New Leopold coach Luke Kelly on what he has learned from 13 years in AFL and his rise to the bigtime
Luke Kelly heads to local footy with 13 years of AFL knowledge from four coaches. The former Port Adelaide assistant opens up on his journey and reveals the Power connection that helped get him the job.
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Luke Beveridge, Brendan McCartney, Leon Cameron and Ken Hinkley.
They are the AFL coaches that Luke Kelly has soaked up knowledge from like a sponge over the past 13 years in various analyst and coaching roles.
Aspiring to be an AFL head coach himself one day, Kelly’s coaching journey began in Geelong with Geelong Amateur’s under-16 side in division three.
At the Bulldogs, Kelly started off as an analyst where he saw McCartney’s understanding of the game and how to teach. Then he saw first-hand premiership coach Luke Beveridge’s ability to instil belief through storytelling.
Then at GWS, where he started as an analyst before becoming a line coach and then their VFL coach, he saw the community feel – something he will be trying to harness at Leopold.
“Not a lot of people are from Sydney, so it did feel like a local footy club but at AFL level. Leon built a real family sense and made sure that everyone felt like they belonged and had purpose and were growing,” Kelly said.
“And you could see that in the playing group, they were a really tight-knit playing group that really did care for each other and that carries you a long way.
“Leon Cameron was really kind to me and gave me an opportunity to coach in my third year at the Giants, which then I was able to sort of do team defence in our grand final year there.”
Over the past three years he has gained valuable tips from Port Adelaide and ex-Bell Park premiership coach Ken Hinkley’s offensive game plan, coupled with the tough love and soft side he shows his players.
Kelly has also worked under AFL coach in waiting Josh Carr with Port Adelaide’s star studded midfield headlined by Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis.
“To watch Josh Carr bring that midfield group together, I was able to learn a lot from that,” Kelly said.
“So obviously stepping into a team with a really talented midfield, being able to make sure that everyone acknowledges and appreciates everyone else’s strengths. Not everyone’s perfect in all areas, so how can you help them in that area, and then they’ll help you.
Kelly hopes to bring a mix of all of those senior coaches at Leopold.
“‘S---, if I can bring a five per cent blend of all of them at some stage, I’ve been lucky enough to see a nice variation of coaching that have all had success of varying levels,” he said.
I think the beauty of seeing three different programs is I get to come in and really take stock of where they are at, because it is a really strong playing group, a really strong leadership and culture that Garry (Hocking) has put in place, so it clearly doesn’t need an overhaul or anything of that description.
While themes have been central to Beveridge and former Leopold coach Garry Hocking’s repertoire – the latter dressing up as Ted Lasso throughout the GFNL finals series – Kelly might be leaving the costumes in the cupboard.
“I’ll never say never, I think if you talk to the drama teachers at Joeys (St Joseph’s College) I wasn’t much for that side of things,” Kelly joked.
“My partner is a sort of journalist/writer by trade, so we might be better suited in the word space, hopefully I can string a few words together that might help them along the journey and normally let some videos and do the talking to be fair.”
After Port Adelaide opted to freshen up its midfield coaching panel, where Kelly had a big role to play in their stoppage game, he and his partner Erin decided they wanted to move back to Victoria with their nine week old son Harrison.
“Then through a couple of people we know they passed on their contacts to Leopold that I was going to be coming back to Melbourne/Geelong and that’s when they reached out to me,” Kelly said.
One of those people was former Leopold coach Aaron Greaves – a former Port Adelaide assistant and current Carlton coaching and performance manager – who also played a part in getting Garry Hocking to the Lions through their connection at the Power.
“He seems like the powerbroker at the moment,” Kelly said with a laugh.
THOUSANDS OF HOURS
Kelly’s rise into AFL ranks came from dedication and hard work.
He put stats together at the Geelong Falcons and interned in recruiting at the Western Bulldogs until an analyst job popped up.
Kelly put it upon himself to learn elite AFL structures. And that meant pouring over countless hours of vision.
“I’ve probably watched more stoppages than anyone I’ve ever met, watching one after the other and that’s sort of how I learnt the game,” Kelly said.
“I never played at the highest level, so I was always wary that if I’m going to talk to Marcus Bontempelli or look Heath Shaw in the face or have a conversation with Travis Boak, I better know my stuff.
“Thankfully as an analyst that set me up in terms of my knowledge of the game, is just watching thousands of hours of breaking down the game really.”
The highlight of his time in the AFL ranks was the Western Bulldogs’ drought-breaking premiership, and he sees similarities between the Bulldogs and Leopold.
“It was probably one of the more fun coaching groups that I’ve been a part of along the journey and that flows to the players. The players were on the up, we were growing, and then a couple of really important wins along the way in that 2016 season that just allowed the belief to click in,” Kelly said.
“It was a pretty enjoyable journey – and moreso for the fans as well, being able to go to a final training session and there’d be probably 15,000 people. Footscray are a really community club, just like Leopold.
“That is the excitement at Leopold as well, is hopefully getting to the big dance again and bringing bring that whole community along and seeing a big crowd there.”
In time Kelly wants to be back in the AFL as a senior coach.
But he is excited for the challenge ahead at Leopold and his sights are set on bringing this Leopold group more success – and potentially a three-peat.
“Being honest with everyone along the way, when I was 16 years old I said I wanted to be an AFL head coach. There is no timeline on that, I always want to get back there if you are going to do this, do it at the highest level you possibly can,” Kelly said.
“But right now my focus is Leopold and I want to be there as long as needs be to make sure this club sees success and is set up for success.”
Originally published as New Leopold coach Luke Kelly on what he has learned from 13 years in AFL and his rise to the bigtime
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