Will Kelly (Australian footballer)

Will Kelly
Personal information
Date of birth	(2000-08-16) 16 August 2000 (age 23)
Original team(s)	Oakleigh Chargers
Draft	No. 29, 2018 AFL draft, Collingwood
Debut	10 July 2020, Collingwood  vs. Hawthorn, at GIANTS Stadium
Height	194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	84 kg (185 lb)
Position(s)	Defender
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2019–2023	Collingwood	5 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2023 season.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Will Kelly (born 16 August 2000) is an Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Son of Craig Kelly, who played for Collingwood in the VFL/AFL, he played for the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup before he was drafted with pick 29 in 2018 under the father–son rule.

Junior and state football

Kelly played junior football for the Glen Iris Gladiators in the Yarra Junior Football League, making over 100 appearances for them. ^[1] He played at his school, Scotch College, mostly as a forward. ^[2] Kelly also played under-18s football for the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup, before getting selected by Collingwood. ^[3] In 2017, he played only one game for Oakleigh Chargers. ^[3] The next year he found his niche and helped lead the Oakleigh Chargers to the Grand Final, ^[3] which they lost to the Dandenong Stingrays by four points. ^[4] He played his last four games of the season with a stress fracture in his ankle. ^[5] His performance also led to him representing Vic Metro in the 2018 AFL Under 18 Championships, ^[6] playing all four games. ^[3] During the 2019 AFL season, his first season on Collingwood's books, Kelly made four appearances with the club's Victorian Football League (VFL) side. ^[7]

AFL career

Kelly was drafted by Collingwood with the 29th draft pick in the 2018 AFL draft, under the father–son rule, ^[5] with Collingwood matching Adelaide's bid. ^[8] Like team-mates Josh Daicos and Callum Brown, Kelly decided not to wear his father's guernsey number, picking a new number. ^[9] Kelly debuted for Collingwood in Round 6 of the 2020 AFL season, in the club's 32-point victory over Hawthorn. ^{[10] [11]} collecting five disposals and kicking a goal. ^[12] Unfortunately he dislocated his elbow, and missed the rest of the season. ^{[13] [14]} In October 2023, he was delisted by the club, having played only five games in five seasons. ^[15]

Playing style

Kelly is an athletic tall defender who can play one-on-one and negate his opponent. He has modelled his game on Collingwood team-mate, Jeremy Howe. ^[5]

Personal life

Kelly is the son of former Collingwood premiership player Craig Kelly. ^{[7] [16]} His brother, Jake, played football in the Australian Football League after Collingwood passed on drafting him. ^{[17] [18]}

Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2023 season. ^[19]

Legend

G	Goals	K	Kicks	D	Disposals	T	Tackles
B	Behinds	H	Handballs	M	Marks

Season	Team	No.	Games	Totals							Averages (per game)
				G	B	K	H	D	M	T	G	B	K	H	D	M	T
2019	Collingwood	27	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2020 [lower-alpha 1]	Collingwood	27	1	1	1	4	1	5	2	0	1.0	1.0	4.0	1.0	5.0	2.0	0.0
2021	Collingwood	20	2	0	0	6	5	11	4	0	0.0	0.0	3.0	2.5	5.5	2.0	0.0
2022	Collingwood	20	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2023	Collingwood	20	2	0	0	9	4	13	6	2	0.0	0.0	4.5	2.0	6.5	3.0	1.0
Career			5	1	1	19	10	29	12	2	0.2	0.2	3.8	2.0	5.8	2.4	0.4

Notes

1. The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

1. "2018 AFL Draft". Yarra Junior Football League. 26 November 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
2. "Will Kelly drafted to Collingwood". Scotch College. 28 November 2018.
3. Waterworth, Ben (11 November 2018). "AFL draft 2018: Will Kelly reveals the crucial footy lessons his dad and brother have taught him". Fox Sports . Retrieved 16 July 2020.
4. "AFL draft: Oakleigh Chargers deliver record haul from a TAC Cup club". Herald Sun . 25 November 2018.
5. "Welcome to Collingwood: Will Kelly". Collingwood . Telstra Media. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
6. "Ben Silvagni and Will Kelly named in Vic Metro squad". Herald Sun . 7 June 2018.
7. Cleary, Mitch (8 July 2020). "Pies to pick father-son debutant after week of turmoil". Australian Football League . Telstra Media . Retrieved 16 July 2020.
8. Cleary, Mitch (23 November 2018). "Pies match Crows bid to secure father-son pick". Australian Football League . Telstra Media.
9. Phelan, Jennifer (25 November 2018). "'My own path': Kelly forgoes dad's number". Collingwood . Telstra Media.
10. Cherny, Daniel (9 July 2020). "Hawks and Magpies turn to the kids". The Age .
11. McGowan, Marc (10 July 2020). "Horror fortnight ends as Pies punish Hawks in new low for Clarko". Australian Football League . Telstra Media . Retrieved 16 July 2020.
12. Ratcliffe, Damien (10 July 2020). "As it happened: Easy win for Pies, Kelly injured on debut". The Age .
13. Morris, Tom (11 July 2020). "Pies' father-son gun Will Kelly set to miss rest of 2020 season". Fox Sports . Retrieved 16 July 2020.
14. Otto, Tyson (11 July 2020). "AFL 2020: Hawthorn set 94-year club record low in Collingwood mauling". news.com.au . Retrieved 16 July 2020.
15. Sutton, Ben (26 October 2023). "Collingwood set to delist Will Kelly, son of CEO Craig Kelly". Seven News.
16. Gleeson, Michael; Cherny, Daniel (8 July 2020). "Kelly's Magpie debut leaves Cox in the gun". The Age . Retrieved 16 July 2020.
17. "Pies won't make same Kelly mistake twice". Herald Sun . 15 November 2018.
18. Quayle, Emma (27 November 2013). "Magpies pass over Jake Kelly in rookie draft". The Age . Retrieved 18 October 2017.
19. "Will Kelly statistics". AFL Tables. Retrieved 3 October 2023.

External links

• Will Kelly's profile on the official website of the Collingwood Football Club
• Will Kelly's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Will Kelly at AustralianFootball.com