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JO- SPORT
FOOTBALL'S
FINAL
REHEARSAL
By P. J. MILLARD
With swarms of old and new
I players battling for places in (cams
! for the attractive opening round
j of League football on Saturday
week (May 8), tomorrow's prac-
ticc games arc bound to be keen
and lively. Each will be ol domes
tic character, between sides chosen
(rom the same training list.
For all 11 clubs It will be a
try-out under rigorous match
conditions. Because they have been
rather cramped 011 Ross Gregory
Oval at St. Kilda, South Mel
bourne will play at Northcote (As-
snclntlon) ground tomorrow. Mel
bourne will play nt Norllicoto
ground I near Wcstgarth station)
tomorrow. Melbourne will continue
at Albert Ground, with an cxtrn
game nt Old Scotch. Other League
clubs will practice 011 their own
grounds. Collingwood. Richmond
and North Melbourne staging two
mntclics each. North's second
ijRnie is nt Fleming Pnrk, Enst
Brunswick. , .
During this week-end
training lists will be further cu».
but not drastically, me pruning
knife is being used more sparingly
than usual at this time of the
season. With many players in the
Forces, strong reserves must be
available to nil possible vacancies
when Servicemen arc moved away.
Public Interest promises to be
keener than Inst season. Most League
teams should he stronger, too. due
to the acquisition of an array of
reaclv-mncle interstate footballers and
mnn'v talented Juniors. A higher
standard than in 1942 can be ex
pected— nnd that wns reasonably
high, with Essendon (premiers) dis
playing pre-war form.
MAGPIE PLANS
No more interesting match should
be staged tomorrow than Colllng-
wood's first one for recruits,' at 1
p.m., at Victoria Pnrk. In tt the
club win continue their successful
experiment of 15 men n side, with
no rucks or boundary umpires. Free
kicks are given against the team
putting the ball out-of-bounda. Mag
pies claim that this ensures ft non
stop. open brand of football, with
out crushes or congestion, and en
ables club selectors to watch clearly
the moves of all players in the four
20-tnlnutc quarters.
In Collingwood's main game at 3
p.m.— Regan's 18 v. Pannam s 18— most
of the players destined to appear
in the opening match against North
Melbourne, at Victoria Pnrk, will
be In action. Magpies #aro confident
of rising sharply on the League lad
der, after finishing second last to
Hawthorn last season.
Captftln-conch Reg Garvin has St.
Kilda moving well. They will bo
rendv, for Hnwthom at Toornk Pnrk
on May 8. With new talent nnd
switches, he alms to sharpen half-
rorwnrd and forward linos, upset by
losses. Elsewhere the side looks par
ticularly sound.
Return of rover Kllllgrew (RAN)
will restore the Snlnts' powerful first
ruck, with Garvin and Roy Fountain
following. Fountain is hitting ills
old robust form. Garvin did splen
didly to lift St. Klldn from 11th in
1941 to seventh Inst year— his first
ns conch. Tliev were one of four
teams to bent Dons, the premiers.
DEMON REVIVAL
After n fe:<m season, Melbourne.!
'triple war-time premiers," arc re-
Itallsed. with Jnck Chesscll, their I
new secretary, a driving force, and'
Haying conch Percy Bennies weld
ing an Impressive combination.
Demons should prove worthy of their
nickname this year, and threaten
Fitzroy with hot opposition nt Rich
mond in first round. I
Fltzroy are heartened by their fine
victory over Richmond (1942 runners-
up) in Inst Suturdny's patriotic game
at Richmond. However, absence of
three leading players handicapped
Maroons, who did not turn on effect
ive tenm-work until their finishing
burst. In which stnminn played n|
innjor part. Once they settle down,;
nnd cut out flnnlcky short-passing. I
Fltzroy should be a power. They
cannot afford to hop off on the!
wrong leg against Melbourne. I
Succcbs over Cnrlton lust Sntur- 1
day has increased Dons' confidence'
to cope with South Melbourne nt
Essendon on the opening day. South
were somewhat nt sea on the big
Footscrny Oval Inst Saturday, but
showed that, with their speed and
brilliance, they will be n real danger
to Essendon. 1
Proceeds from Essenclon's practice
game tomorrow go to Mayor of Essen-
don't Patriotic Fund, At half-time
Bill Jost, American Orldlron foot
baller, will throw the hall, nnd com
pete ftgalnRt the long kicking of
Abbott nnd Buttsworth.
After their glittering run of eight '
straight wins in second half of last
season, Cnrlton, who Just missed the
final four on percentage, will not
face Richmond with any misgivings
nt Prince's Oval on May 8.
Dark Blues, who were not at lull
strength, are satisfied with last Satur
day's display. They are toning up
doubtful spots and should he strong
again. Tigers, who appeared short
of a gallop, are not' perturbed nt
their unexpected reverse. They have
the players and arc swinging into
their, stride.
Footscrny, who have the bye on
May 8, look like being strong again, f
under new playing coach Ollivcr.l
Likely full-backs nnd full-forwards
particularly will be tested In Bull
dogs' practice tomorrow when six
short "qunrtcrs" may be played.
North Melbourne nnd Hawthorn nr«
preparing spiritedly, and both are
capable of springing early surprises.
Three Reported Players
Tonight the Victorian Football
League will consider what action.
If any, is to be taken on the noti
fication from Field Umpire Hutchin
son reporting three plnyers as n sequel
to Incidents In the Cnrlton-Essendon
patriotic mntch Inst Saturday.
Plnyers Involved are: Cnssln and Bet-
son (Essendon) nnd Anderson (Carl
ton). Sucli reports, arising from n
pre-senson game, are unprecedented.
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