N.Z.'s Snowy-headed Little Boy

NZ Truth, Issue 1229, 20 June 1929, Page 16

N.Z.s Snowy- headed Little Boy

THOSE who were certain" they ■ could pick the; captain, of the All Blacks, were just as certain that ;the honor of vice-captain would be handed -out* to .Bill Dalley'; the snowy,-headed Canterbury halfback. '.""■•_ •' ,■'''''' : Bill Dalley ! plays for Old Boys m Christchurch. He came' into prominence, m the tria.l. .game's" -prior . to. selection ' m 1924, ! and at that time lie was considered to be the'superior of Jimmy Mill, the brilliant half from Hawkes Bay. In' the early games of the tour, Dalley' held to the .position, but gradually the* main games went to Mill. As the -result of that tour, Dalley returned to ; the Do- • minion a muchi improved player, and that improvement has continued, until.; to-day, Dalley ranks amongst the first flight of half-backs produced m New Zealand. ' ' ' When it came to selecting the team for South Africa,- Dalley. had little difficulty m gaining first favor with- the selectors for the half position. Kilby, of * Wellington, was chosen as second fiddle*, to. "Dalley. Kilby was injured, and Dalley had of necessity to face the . music m practically every game. He is of \the solid type and the harder the game the more Dalley revels m his work. In the recent Trial match m Wellington, the Canterbury lad gave evidence that " tlie* intervening five, years since he first won the : highest ; Rugby honors 'his country can bestow have m no way marred his skill and brilliancy as a halfback. ..There, will be so pie har,d games m Australia, and if credence can be given to the" reports to hand concerning the standard ot football on the 'other side, then Porter will be ; more than *• pleased- he has 1 * the as- ' sistance of popular.Bill Dalley. The Rugby history of New Zealand" contains 'the name's, of 'some • wonderful halves, and it is m the ) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 II M 1 1 1 1 ) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 tl 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ■ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ( 1 1 1 1 1 M 1 1 >> 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 M 1 1 1 r 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <- M l l l l l l l l l l l l

•mio*st of these, that ;Bilf Dalley* mustfigbre. r ..'.''•'•'' Dalley was ; a- mere * lad ; when ■ he

won his representative , SPUI'S. 'and : , as, youth -is still with him he is sure to , be on hand to' do his bit against the British team. next year. If such is. -the case this year's star half will be' setting up a splendid record as an International player. niiiiniiHiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiniiiiiiiiniiinniHiuiMuiiHiiuiiiHiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii