Plural of halfback; players in football or rugby positioned between the forward line and the goalkeeper, responsible for defense and launching attacks.
Compound of 'half' and 'back,' coined in sports terminology during the 19th century to describe players positioned at a mid-point in the field, neither fully forward nor fully back.
The position 'halfback' is a masterpiece of English naming—coaches literally looked at the field, saw players who were 'half-way back' from the action, and the name stuck for over 150 years.
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