement, and that the struggle
for final supremacy is inconsequence likely to
be keener and more protracted than is
usually the case. Judged by the form dis-
played by losers as well as by winners, it
seems fairly certain that for the remainder of
the campaign excitement and enthusiasm
will run high whenever and wherever Essen-
don, Collingwood, Melbourne, Fitzroy, South
Melbourne, and Geelong are pitted one
against another; whilst it will occasion no
very great surprise if from time to time one
or more of these teams go down against
North Melbourne, Port Melbourne, St.
Kilda, or Williamstown. This is exactly as
it should be, and there only remains that pre-
sent promise be realised in the matter of
open play to make the season much more
pleasurable than some that have preceded
it
FITZROY UNFORTUNATE.
For the third successive time have Fitzroy
bitten the dust. Bad luck, as I have before
related, compelled them to meet both Col-
lingwood and St. Kilda with twenties that
were far from their best; and in last week's
conflict with Essendon, though they sent into
the field a fairly representative team, they
experienced no change in their fortune.
Justice demands that they be credited with
having played a better game all round than
was played by the red and blacks, who had im-
mense cause for satisfaction in finishing a goal
ahead. The maroons were undeniably quicker
on the ball than their opponents, and they
handled it, too, with greater expertness, and
picked their men more cleverly. They were,
however, inferior in the all-important de-
partment of goal-getting, and they must
attribute their defeat to this circumstance
rather than to their indifferent luck. The
game was genuinely exciting and brimful of
fire. Nor did it lack episodes of a taking
character, though in this respect, and gene-
rally as regards the friendliness of con-
testants, the exhibition was not by any
means the finest I have witnessed between
the same teams. The tendency shown on
either side to go for the man was unmis-
takable, and while several Fitzroyites were
culpable in the matter of tripping, many of
their adversaries were equally to blame in
other directions.
Undue roughness was not, however, the
most striking characteristic of the encounter,
and I notice it only because any approach to
anger or spitefulness is inexcusable upon the
football field. The pace at which the play
was conducted had something to do with the
frequency of the falls that were noticed, and
sometimes, too, with their violence, but
neither the pace nor the few blunders made by
the umpire would have affected the game
detrimentally had the proceedings been con-
ducted in a thoroughly sportsmanlike fashion.
Concerning the mistakes attributed by both
sides to Crapp, I must say that though I
watched the game closely I noticed not one
that had an important influence upon the
result. That he was just a trifle variable in
dealing with marks at short range, and that
he awarded an occasional unmerited mark
to Banks, are the worst things that can be
urged against him. In other respects his
umpiring must have satisfied every disin-
terested spectator at the match.
There were periods during the day when
unaccountable weakness was shown on
either side. Essendon, for example, were
at one time seen to mull quite half-a-
dozen little marks in quick succession, while
at another Fitzroy's defenders seemed
petrified and incapable of preventing strings
of exchanges right up in front of goal. It is
worth noting that Essendon's first two goals
were run up in as many minutes, the ball
being in each instance taken from the centre
in a series of passes in which the maroons
never once got within reach of it. A magnificent
mark by Moriarly several feet above the heads
of the crowd was the finest individual
effort of the day in the air; and a
particularly clever, dodgy run by Wright,
who finished his spurt with a fine goal that
won the match, will not be forgotten for a
week at least. Wright and Moriarty opposed
one another in the centre, and both played
excellent football, the Fitzroyite especially so,
considering that the game was his first for
the year. Banks was in his best form, and
his usefulness to the side was incalculable.
He turned many of Essendon's fiercest at-
tacks with consummate skill, and he was
often conspicuous in bringing trouble to their
forwards. No man in the opposing ranks
deserved to be named with him unless it were
Vautin, who, both defending and roving, was,
a power in himself.
The most brilliant running and some of the
longest kicking in the match were done by
Campbell; but for pace and general expert-
ness on the wings, Palmer and Russell were
little, if anything, superior to the Fitzroy
fliers, Whelan and Dalton. It was a mis-
fortune for Essendon that Palmer was lame
and useless daring the last quarter, when his
services were most wanted. McMichael and
Reid were first-class backs, and ranked for
all-round work with Officer, Sykes, and
Stuckey, of the victorious company. In the
ruck, Forbes, Kearney, and Salkeld were
most ably opposed by M. Grace, Jenkins, and
Tyrrell, deary roved admirably for Fitzroy,
i and young Barry figured capably in the same
capacity for the red and blacks. Of the for-
wards, Clemence, Lamley, and Muirhead on
the one side, and Kinnear, Collins, Anderson,
and Waugh on the other, were worthy of
special mention. Waugh was rather below
his form in kicking, but played good football,
and his most deserving shot was a meritorious
one that struck the top of the post. Sykes,
besides defending soundly, contributed a
couple of goals, and J. Grace was responsible
for two of Fitzroy's. Finlay's inability to
play for Essendon was about counterbalanced
by the absence of Sloan from the home
team.
COLLINGWOOD VICTORIOUS.
At the start of the game in Victoria-park
South Melbourne, playing together like
artists, ran completely over Collingwood, and
looked like walking away with the points.
But their superiority was short-lived, for
their antagonists found their feet before the
quarter ended, and thence forward, for fully
half the game, they made the pace a cracker,
and had all the best of the play. It was not
that the Southerners relaxed their efforts in
the slightest, or that their exhibition
showed any palpable deterioration, but
that, urged on by the word and
by the example of their stout-hearted
commander, the home company rose gallantly
to the occasion, and, working with a unani-
mity of purpose and a vigour of execution
that were resistless, had their visitors con-
tinually in trouble. The scores give no
indication of the character of their
display during the second and third quarters,
when if they had made use of their op-
portunities they would have piled up a great
total. Their defence was all but impregnable,
their followers were invincible, and it was
only amongst their forwards that fine ability
was associated with inferior judgment. With
an advantage of two goals when the final
querter began, Strickland determined to con-
fine his efforts to defence, and he conse-
quently massed the bulk of his forces back.
This was clearly a mistake, for it is an axiom
amongst footballers that where the crowd is
the ball will certainly remain. And remain
it did during nearly the whole of the despe-
rately-fought term at Collingwood's end,
whilst the red and whites, having reduced
the gap by a goal, were making magnificent
efforts to escape defeat. Even the local sup-
porters allowed that South had much the
better ot this final bout, and they did not
attempt to conceal their satisfaction when
McKay failed in his feeble try for what ought
to have been the equalising goal.
Players of the high-stepping, brilliant order,
like Windley of the Southerners, were handi-
capped by the ground, which was greasy in
parts and so tufty that running with the ball
was a very difficult operation. It was a
matter for regret that the condition of the
turf had a deteriorating influence upon the
play and robbed it of some of its most taking
features. It did not, however, prevent
Condon from out-shining friend and foe in
all-round work; nor did it appear to militate
against the high marking of Monaghan
amongst the backs, or oi Hailwood forward.
These three were Strickland's heaviest
trumps, and they were always to be relied
upon. The captain himself, though knocked
out for a while in the first quarter and badly
cut about the face through colliding with
Dohrman, one of his own men, continued
playing to the end of the day, and was
rewarded with an enthusiastic reception by
the crowd as he returned victorious to the
dressing-room. Other very consistent per-
formers during the afternoon were Murphy
and Dowdell following, O'Callaghan on the
wing, Williams defending, and Tame and
Calleson forward. South's finest defence
work was done by Toms and Williamson,
but it was not to be compared with Colling-
wood's. Southern was the pick of all the
wing men, neither Pannam nor Howson
being up to sample. Stranger and Lyons
acquitted themselves more than fairly
forward, and Windley, though below his best,
did sound enough work for half the game,
whilst Little, Pleise, and McArthur bore the
brunt of the battle following. Jo Shaw's
task as umpire, though a difficult one, was
very satisfactorily performed throughout. I
had almost forgotten to mention that
Condon's crowning effort and the grandest
item in the match was a finely-executed run
that terminated with an accurate fying shot
for goal.
WELL-NIGH PERFECT.
This was the expression used by Mr. T. S.
Marshall, the V.F.A, secretary, when asked
what he thought of the match between
Melbourne and Geelong; and not only from
him but from numbers of others who had the
pleasure of witnessing it do I learn that
it was a game that more nearly resembled
the best play of years ago than anything that
has been seen of late. It was open, fast,
and clever from bounce to bell, and there
occurred in connection with it no single in-
stance of rough or unmanly play. The im-
pression it left upon the minds of players and
spectators alike was eminently satisfactory,
and Mr. Marshall assures me that a few more
exhibitions of a like character must result in
reestablishing the popularity of football. I
offer my hearty thanks and congratulations to
both winners and losers for their respective
shares in the production of so gratifying a
spectacle, and I trust that they will be found
during the remainder of the year playing in
the same excellent fashion, and compelling
the admiration of beholders. As a game it
was remarkable in a high degree for many
things besides its freedom from un-
sightly scrambling. Finer or more accurate
goal-kicking has rarely been witnessed than
was shown by both teams, but more parti-
cularly by Geelong, who, according to the
official record, put up after the first quarter
eight successive goals without a behind. I
doubt if any better shooting has been seen
during the 40 years that have elapsed since
the inception of the Australasian game. Mel-
bourne's marksmen, though not altogether
unerring, were in rare good form, and it was
well for the club that they were. Otherwise,
in spite of superiority in most other branches,
the reds would certainly have come to grief.
Away from goal Melbourne's magnificent
ruck, now thoroughly rehabilitated, was the
chief factor towards their success, and they
were likewise very strong in defence, but
they were not in it with their visitors in
high-marking or in general expertness in the
open.
Peter Burns may claim to be the W.G. of
Victorian football, for he comes up year after
year, not perhaps with the bounding elas-
ticity of adolescencene at fresh, hearty, and
indefatigable, and whenever he puts head
and heart into the business, he takes prece-
dence alike of friends and foes for tact and
ability. He certainly played finer football in
this match than any other on the ground,
for although Christie, the Melbourne rover,
put in a power of work and handled the ball
oftener than did the Geelong commander, his
judgment in disposing of it was frequently at
fault. Peter, on the contrary, rarely failed
to send the ball where it was best calcu-
lated to advance the interests of his side.
After his, the most valuable performances for
Geelong were those of Rankin, following, and
H. McShane, placed and roving. Other
deserving members were McCallum, who was
supreme in the centre; Brockwell, on the
wing; Moodie, following, and W. Lockwood,
forward; whilst of the freshmen, Foote,
McKenzie, D'Helin, and McCrae succeeded in
pleasing the selection committee so well as to
ensure their continued inclusion in the team.
Along with Christie, who, besides playing the
best game for Melbourne, contributed three
good goals, must be mentioned Powell,
McCarthy, and Smith, forward; McCulloch,
Irvine, Moodie, and Fry, in the ruck ; Sholl,
on the wing; and Sutton, O'Halloran, and
Kennedy, in the garrison. Molyneux um-
pired with his customary ability, and, as
usual, threw the ball well in from the bounds.
He might, however, have regulated the throw
in more discreetly when the ball went out
in the neighbourhood of the posts.
FOOYSCRAY'S FAILURE.
A fairly numerous and a more than fairly
enthusiastic attendance watched proceiedings
at Port Melbourne, where the local represen-
tatives held Footscray completely under
control from first to last. The game was one-
sided in all save goal-making, a point where
in the Ports men were decidedly out of form,
no fewer than 16 possible shots pro-
ducing for them only a brace of goals.
Footscray, from six legitimate tries, scored
once. Their chief weakness was an absence
of system, each individual on the side appa-
rently deeming it his duty to play the whole
of the opposing team. With the Ports,
every man received from, and gave
assistance to, his fellows, and the result was
a concerted and combined performance that
gave Footscray their deserts. When the
latter learn to play the game and help one
another they will probably begin to win
matches. Individually they are more than a
moderately-talented body.
W. Monagle, of Ports, played the game of
the forty, picking his men and passing to
them at half-distance with precision, whilst
frequently nonplussing his opponents with
the cleverness of his handball. His coolness
and judgment reminded onlookers of the old
Port Melbourne favourite, Hannaysee, who
was never known to be outwitted by an an-
tagonist. Next to Monagle came Robertson,
whose high-marking was the best of the day.
Fitzpatrick, Gibson, and O'Brien walked
round the Footscray followers, and Sullivan
back, Cullen and Freame on the centre line,
and C. Monagle, Knox, and Daly forward,
all played excellent football. For the
losers Powell, Regan, and Molyneux, back,
saved the team from annihilation
whilst Grunden, on the wing, Chadwick,
forward, and Drew following were by no
means to be despised. To-day Ports enter-
tain a team from Lilydale, and intend trying
one or two new juniors.
TOO CLOSE FOR HIGH PRAISE.
North and Carlton contributed little to
the improved conditions of play for the day,
as their match was often and for consider-
able periods given over to unsightly
scrambling. That this might have been
avoided altogether was shown in that there
were passages of breezy openness, as good as
could be wished. Whether, however, the
play was close or open, free as it should
have been, or hampered by over-crowding,
made no difference to Carlton, who were
points behind the Northerners in most de-
partments of the game. O'Dea, for the
latter, had no equal on the ground, He
rarely put his hands up for the bail without
securing it, and his attention was directed
throughout the conflict to the ball, and the
ball only. Cicely's form was an improve-
ment upon his previous Saturday's display,
and, in addition to following admirably, he
contributed a couple of goals. Currie dis-
tinguished himself forward as well as follow-
ing; Bert Launder roved effectively; Grier-
son, J. Taylor, and Larkin were conspicuous
forward; and E. Launder, whose marking
was a treat, along with Stuckey and
McNee, defended successfully. Little Arm-
strong, on the wing, did a great quantity
of very clever work in Carlton's be-
half ; and others of the blues who tried
their hardest were Hannah roving, Blake,
Paton, and Ashton on the ball, Ocock and
Balharry forward (a very weak spot in the
team), and Rolfe and Reekie back.
WON BY WARREN.
The crack Williamstown forward enacted a
big part in the defeat of Richmond, as he
scored four of his side's half-dozen goals,
and played about the game of the forty in
other respects. There was comparatively
little concerted work done in the match
during the first three terms, but towards the
close of the day both teams were at their top,
and several spirited passages were observed.
The 'Townsmen's superiority rested chiefly
with their forwards, their visitors failing
rather badly with several chances that were
well within range. I am given to understand,
however, by one who saw the game that the
home team appeared to hold the yellow and
blacks too cheaply during the early stages,
and that many of the opportunities wasted
by the latter should never have arisen. Rich-
mond supporters give this assertion an un-
qualified denial, and claim that their men
had just as much of the game all through
as Williamstown except in straight kick-
ing. They likewise assure me that when
Williamstown return the visit the result will
be reversed. We shall see.
In last week's engagement Griffin played
his first game for the year for the 'Town, and
shaped as well as ever; R. McCubbin and
Adams were all there following ; Thompson,
on the wing, proved himself the best placed
man in the game; James was most success-
ful roving; and a pair of juniors, Worroll
and Barnes, fairly gained their spurs, the
former defending and the latter attacking
with marked ability. For Richmond, Power's
kicking off was the longest seen in the
match, and ranked beside the rattling high
marks wherewith Parker electrified the
crowd. R. Kelly was again in good form,
though he ran too much, and held the ball a
shade longer than the interests of his team
demanded. Bahen was exceedingly active on
the wing, Backhouse did a good man's share
in the centre, and Cornigo played his cus-
tomary vigorous, hearty game. I am sorry to
note that towards the close of the day young
Kyte had his eye seriously injured, through
accidentally coming in contact with another
player's heel.
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