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The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review October 1911

Football Club

page 60

Football Club.

Once again the College seniors are the holders of the "wooden spool" —a fact, no doubt, which scarcely needed mention. But a fact that is worth mentioning is this: two championship matches have been won. Think of it—two wins and a draw, and several close fights with some of the leading teams. That deserves a little credit—it's a record that will more than bear comparison with that of any other year. At all events what disgrace attaches to the last place on a football ladder, when the team that ends up there has contrived, through thick and thin, at times with the pick of its men absent, on tour or out of action, always to face its opponents and put up a clean and willing fight.

Though it is to be regretted that at no time were there more than three teams in the field, and at the end of the season only two, yet, in spite of that, we might almost say the Club has had a successful season the first place, coupled with the improved showing in the senior matches, is the pleasant fact I hat in addition to the Canterbury match, an inter-college match was played this year with Auckland. There is reason to feel pleased with the victory which resulted though it must be admitted that the team which so nearly headed the list in the Auckland Championship competitions was weakened when playing in Wellington, by the inclusion of some four or five junior players. The same, of course, was true of the team representing Victoria College in Christchurch—must be true of any University College team on tour. But yet another very pleasing feature of the year has been the fostering of the spirit, not only of inter-College, but further of inter-University competition, by the sending a a New Zealand University representative team to play a return match in Sydney against the men of the Sydney University. It will be remembered that the latter were very successful in their tour of New Zealand in 1909—at least in their match with Victoria College; but on the occasion of their Australian visit the New Zealanders succeeded in turning the tables on them, beating them in both matches, losing, however, to Metropolitan. Victoria College were represented by six men, some of whom were among the most conspicuous figures of the team.

page break
Senior Football Team, 1911.

Senior Football Team, 1911.

page 61

The inclusion of Ryan in the team selected to represent Wellington against Auckland was a well-merited honour which may, perhaps, be made to reflect some glory on the Club.

And now there's the same old thing to be said in conelusion. This time let it be in the words of an English hero as he is represented by Tennyson: "And he said, 'Fight on! fight on!'"