RECRUITING FOR RESERVE GRADE TEAM 
(By "Rover")

Reports are coming in the Griffith Aussie Rules Club of new players for this season, so the chances of obtaining a good reserve grade team are daily growing brighter.
However, the question of the formation of such a competition has not yet come before the Association, with the result that no programme can be mapped out with any certainty until that has been done.
Some idea of the extent of the competition can be gauged, however, from a casual study of the other teams.
Narrandera, devoted solely to Australian Rules football, should be able to field a second eighteen without any trouble whatsoever, and a classy team at that.
In previous years there has been some sought of competition between reserves teams in the Leeton area, and a large number of players of the game in the district.  Whether the Leeton teams will in the event of a more extensive Association competition, amalgamate to form one team or remain separate as at present, remains to be seen. Nevertheless, some good football may be expected from that quarter in either event.
The possibility of Whitton and Darlington Point fielding two teams does not seem likely, as both are rather sparsely populated districts and the task of raising over thirty-six should be no small one.  
With regard to the local problem, there is no reason why the organisation of an excellent reserve team should be difficult. Some years ago, spirited enthusiasm existed among players in a local competition including Hanwood, Warburn and Griffith, and many more of these players must still be in the district.
Hence, with new and existing players, and those champions of the previous competitions, there should be ample scope for the building up of thirty-six class footballers.
The absence of a coach for the seniors of last year was keenly felt, so that a proposal for the enlistment of a non-playing coach was carried by a motion at the annual meeting some time ago. With two teams operating the coach's problem will be a big one, and he will need the willing co-operation of all players.
It is with regret that the resignation of the newly elected treasurer, Mr. Doug Roach, is announced. It is hoped that he enjoys many a Melbourne League match during his sojourn there.
(The Area News - Tuesday March 7, 1939)

MOVE FOR SUNDAY FOOTBALL
(By "Rover")

Australian Rules football clubs between Junee and Griffith have been requested to hold their annual meeting before March 15 next, when they are invited to send delegates to a meeting to be held at the Star Hotel, Narrandera, at 10.13 a.m.
The meeting has been called by the South Western District Football League and the business set down: - To consider re-forming the S.W.D.F.L Line competition for Sunday football this season.
Last week brought news from the South Western District Football League of a scheme afoot to form one large association combining all teams from Griffith to Junee. To further investigate possibilities in this direction a meeting of all club delegates has been called for to-morrow morning at Narrandera.
If this association is formed, a number of problems will follow its amalgamation.
Last year Griffith players paid their own travelling fares to all matches away from home. Their spur was "love of the game" - of such was built a premiership team. However, increased expenditure in the larger competition would be too much to expect players to pay, so that some new financial arrangement would have to be made. Move over, individual clubs may not be in the position to pay their players expenses until the completion of at least one home match, hence the matter appears to be an association one and not a club concern. Travelling time is another problem.
Looking some years into the future, one can see this large association stretching from Junee to Griffith, while around it has grown numerous small competitions consisting of teams which found it inconvenient to join the main. "The old order changeth" the big teams may collapse, and times will turn back to the days of small local competition that flourished around Griffith some years ago.
Yet the formation of such an association has much to recommend it. The standard of play should rise considerably, enthusiasm maybe expected to run high, and much public interest should be created. The question of finance should be readily settled if a good public following is obtained.
Football trains running from here to Junee will connect with a considerable amount of rail traffic on the main Inter-State line, so that a good passenger list will be probable.
The team that runs out premiers of such an association may indeed pride itself of being first-class exponents of Australian National Football.
The club extends greetings to Syd. Stevenson, late of Albury Rovers, who expects to be in Griffith for some considerable time; it is anticipated that he will do a lot for the game here.
Arthur Holt is said to be a probable player for this season. Coming from a footballing family he is not likely to drop the game for some years.
At the next meeting of the Club, to be held tonight, one of the duties necessary will be the election of a new treasurer to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Doug Roach, so that all players and officials are invited to roll up. (The Area News - Tuesday March 14, 1939)

LEETON DISTRICT BODY COULD DO THE JOB
(By "Rover")

The Australian Rules Football code is facing a most important development in connection with the proposed South-Western District Competition, and there are many factors to be considered in making a decision upon this question.
Re-formation of the South-Western District Line Competition has received no impetus up to date, in fact nothing can be done until the Leeton District Football Association holds its annual meeting on April 5. It is expected that important decisions will be reached on that night and the fate of the local association will be settled.
From information gleaned at the meeting of South-Western delegates at Narrandera last Wednesday the attitude of the reformers apparently is to disrupt enough of the L.D.F.A. to form a good South-Western Competition and leave the remainder for the crows to pick.
For the past three years the South-Western Competition has been in abeyance and the clubs concerned have attached themselves to other associations. Ganmain is with the Wagga Competition, on condition that it does not withdraw to join any other existing associations except the South-West, thus denying Ganmain an opening in the L.D.F.A.  Junee is in the same Association, but due to financial ties with Wagga cannot withdraw to another competition at the present time. Thus, the suggested new South Western zone will carry with it these financial troubles. On the other hand, there is the L.D.F.A.'s sound financial position.
If, however, the L.D.F.A. remained and included the South Western teams Association finance would be sound, but of course Junee and Ganmain could not join.
The Griffith Club would prefer to see the L.D.F.A. flourish on the lines of previous years and would be disappointed to see any of its erstwhile association opponents fall by the wayside due to ambitious projects further east.
Leeton plans a large knock-out competition for its Jubilee Celebrations next month. Teams from surrounding and neighbouring associations will be invited to complete. Such an early start should give Australian Rules a big boost in the Riverina and augers well for a successful season.
Organised training will be starting shortly, and it is hoped to put the local boys on their toes by arranging a few scratch matches with nearby teams. Nothing has been done yet to form a reserve team, but the scheme will be taken in hand after the Association meeting on April 5.
(The Area News - Tuesday March 21, 1939)

FLYING START - TRAINING COMMENCES TO-NIGHT   
(By "Rover")

The Australian Rules players are getting a flying start for the football season by commencing training to-night at the Showground. Such an early start makes the organisation of scratch matches imperative. Otherwise, there will be eight consecutive nights of training over a period of four weeks without the stimulus created by some competition.  
Hence it is hoped that matches can be arranged with Darlington Point, Binya and Merriwagga on the few Sundays that are yet available before the season opens.
Invitations have already been sent out to Merriwagga and Binya, but nothing yet been heard concerning their intentions.
Early scratch matches offer more to the teams than mere stimulus, however, for it is here that football sense can be developed more extensively than in a mid-week work out. Training alone gives insufficient experience to the players who may require several games to acquire good form. The selectors task of choosing a team from observations made during practice may well prove difficult as the characteristics, which include temperament and the will to win are not always displayed on the training ground, but necessarily appear in the heat of contest.
There is still a problem of the players who live large distances from Griffith and cannot come to practice. Some of the team's best players come from the outlying areas, and they probably do more training than those in town. However, they may find it inconvenient to attend scratch matches and also give time to the succeeding competition games.
In this case, the selectors sole opportunity to pick the complete team is during the progress of the competition so it is there in the actual field of battle that the final team is chosen.
For the good of all teams concerned it is desirable that some matches be arranged as curtain-raisers to the current season's programme.
At the club meeting to be held this evening after training, one of the vital questions to be discussed will concern insurance of players, and another problem, of course, is the proposed formation of the South Western District Competition.
A cordial invitation is extended to all players, newcomers and old hands to attend at the Showground to-night at 7.30 or earlier and start a successful season with a good roll up. (The Area News - Tuesday March 28, 1939)
 

TURN DOWN SOUTH WEST COMPETITION
(By "Rover")

Australian Rules Clubs of the Area will play a competition on the lines identical with that of last year and will not join the suggested competition extending to Junee.
At the annual meeting of the L.D.F.A. on Wednesday, April 5 it was decided not to join the South Western Competition but to continue last year's association and allow teams along the South West Line to join if they so desired.
This is greatly favoured by the Griffith Club which looks forward to meeting its opponents of last year and renewing old acquaintances.
Training has been in progress for the past fortnight, during which time, Coach Charlie Baker has concentrated the practice on passing, ground play and kicking.
No doubt it is his intention to develop the team in every direction, in order to employ any desired set of tactics at will against opposition. Up to date, the players have received an amount of practice in long kicking and long passing and they are steadily becoming proficient.
The long grass on the showground hampers kicking to some extent, but that should be easily remedied and of course training at night under electric lighting offers conditions foreign to daylight play. However, the artificial lighting develops the habit of making smart decisions using quick judgement and watching the ball - one of the golden rules.
George Redding has struck good form quite early in the year, marking well in the pack and following up with a good regular drop kick. 
Ed. Forrestal is in good condition and is showing some good patches of ground play. 
Stan Green is still capable of turning on the proverbial "tray bit" and is rapidly building up muscle. He is concentrating on high marking and long kicking at present which with some match experience should make him a good rover.
The team's high marker, Fred Savage is training consistently and further developing his long drop kick. Like all big men he has trouble in scooping the ball off the ground, but Coach Charlie Baker is seeing to that part of the game and Fred revels in "putting 'em back".
Amongst the newcomers Roy Graham, Arthur Holt and Cec Little offer possibilities and good things are expected from others who have not yet started training.
The first match this season is to be played on Sunday next against Darlington Point for the Cup donated by Mr. Jim. Theodore. The match should prove an interesting guide to the form of the players and earn a stimulus to both teams. 
(The Area News - Friday  April 14, 1939)