Josh Kelly Q&A with Mark Robinson on his commitment to GWS and his contract discussions
GWS star Josh Kelly admits the last time he was out of contract “there were times I thought I was gone” before he re-signed. He’s doing it all again and Mark Robinson finds a passionate man who admits he’s an “indecisive procrastinator”.
GWS
Don't miss out on the headlines from GWS. Followed categories will be added to My News.
GWS star Josh Kelly admits the last time he was out of contract “there were times I thought I was gone” before he re-signed.
He’s doing it all again and Mark Robinson finds a passionate man who admits he’s an “indecisive procrastinator”.
NO DEADLINE: WHEN WILL KELLY DECIDE FUTURE?
ROBBO: DID KELLY MAKE $10 MILLION MISTAKE?
MARK ROBINSON: I was told if I had $500, to put it on you staying at the Giants. I said that’s confident. And this bloke said if he was that confident he would’ve told me to put on $5000. Is it fair to say you’re in a great space with GWS?
JOSH KELLY: No doubt I’m in a great spot. I do feel an ownership within this club. I’m vice-captain. The last time I signed I wasn’t vice-captain. I do feel, in a way, a responsibility to the club. It’s different this time with my contract. The last time it was all the unknown. The offers came, I was out of contract, I had played some solid footy. I thought I knew what I was capable of, and I think I was holding off the first time knowing that. This time round, it’s different. I love it up in here in Sydney, I love the club … I’ve gone off the track a bit there.
MR: So, would it be reasonable to write you will be signing a contract extension with the Giants?
JK: I don’t know the specific answer about whether I will re-sign or not because obviously I haven’t re-signed yet. And for me there’s no perfect decision-making process around staying on. I’ve taken my time with these decisions in the past … it’s not something I will rush in to. When my gut tells me it’s the right time …
MR: What’s the gut leaning towards tight now?
JK: It’s a tough one. My priority has always been to play footy and the (contract) has always been a bit of background noise. But the last time it rolled round there happened to be a bit of hysteria.
MR: There’s always going to be hysteria when a team offers you $11 million over nine years and, I think, $7.5m over five years.
JK: It’s kind of funny reflecting on it now. The Giants knew what I was capable of, I knew what I wanted to be as a footballer and what I still want to be, but then to have another club come after you like that … the justification that other clubs do rate me as a player gave me confidence and, I guess, a bit of a reason to be a better player quicker than I thought I could be.
MR: For a player considering his future at the club, I was surprised to hear you were very inquisitive about who the club was drafting and maybe trading into the club.
JK: No doubt I was inquisitive. I feel like I care about this club, I care about my position in it and where we’re going. I’m a Giants player. I’m in a good position to spend my future here. I care about the draftees we’re bring in. I want to know that we are bringing in the right people who are good footy players that also have the right character so we can build on the culture we’ve created. I want this club to be successful because right now, and a good chance into the future, I’m going to be a Giants player. I want to win premierships and all those little things add up to that.
MR: You didn’t just tell me you’re staying did you, Josh?
JK: Ummm.
MR: Why can’t you say right now, ‘I’m staying’?
JK: It’s a hard question to answer.
MR: Not the way you’re talking.
JK: I can say those things, but when my gut tells me it’s the right decision I will make that decision. If I was to say that right now for the good of making a headline … I feel it’s not the right thing to say right now.
MR: People will read this and believe you’re absolutely invested in the Giants.
JK: I can understand that. I’m passionate about it, I believe in this footy club. Going on why I haven’t signed, I’ve always been patient with these decisions. Last time round, it was all new and I waited all year. There were times when I was leaving, times when I was sure I was staying, and then it was back the other way. At the end of the day I will know when the time is right.
MR: The $11 milion offer from North Melbourne was astronomical for a 23-year-old and you knocked it back. From that position, is it fair to say money is not a priority for you?
JK: It’s a factor, but I never played footy for the money. I never grew up thinking about the contracts and money which came with football. It’s a perk on the sidelines.
MR: A good perk.
JK (laughing) yeah, it’s a good perk. I understand it’s important to set up a lifestyle, but it’s not the be-all and end-all for me. But last time it did get me thinking. It was my fourth year of football, I’d played 50-60 games. I remember when I first heard about it. I’d came out of a meeting and someone showed me their phone and the headline was all that money over nine years. It was surreal. It’s very humbling. But it’s not why I play footy.
MR: Leon Cameron said three weeks back he was confident you were staying.
JK: I’m fully invested. I do love the place, I had my first six years of footy here and I feel I’ve grown as a person.
MR: You are a Giant, aren’t you?
JK: Yeah I am. What’s unique about this club and I wasn’t here from the start, but a lot of the older boys are responsible for building the culture, and a lot of the boys have formed bonds which are pretty unique to AFL clubs. I had a couple of tough years, the boys had a couple of tough years before that, but we’ve gone from that stage to two heart-breaking preliminary final losses and they bring you closer even more.
MR: Are you aware of your standing in the game and how important a player like you is to the team, to the city of Sydney and, as an extension, to the AFL?
JK: You want me to answer from a football perspective?
MR: Answer how you like.
JK: I don’t feel like I’ve reached the stage to be considered a Scott Pendlebury or a Dustin Martin. Most of the players I see as the best in the comp are the players I grew up watching. That’s Pendlebury, Nathan Fyfe. I think Dusty is No.1, purely because of the big moments in the big games.
MR: Would you like to captain the Giants?
JK: It would a huge honor to be a captain.
MR: Is that “a’’ captain or “the’’ captain?
JK: (Laughing) That’s a tough question, that’s a contract question.
MR: Just trying.
JK: Yeah, being captain of the Giants would be unreal, but we have Phil (Davis) and Wardy and I can’t see them getting knocked off any time soon.
MR: Coniglio is also out of contract at the end of the season. Do you talk to him about his thinkings?
JK. No. Not yet anyway.
MR: Are you interested to know what he’s doing because I’m sure he’s interested to know what you’re planning.
JK: Yeah, I’d like to know. I’d be happy to have that conversation with him. But this is another thing, I’ve come off double surgeries in the off season, had my hip tidied up and my meniscus in my knee which happened in last year’s final. I’ve been training for a month, and so I’ve come off surgery, so in all honesty I’ve been thinking more about getting myself right and not thinking about my contract.
MR: You comfortable talking about your contract?
JK: I enjoy speaking freely on this topic if it’s going to be portrayed the right way.
MR: Are you wary of media?
JK: I was wary last time I was out of contract.
MR: It was a huge story, Josh, and many people thought you were absolutely gone.
JK: There were times I thought I was gone as well.
MR: No one owes anyone anything in life, but I feel talking to you today, you want to be a long-term Giant.
JK: As I said, I’ve never been rushed in these decisions. If I’m holding off, it doesn’t mean I’m going to leave. My priority has always been to play footy and this stuff gets taken care of in the background.
MR: I was told you’re buying a house here in Sydney.
JK: I haven’t bought a house up here. If I was to stay I’d look to buy a house up here.
MR: You like the lifestyle? The beach?
JK: Beach most days. Take your pick — Bondi, Tamarama, Rose Bay. I grew up a Melbourne boy in Brighton, loving footy, had the belief I could play AFL, and I wanted to be part of that constant football lifestyle in Melbourne. At the start in Sydney, I missed that constant engagement of football, and part of me misses that buzz, but living here I’ve found a good balance of switching off football.
MR: If you did leave, would you think you’d be letting down your teammates?
JK: There’s be an element of that, purely because of what we’ve been through in terms of prelims, building the club, creating the culture. I’m sure any other player would feel bad leaving their mates. I’m passionate about the club, it’s a unique position up here with a unique bunch of blokes. I guess, simply put, that’s where my head is at. I don’t now what that statement says.
MR: It says you’re invested in this club and if I could have that bet, I’d bet your staying.
JK: Hmmmm.
MR What do you think people reading this will determine from this interview?
JK: They’d see I’m passionate about where I am and what I’m working towards at the Giants. They’d also see I’m indecisive and a procrastinator.
Every game of every round of the 2019 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP NOW!
Confronting pics of unrecognisable AFL star
GWS Giants star Stephen Coniglio has revealed the brutal extent of his AFL injuries after undergoing posteason surgery.
‘Wish we could have been better’: Greene’s admission on GWS antics
GWS captain Toby Greene has spoken publicly for the first time on the club’s infamous Wacky Wednesday, admitting his regrets about the controversial event.