Family affair as Collingwood shows interest in Adelaide Crows defender Jake Kelly

COLLINGWOOD is understood to be considering making a play for Adelaide defender — and son of a Magpies gun — Jake Kelly.

Collingwood is showing interest in Adelaide’s Jake Kelly. Picture: Sarah Reed.

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COLLINGWOOD is understood to be considering making a play for Adelaide defender Jake Kelly.

While Kelly has a year to run on his contract with the Crows, the Pies are believed to have him short-listed as a possible replacement for Tom Langdon if he joins Sydney.

Langdon — one of Collingwood’s best players in its grand final loss to West Coast — has had a medical with the Swans and has reportedly been offered a six-year deal worth $600,000 a season.

Collingwood is showing interest in Adelaide’s Jake Kelly. Picture Sarah Reed

Kelly’s dad Craig is a Magpies premiership player, having played in their 1990 grand final win.

Recruited from SANFL club Norwood, Craig played 122 games for Collingwood from 1989-96.

Former Collingwood player Craig Kelly with Jason Dunstall in 1995.

Jake was eligible to join the Magpies as a father-son player in 2013 but was overlooked and taken by the Crows at pick 40 at the 2014 rookie draft.

The 23-year-old has played 53 games in five years at Adelaide and was a member of the club’s losing 2017 grand final side.

He played 19 of a possible 22 games this year but did spend time in the SANFL.

Just-retired North Melbourne forward Jarrad Waite told Melbourne radio that Kelly would fit seamlessly into the Collingwood backline.

“He’s a replica of Tom Langdon,” Waite said.

“It’d be a perfect fit for him.”

Kelly's younger brother Will is eligible to be drafted next month and will almost certainly be taken as a father-son pick by the Pies, adding to the intrigue of whether the brothers will be reunited.

Jake this year told The Advertiser that Will had developed nicely and that Collingwood “would be very, very hesitant to let Will go’’.

“He had a really good year and I spoke to him a lot about what to expect in his draft year, giving him little tips here and there,’’ he said.

Adelaide’s pursuit of Richmond small forward Tyson Stengle continues.

The clubs continue to discuss a deal but have yet to come to an agreement.

The Crows believe South Australian Stengle, who has played just two AFL games in two years on the Tigers’ rookie list but has plenty of talent, is worth about a fourth-round draft selection.

They are confident a deal will get done.

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Originally published as Family affair as Collingwood shows interest in Adelaide Crows defender Jake Kelly