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THE FOOTBALL SEASON,
OPENING GAMES TO-MORROW.
FINANCE AND DISTRICT
FOOTBALL.
BY riVOT.
. LEAGUE. .
Ksspmlon v.- Carlton, at 1'iist Melbourne.
Coolong v. Richmond, at Gcclong.
Melbourne v. Collingwood, at the Melbourne
Cricket Ground.
South Melbourne w St. Kilila, ut South Mel
bourne. ' .
Fitzroy University, ut Fitzroy.
ASSOCIATION.
Prahran v. Brighton, .at Toorak Pnrk.
Brunswick v. Port Melbourne, at Brunswick.
. North Melbourne v. Melbourne City, at North
Melbourne.
Northcote v. R<cndon, at Croxton Park.
Footscray v. Willimstown, at FooUcroy.
Football . politics have been much dis
cussed during the past . month, and con
tending forces are still having full play.
The policies of several clubs differ from
those of the past, and a . healthful sign
is the earnest effort of a number of com
mittees to check the financial drift. In
some instances the determined stand taken
has'lcd to friction, but in -the greater num
ber of cases this has been caused by com
mittees "importing" players and paying
them more than the tried and true men
of the team. I have held that a system
of uniform payments, with the captain or
conch— singly or in a combined capacity —
receiving a little more than the , other
players, together with a yearly bonus for
all, is the best way out of the difficulty.
Against this it -has been held that a cham
pion player is worth more than a very
fair player to a team, and that the public
goes to sec champions. Has there been a
champion, excepting M'Namara, during the
past five years, to compare with Thurgood
or »M'Ginis? "Certainly not one. Yet we
.iind the public supporting football stronger
a"d more liberally than ever before. The
hual premiership match of last season is
an illustration, and the South Melbourne-
Carlton match, at Princes Oval, is another.
Aot one champion in cither of the eon-
testing teams! The public goes to see
its team play, and not to. witness
any individual effort, ns a rule. Opponents
of such a system of payments contend that
the present hot competitive chase for
players must he continued white a club
has to go "one better than the rest." The
ialiacy of this contention is immediately
exposed when reference is made to the
Colimgwood and Gcclong -teams. Colling
wood committee was rushed by no fewer
than 156 aspirants for senior honors, and
Gcclong had fully 150. Those 156 Colling-
wood men knew, no doubt, tfiu.t the club
has uniform payments. The same applies
to the Geelong juniors. There is positively
no dearth of talent, and this fact, too,
makes the. present a particularly opportune
rv t- hrlus bot reform in finance.
# -District footbull is another subject which
is interesting the minds of managers of
tile game. The Association lias appointed
a committee to consider whether it can be
applied to that body. In the matter of
nanig truly local boundaries the committee
should find no difficulty, for the Associa
tion is composed of suburban clubs with
boundaries municipally defined. The posi
tion of the League, however, is different.
Boundaries could no ' doubt be fixed, but
the municipal map lis a guide would have
to be discarded if the present clubs are to
be kept intact in name and number. Advo
cates of the scheme point with satisfaction
to district cricket and district football' in
Adelaide. Regarding cricket the circum
stances are not similar, and ns to the
South Australian scheme, conditions there
vnry considerably with those existing in
Melbourne. First and foremost, there is
not the sfime amount of money in the
sport. F ontball as n game docs not require
much improvement, but its financial aspect
needs close attention. Stop the migratory
player and the clubman poaching on local!
tics other than his own for players, and
district football will be possible. The
scheme in Adelaide does not stop it, not
withstanding that officially players are re
garded ns amateurs! Ho scheme would be
acceptable unless stringent financial clauses
to provide for payments) as suggested by
Mr. Evans, on the pooling of receipts, arc
provided. In fact, there is no need for a
change unless it aims direct at more busi
nesslike finance.
7 South Melbourne lias been busy sifting,
mid several old and new players have al
ready dropped through the mesh. The
committee is keen 011 having a team that
will worthily .uphold the fine record of re
cent years, and there is no doubt at all
that a large proportion of the new men
know football. It, of course, lias yet to be
seen how they will bear up under the
stress and trials of vigorous games. The
most noted absentee is Ricketts, who cap
tained the team in tile premiership year,
and again last season. He lias received, a
very appreciative letter from the commit
tee thanking him for liis services. Casey,
too, has gone, and, I understand, more are
to follow. The best men at practice among
the newcomers are Webster and Wolfe
(two Tasmanians), Enstick, from Ballurat,
and Caffyn, from the Leopold team, the
four being good serviceable men. St. Kilda
are a very strong side, and popular selec
tions have been made for the positions
of captain and viee-captain in Lever and
Harris respectively. It looks, to be such
an even side that the . committee is ex
periencing a difficulty in narrowing the
number down to eighteen for to-morrow s
match. Intense disappointment lias fol
lowed the refusal of the Association to
grant M'Namara his permit, but he is put
ting in good service as. coach. Having
seen the team several times at practice, 1
think the only weak point is. the centre.
The players generally are physically fit, and
doing fine systematic work. l=t is probable
that the team will not be olioson until
to-day. At a meeting of players last night
V. Belcher was appointed captain and H.
Kelly vice-captain. .
Carl ten have the following old players
available: — Ilruce, Bacquie, Challis, Valen
tine. Clancy, Wilson, Morclibanks. Ci';een,
Mills, Wells, APDonald, Moraii, Gardiner,
Jamieson, Diek, Triplett and Barningham
That fact in itself should satisfy the elubL
thousands of supporters, but tile commit-
tee has what are regained as stars in
O'Donnell, a follower and half-back;
O'Brien, a big follower and back man, from
Yarraville; and Gibbons, a forward player
and -rover. He - and . O'Donnell are local
juniors. It was staled that supporters
weit- interesting themselves to retain
M'Grogor, but the committee has shown 110
interest in that direction. Barningham
and Ma'rclibanks have not yet started to
train in earnest, aiid Bruce has had only
a few runs. They will be ripe for the fray
Inter, although Bruce may play to
morrow. Essendon selected their team
last night. It is Armstrong, Bel
cher. Baring. Bowe, Chalmers. Came,
Griffiths, Hanley, Kirby. Kirkwood.
Ogden. Sewart. White, Walker, Low
ell, Martin, Donaldson and MLcod.
The two new 111011 are juniors; LowrM is
a centre player from Hawthorn, and Don
aldson is from Elsternwiek. P. Shea bus
gone to Western Australia, and 0 Brien in
tends playing in Hallarul. ,
Collingwond has Anderson, Ambler, Gibo,
Gilchrist, Green. Gray, Hughes, Jackson,
Lowe. Laxton, Mutch, Minoguo, Mounsey,
M'Hale, Rowell, llowan. Sadler, Shorten,
Seddon and Wilson of last year's team. The
committee could therefore close its book
against further entries. There is. however,
such a thing an misfortune, and Colling-
wood's toll of injured last season was very
heavy. The committee would place its
choice of new men and juniors 'against
those of any other club for favorable com
parison. There is R. Gibb (Hawthorn),
Andrews (Brunswick), Cordner (Geelong),
Fielding (South Bendigo). Goodall (South
Melbourne), Huntington (Coburg), M'Don
ald (Fitzroy), Stott (Prahran), and Sewers
(Minyip). The majority of these will he
included in the 30. Players have again
chosen M'Hale to lead tliern. The season
looks very bright for the club. Their .op
ponents to-morrow, Melbourne, will be
found a smart lot, and they will bring into
this season the much improved form of
last year, for last season's men ari> all doing
well at practice. Brereton, Harris and
Lane will not be playing, but the club lias
a prize in Millhouse, the great South Aus
tralian all-round athlete, whose particular
forte is football. The following are among
those who are almost sure to he included
in the playing strength:— T. Lugton
(Nortlicote), Armstrong and Watt,
M'Dougall (Beverley), Lilley (Elstern
wiek), George (Miteham), L. and C. Brady
(Birregnrra), D. Chapman '(Essendon), Jor
dan (Elsternwiek), and Angwin, (Western
Australia). Membership "tickets are sell
ing very well, and the team views tlie
prospdets as the best since the premiership
year.
Fitzroy are a contented, in fact a happy,
body, for the club bus a strong fighting
force. Two players at least who contem
plated retiring have, to use a colloquialism,
smelt the leather," and it lias been too
strong for them. M'Lomian is one and
Biusst the other.. to say nothing of lTnldcn,
and they ull will lie playing, although per
haps not to-morrow. The fact of their re
turn in itself is -very- comforting to sup
porters. Campbell and Holmes arc the
only likely absentees from those who were
in the team last season. Toohey and Ridd,
both from Western Australia, are playing
well; and in Milieu (eentreman), Fowler
(hack), Wells (Richmond), Porter (a
former plnycr), Downes (wing) and others
the club has a strong brigade of new men.
Their opponents, University, will he with
out Gray and Kerr, but both will he
in the team to-morrow week. McIlroy, from
the Civil Service, is regarded as a good
rover and back man, and he is in the team.
Brady, the young Bendigo law student, and
a fast, clean footballer, will not he down
until later in the season; and E. R.
Cordner will be away for some time on
holidays. The club is awaiting the clear
ance of Jones,' from Western Australia.
The absentees for the opening -games, it
will be noted, arc good players; but the
club has a strong reserve, a number of
tbese being fresh and vigorous college
hoys. Hurry has been selected as cai>-
tuin, with J. Hurry vice-captain. .
With the premier team in their . dis
trict, Richmond has had 110 occasion to
do much scouting for pluyors; Herbert,
last year's tine follower, lias been .several
weeks in hospital through an injury to
his face, and he so far has only gone on
to the field as a goal umpire in practice
gumes. AInhony, the talented rover, who
has returned from Adelaide, is quite him
self 011 practice form. Ricketts hns de
cided to go back to Richmond, but he will
not be playing until to-morrow week. The
new secretary, Mr. W. Lolisc, is keen
after the club's welfare. E. Jenkins, cx-
Fitzroy captain, is ciiaeh. The players
selected arc Herbert, Olilscn, Maybury,
Love, Thorpe, lloaney, Burns, Walker,
Farrell, Mahoney, ltceves, Oliver. Aloffnlt,
James, Jones, Morgan, Keggin, M'CasIiricy,
Richardson, Heath. Hall, Leonard, Al'Kcn-
dry, Danks, Rennolds, Wilson and two
others.
The secretary of Geelong Mr. C. Brown-
low, in 0110 of his merry moments, stated
that the. team would be the best for forty
years. All will admit that the secretary's
enthusiasm has carried him too far back,
for we know too well Geelong teams of
fifteen to twenty years ago. That the team
will be a strong one there can be no
doubt. Slater would receive a good recep
tion if lie returned to the club-, and I am
sure lib would he one of the team. A great
junior goal kick in Brownlccs will be plny-
ing, and "Jack" Baker, the old Carlton,
anil Gcclong player, sends along his son
ns a contribution to the team, and a
smart youth lie- ' is; M'Carlcr, a hack
player; James, who was in the. colors a
few years ago; Cantlin; from Birregnrra,
are all numbered .in the team, and probably
it is a consolation .to supporters to know
that Scown will again be one of the wing
men. '
Two old rivals— Footscray and Wil-
liamstown — meet to-morrow. Ogilvic and
Gregory have retired, and llorth-
wiek has gone to . Broken Hill,
while it is not likely that Elliott will
he playing for Footscray. These are the
chief men away. Another Ogilvic, however,
goes in the team, lie coming from Chariton.
Cassidy, who coached the premier Sydney
team, and who is related to Fobtscray'a
trainer, lias been selected, likewise Black
and Lawson, from Williamstown; Schade
from Richmond, -Dunne from Adelaide (who
lias yet to get his clearance across), and
Neilson from Hawthorn. It will be a
strong side. In the Williamstown team
most of the old faces will be seen. Room
will be made for Barnes (available Satur
day week) from Adelaide, Potts from I'Ye-
mantle, Grant trom Melbourne City, and
O'Halrowan and Cowen. Reitman is cap- ,
tain, and Amy vice-eaptairi.
At Toorak Park tlicrc should bo a large
attendance, for both the home team and
Brighton are much stronger than last year.
Prnliran's secretary knows all the. ropes,
and he has succeeded in securing Kerr, the
cx-Soutli Melbourne rover, a player who
is always active and keen, and knows ns
much about the game as 80 per ccr.t. of
those playing. Bant, Woods and Pain are
players new to the club, but well seasoned
in football. "Malice" Johnson, who will
be captain, is playing well at practice. Two
half forwards in Fanning and Davis will
be included in the first 30 players. Brigh
ton will he led by N. Clark, the ex-Carl ton
plnycr. and a keen judge of football and
players. . J. Dowdifig is vice-captain. Hen
derson (follower), Dawson (follower), Gill
(forward), Moid (rover), Maguire (for
ward), Bickman (rover and forward), Mar
riott, Burley and Smith are the new
players, most of whom are juniors of great
promise. Clark will mould them into form.
G. Knight has also returned.
Melbourne City, coached by J. Smith,
meet North Melbourne, and the club has
gone in for a host of juniors who are re
garded as very promising. Among the new
players are Gilnert from Footscray. \\ al-
ince 1'ronV Brighton.. Lane from Railway
United, Jorston. Miller and Sager. Mel
bourne juniors, Bigncll. O'Connor, Green-
hill und Byrne from the Victoria Brewery,
and Schneider from the Fitzroy Juniors.
The committee lias decided not to grant
clearances to any players whose services
they wish to retain. Haying sueh a pro
mising teiiin, the club believes that it can
strongly appeal for support. North -Mel
bourne, with M'Grogor .in the team, and
practically all of last year's men available,
should again have a great chance for the
premiership. Montgomery, of Soutn Yarra,
is likely to be iri the team, and 1. Gibucy,
but Speakman lias left. .
Northcote committee lias singled out
White, Waldron and Paynter us being
among the best of the new players for in
clusion iti to-morrow's team. Tt is expected
that the forwards will bp strengthened by
Clements, old certainly, hut still accurate
in kicking for goal. C. Hammond will not
be playing for some weeks as lie is not yet
in form, and supporters hope that Billelt
will have sufficiently recovered from Ins
accident to enable 'him to play. J., John
son has the prospective team plavmg well
together, and the members will elect him
captain again. Essendon 1 will I be i .coached
by T. Sovior. The loss of D. AI'Nnmara is
great, but the club is liomng that Uarltc
will rise to the opportunity that now pre
sents itself and will continue to kick even
more goals. The team otherwise will not
have many changes.
M'Kenzio bus been re-elected captain,
and Chase is viee-captain or Brunswick,
wliere the committee is in the satisfactory
position of having all of last season s noen
at command. Tnc new players arc v\ ih
son, a fine nil round man from Bunyiji;
1 Parsons, wing man from . Richmond;
Eennie, who plnyed several fair games for
' Richmond last season; and Wells and
Freeman, followers. Hie team is a . happy
bodv, and the season will be opened miuei
the "best auspices. Port, Melbourne s out
look" is regarded as satisfactory, and rt
practice form be maintained the club will
jc much nearer the premiership than they
were last season.
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