AFL Daily: Tim Kelly contract update, rolling footy news for April 29, 2019

Five months ago Tim Kelly wanted a trade but a deal couldn't get done. What's the latest on the Geelong gun's contract situation? Plus Alastair Clarkson's bizarre jumper ban and why we can't ignore booing. Recap all today's footy news. 

Kevin Sheedy has backed Essendon to end its long finals drought this year.

Tim Kelly is in no hurry to make a decision on his football future as his value for interested parties continues to skyrocket.

Cats chief executive Brian Cook said on Sunday the club was keen for an early decision so it could plan the future after Kelly’s aborted trade last year.

The Cats wanted picks 20 and 22 and a swap of their 2019 third-round pick with West Coast’s second-round pick, but the Eagles baulked at that price.

SCROLL DOWN TO RECAP ALL TODAY'S FOOTY NEWS

His manager Anthony van der Wielen was at GMHBA Stadium and spent time with the Kellys over the weekend and the club today.

He is comfortable with Cook’s position but any public statement on another Kelly trade request or otherwise will likely only come at year’s end.

Offered a deal in excess of $500,000 a season last year, Kelly is now one of the AFL’s premier midfielders and has both West Australian clubs chasing him.

West Coast has severe cap issues but Fremantle would pay as much as $800,000 a year for a line-breaking, goalkicking midfielder of his calibre.

Tim Kelly

Tagged for the second time this year, he was able to lay 11 tackles to go with his 18 possessions as Mark Hutchings attempted to apply the clamps.

“We are very comfortable with where it’s at with the club,” Van der Wielen said.

“It is no surprise the Cats are interested and want to keep him. I just left Geelong and had a good discussion. We are having open dialogue with them all the time and everyone knows where it sits.

“It’s very early in the season. We are not engaging with anyone else. We talk to them but we are only interested in his happiness and welfare. We will deal with it when the time is appropriate.”

THE TACKLE: ROBBO'S LIKES, DISLIKES FROM ROUND 6

SUPERCOACH: ULTIMATE ROOKIE REPORT CARD

Cook told K Rock on Sunday the club would like to sign Kelly before the end of the year.

“We’re not waiting until the end of the year because we’d love a decision before then,” he said.

“We’re very determined to give it our best shot to keep him. Whether that’s good enough, who knows. We’ll know sometime during the year. Hopefully not at the end of the year.”

The Cats and Geelong are happy to wait until deep into the season before discussing Ablett’s future after a pair of match-winning performances.

Ablett is in no rush for a decision, aware his performances across the entire year will be factored in as he and the club discuss whether he plays on again.

RECAP ALL TODAY’S AFL NEWS IN THE BLOG BELOW