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The Spike: or, Victoria College Review 1912

[Review of the Football club]

"Tout est perdu fors Vhonneur!"

Man kicking rugby ball towards goal posts

Looking back over the past year's play, one is apt to ask oneself wearily how much longer it will be before we follow Otago University's example and make our way up the Rugby ladder. And yet all through life the fellow at the bottom has always been the best of ports. You must often have noticed that yourself. While others climb and climb towards the goal of their ambition, he philosophically sips his pint and smokes his pipe and moralises. So let it be with College. Although we are still very close to the foot of the ladder, we have played the game, and played it cleanly. And in these clays, when professionalism is gradually advancing in public favour, there is only one thing that will turn the tide—clean football.

It were vain repetition to unearth the long list of defeats and the—alas—much shorter list of victories, and to discuss the merits and demerits of the players. That has been done more or less generously by the daily papers. What is more to the point is to discover our weaknesses and sec if they cannot be remedied next year; and so, Mr. Editor, with your kind indulgence, 1 shall briefly touch on a few points that came under my personal observation.

First, there is the question of selection. Was the selection carried out in accordance with the motion passed at the annual meeting? No, I think not. And could not the teams be published earlier in the week? To this latter cause alone is due the fact that on several occasions, in both Senior, Junior, and Third grade games, we were forced to take the field with anything from eleven men upwards.

page 84

Another important point is one that I have consistently urged in the columns of the Spike. Let us follow the lead of the Cricket Club, and hold our annual meeting early. Let us get into some sort of training before our first match. A good start is half the battle.