ADVICE BY KILBY

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 38, 13 August 1932, Page 24

ADVICE BY KILBY

m. —. ■ Frank: KUby, the brainy little halfback and captain of the AH Blacks, was a bit. puzzled "when asked to give tho secrets of his foqtball success (states the Sydney wEeferee")j' But when he finally settled down to his subject he at once proved that he is a keen student of the game—a fact which he had shown in his Sydney displays. This is what Kilby had to say: "To my mind the first essential of the half-back is the ability to pass quickly and accurately from the scrum or ruck. This particularly applies to the/Onion code, where* the breakaway forwards arp on top of the half and five-eighth in a flash.. It is imperative that tho ball be thrown.out quickly and,accurately if: back line movements, are going to have any chance cfc success. Therefore the half who makes two actions in picking up and passing must invariably lose that split second, to the detriment of the movement. • ... "The first thing I instill into' the juniors—I do some coaching in New Zealand—is that the ball 'musfoe gathered and passed in one movement quickly and accurately. This I'consider, to be one of the most important factors in half-back play, and one often overlooked when coaching promising -youngsters. After a time this will become quite mechanical. And little less important is the understanding the half must have with firstly his forwards, and secondly his first five-eighth. Tho forwards must work with the half and he must be certain that when required theyi will hold the ball in the second rank, wheel it or heel it smartly. Unless the half works with this understanding chaos is the inevitable result. "Equally as important is understanding with tho five-eighth, who mnst be able to turn the attack to the blind side or open as the half decides. This understanding is largely a personal one and born of quick thinking. If matters not how the understanding is obtained —whether by signs or call. But it must exist. Too often we see a five-eighth fooled by misunderstanding with his half. That pair is rarely a dangerous attacking unit. "Many things cannot be taught to the aspiring half. So many decisions must be arrived at ori the spot and circumstances alter things so materially that tho half must be a. man of quick decisions. He must think quickly and act quickly. And Unless that understanding with tho forwards on the one hand and the five-eighth on tho other is perfect, he will find himself in constant trouble. "And just a word in conclusion. Don't think that once the ball is out to tho five-eighth that your job is done. It has only just started. You must back up your three-quarters—have you watched Sid Malcolm do this?—and' lie ready to fill in" attack or defence. In short,' you must be thinking all tho time—and thinking for your team." The following tribute to New Zealand Bugby teams appeared in-"The Wellington Times" after the 1932 All Blacks had played their last match:— "Tho deeds of New Zealand footballers are emblazoned on the scroll of fame, so far as Union football is concerned. In years past they were great players, and to-day it is the same. The wearers of the silver fern have taken part in some hectic games, and have also tasted the bitterness of defeat, but they have always gone down with colours flying, and probably in the very next game have retrieved the laurels lost of yesterday.'?