Blues midfielder Matthew Kennedy opens up on football, faith and finding purpose in the “chaos”

Things aren’t easy at Carlton as they look to arrest a five-game losing streak. Midfielder Matthew Kennedy takes us inside, and opens up on the deep faith that continues to drive him.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 02: Matthew Kennedy of the Blues looks dejected after a loss during the 2023 AFL Round 12 match between the Melbourne Demons and the Carlton Blues at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 2, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

It’s Toby, Wax and Reg that are causing the most chaos.

In a household of Blues brothers, the trio of dogs are ruling the roost.

At most recent count, there’s seven boys in the Fitzroy North pad with star Carlton goalkicker Charlie Curnow the latest addition to the ranks.

There’s the landlord, Sam Walsh, and midfielder Matthew Kennedy, whose Australian shepherd Toby also calls it home.

Paddy Dow, too, and Reg the kelpie, with Curnow having brought fox terrier Wax along for the ride.

And, according to Blues midfielder Matthew Kennedy, “it’s chaos”.

“As much as I love (my fiancee) Mez (Maryanne) and I’m looking forward to getting married and moving out, that’s one thing I’m going to miss, is living with Dowy, Walshy and now Charlie,” Kennedy laughed.

“It’s chaos at the minute because there’s three dogs. They get on pretty well.

“I think Walshy’s pretty mad because they’ve ripped up his backyard. It was a nice, beautiful clean backyard and now it’s just ripped to shreds.

“So he’s not happy with us.”

Kennedy goes inside Carlton’s closest crew, smirking the entire time.

Carlton trio Paddy Dow, Matthew Kennedy and Sam Walsh are central to the Fitzroy pad's "chaos".

Curnow could do with some work on his chores but has brought more footy chat – though “he tries to tell you he’s not a footy head, but he is”.

The spearhead is pretty handy in the kitchen, too, after a recent “amazing Italian sausage pasta”, but Dow and Walsh could do with some work, Kennedy says, after “something caught on fire” early days.

“It’s just great fun,” he said.

“Once I’ve moved, I’ll be back there a lot. If I can afford it, I’ll be close, but I can’t afford where Walshy owns!”.

The quartet’s bond extends beyond their living arrangements, hardly sick of each other even when spending days training and in meetings.

It would be easy to be down at the moment – five straight losses and one of the competition’s biggest clubs finding itself amid the biggest headlines and opinions.

That’s the game. Kennedy knows that.

Coach Michael Voss isn’t immune, with further conjecture about his future fuelled this week.

But Kennedy is adamant that the Blues are anything but staying the course and just hoping for things to turn.

A mindset shift – away from “fear”, and towards “instinct” has been conscious this week – and players taking drills in a bid to provide more spark.

“Vossy’s just had our back, and boys want to win for him,” Kennedy said.

“It’s hard when he’s copping all the criticism.

“We want to step up and take ownership of that. It’s no one’s fault – sometimes results haven’t gone our way for one reason or another.

Carlton’s on-field woes have continued in recent weeks. Picture: Getty Images

“We’ve had areas we’ve lost sight of – where you go and focus on things you think you need to fix, and forget about your one-wood.

“It’s about returning to that one-wood and bringing pressure.”

Kennedy’s season – much like the Blues – hasn’t exactly been seamless in itself.

A calf issue early, then the team’s substitute, Kennedy has played the last eight games in a mix of midfield and defensive roles.

The team tested, and himself, too, the 26-year-old revealed he turns equally to his faith as he does his football coaches.

“It can be challenging at times, but that’s where it’s on the individual to seek that help, as well, and not to have the ‘poor me’ mindset,” he said.

“I’m just trying to get better. If I’m sub or get dropped, it’s obviously for a reason, so just trying to go back and get better.

“One thing that’s really helped me is Tarah (Kavanagh), our club psychologist.

“I know boys are using her a lot more. I think she’s absolutely outstanding.

“(It’s about) finding your purpose and your why. For everyone, it’s probably going to be different. For me, that’s my purpose and my why. All these highs and lows that go on in your career … I’ve got my purpose and it’s something I always fall back onto.”

That purpose is his devout Catholicism, and his family.

It hasn’t always been easy, he admits.

“In the past, I know early days, I was embarrassed. I had that fear of fitting in, or not being liked, because of my faith,” Kennedy said honestly.

“But the one thing I’ve noticed is the more open I’ve been about it, especially in the footy club environment, the more boys have put their arm around me and really embraced that and supported it and really encouraged me as well.

“I remember when I told my story here, Luke Power … he is one of the nicest human beings. He really supported me from a coaching point of view early on and I felt a bit more comfortable.

Kennedy is a devout Catholic. Picture: Getty Images

“He encouraged me to speak up and from that, more players have supported me as well.

“I draw back to my faith all the time. When things are bad, that’s my purpose – faith and family.

“And there was probably a time where I lost my faith quite a bit.”

That was when he was most unhappy, despite playing regular footy. The purpose wasn’t lost – just had to be found again.

He missed mass once, “and it was like a guilt I’ve never felt”.

But his father Frank’s advice rang in his ears.

“He gave me probably the best advice he ever gave me – that you’ll go through times in your life where you lose sight of your faith, or that strong connection, but always go to mass. I’ve kept it,” he said.

“That’s how I met my fiancee – so I’m very grateful for that.”

Preparation for Sunday night’s clash with Melbourne will include a service on either Saturday night or Sunday morning.

“I’m very lucky, I’m engaged, and hopefully about to start my own family and that just brings me so much joy and energy when sometimes if it’s just all footy it can be quite draining,” he said.

“My purpose is probably different to 90 per cent of blokes here. But it’s different for everyone – and that’s what we encourage.”

Blues to ‘let fear go’ in Sunday night Bombers grudge match

Carlton players have pledged to “let fear go” as they desperately attempt to arrest a five-game losing streak.

Midfielder Matthew Kennedy said while the team has recorded five consecutive defeats, energy has remained high at the club in a bid to “build a bit of our identity again”.

“We know we’re better than what we’re producing, and that can bring a bit of frustration,” he said this week.

“I think blokes are just playing with a bit of fear, and we’ve been speaking about letting fear go and playing with a bit more excitement and energy with our offence.

“I think our system is built around the contest, and maybe we’ve gone away from that a little bit.

“We really want to build that identity in just being physical and being a sound, defensive team. We want to be aggressive, go forward and hunt the ball and the opposition.

“Training has been really good and we’ve made some really good progress – we need to start hitting scoreboard and getting that reward for our efforts.”

The Blues continue to reel but Kennedy says the team is committed to turning their season around. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

He said players first had to acknowledge the “fear”, and must rediscover their instinct.

“Sometimes it’s almost like you’re trying too hard, and things go worse,” Kennedy said.

“That’s all you hear, and so you just do that. We’ve spoken about having a balanced approach and just playing the game, trying to play more on instinct.

“They’ve given us the tools and the information – now it’s on the individual to own the moment, have composure with the ball.

“I think it’s about resetting, putting composure back on our story because there’s so many people telling us what we should be doing. Take a deep breath, sit back and think ‘let’s create and write our own story, not other people’.”

The Blues embarked on a group breakfast in their line group earlier this week, which Kennedy said was part of maintaining regular connection external to the club environment.

It came amid reports of a divide within the playing group, to which the 26-year-old’s response was emphatic.

“You actually have to laugh sometimes,” he said.

“I reckon it’s probably as close as the group has ever been, it’s just that we haven’t got the results. In the past, we’ve been through some really tough times and I’ve been here when we’ve gone through those and it’s a totally different feel to right now.”

Originally published as Blues midfielder Matthew Kennedy opens up on football, faith and finding purpose in the “chaos”