Collingwood draft Will Kelly, son of 1990 premiership hero Craig Kelly

Collingwood premiership hero Craig Kelly believes his son, Will, will be a better player than he ever was because he doesn’t possess any of the bizarre tactics he used to use.

Collingwood premiership star Craig Kelly has no doubt his son Will is going to thrive as a Magpie.

Why? He has all the athletic attributes Kelly lacked and none of the niggling tactics he was forced to fall back on.

“He is better by a mile,’’ said Kelly after the Pies matched Adelaide’s bid for the father-son candidate.

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“He can run, he can mark and he can kick and he doesn’t pinch and carry on like an idiot so he is better than me.”

Kelly became the 29th pick of this year’s draft, with Adelaide’s bid to lure him to play alongside brother Jake always going to fall short.

In truth ESP founder Kelly had more talent than he will admit, but son Will has a more rounded intercept and rebound game as a defender.

Collingwood draftee Will Kelly with his father, Magpies premiership player Craig Kelly and mother Meredith. Picture: Michael Klein

The Oakleigh Chargers 196cm tall was forced to wait into the second day of the draft, calming his mind with a night of Netflix when sleep eluded him on Thursday.

But with coach Nathan Buckley backing in list manager Ned Guy’s determination to secure the son of the 1990 premiership defender, he was always going to find his way to the Pies.

At pick No.77 the Pies selected Atu Bosenavulagi, a next generation academy small forward of Fijian heritage who counts Pies identity “Joffa” Corfe as a second grandpa.

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The Pies paid less for Quaynor and Kelly than they had expected, allowing them to trade out a mid-60s pick this year and turn it into a 2019 fourth-round pick.

Kelly will face a delayed start to the pre-season after foot surgery but his father was thrilled he was finally able to get to the Pies.

“The club wasn’t sure what was going to happen with Isaac, if he went early and what happened them with going into (points) deficit but Ned Guy and Derek (Hine) were terrific and Bucks was pretty keen to have a look at it,’’ Craig Kelly said.

Will Kelly is a Magpie. Picture: Michael Klein

“They were pretty keen to do the deal and it was just a matter of what they had to give up.“

Kelly said despite perceptions about the Pies overlooking elder son Jake, their willingness to play him in the VFL late in his draft year had actually paved the way for him to find his way to Adelaide.

Will Kelly might need to bide his time in the VFL to put on size.

But the Pies, already without a first-rounder next year, won’t go into points deficit given the picks they gave up for him and Kelly were around what they had anticipated.

“It’s an awesome time and I can’t wait to get started,” Will Kelly said.

“I knew Adelaide were interested in me so if anyone was going to do it, it would have been them.

“I have known for a while Collingwood were interested but I didn’t know for certain until today so I guess it’s been like a lot of the other boys just waiting.

“Obviously there is a bit of pressure with the fan attention (being a Kelly) but everyone goes into the club wanting to put their best foot forward.

“I am like every other draftee who wants to put in the work and get a game.”

Originally published as Collingwood draft Will Kelly, son of 1990 premiership hero Craig Kelly