Kilkelly grew up on the West Coast playing for the Brunner club.
[3] He captained Canterbury in 1956 and played home tests against Great Britain in 1958 and France in 1960.
He also toured Australia in 1959 and went to Great Britain as part of the 1960 World Cup squad.
He retired from international football after the World Cup, having played in 30 games including eleven test matches.
[3] Midway through the 1957 season Kilkelly had returned the Brunner club in the West Coast Rugby League competition and he finally represented his home province in 1957.