Tadhg Kennelly
Tadhg Kennelly | |||
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Personal information | |||
Full name | Tadhg Kennelly | ||
Date of birth | 1 July 1981 | ||
Place of birth | Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland | ||
Original team(s) | Listowel Emmets (club)/Kerry (underage, county team) | ||
Height | 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||
Weight | 90 kg (198 lb) | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
2001–08; 2010–11 | Sydney | 197 (30) | |
International team honours | |||
Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
2001–2011 |
Ireland | 6 | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2011. | |||
Career highlights | |||
| |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Tadhg Kennelly (born 1 July 1981) is an Irish-Australian former international sportsperson turned recruiter and coach. He is most known for his top-level careers in both
Kennelly grew up playing Gaelic football with
Kennelly returned to his native Listowel to play in the
Early life
Kennelly was born in Listowel in 1981 to mother Nuala[1] and father Tim Kennelly, a former All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner with the Kerry county team.[2]
Tadhg grew up playing Gaelic football and was recognised as a highly talented underage player in Kerry GAA.[3] He was scouted by a number of English soccer teams, including Tranmere Rovers and West Brom, and had underage trials for the Irish national team before being recruited by Blackburn Rovers.[4] Within a few months, he decided to return to Ireland.[4]
Sporting career
Underage Gaelic football career
He first played with the Kerry minor team in 1997 when he won a Munster Minor Football Championship (MFC), overcoming Limerick. He was underage again in 1998 and won a second Munster MFC title after another win over Limerick. He missed out on three in a row in 1999, as Cork took the title.
While still a minor, he was part of the county's under-21 team. He won a
AFL career, 2001–2008
In 1999, he signed a rookie contract with the Sydney Swans.[5][6] After his debut in 2001 (following elevation from the
Kennelly earned an
Kennelly became the first
In 2007 and 2008, after several seasons missing only a handful of games, Kennelly suffered a series of serious leg and shoulder injuries which became major setbacks to his AFL career. His knee buckled from a heavy tackle from the
On several occasions during his AFL career, Kennelly had expressed a desire to return home to Ireland and leave the AFL, as he wanted to emulate the success of his father and win an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal with his native county's team, Kerry.[12] In December 2005, Kennelly's father Tim died suddenly at age 51.[2] It is believed his father's death may have some bearing on Kennelly's wish to return to Ireland.[13]
On 31 August 2006, Kennelly ended months of speculation by announcing he would be staying on with the Swans for a further three years. Kennelly said that this would be his last AFL contract and that he would be returning to Ireland at the end of the three-year contract. In March 2008, Kennelly was reported to have announced that he would "definitely" return to Ireland in 2009[14] to play with Kerry, saying "I want to win an All-Ireland with Kerry."[12][15] Kennelly announced his return to Ireland and Gaelic football in January 2009.[16]
Gaelic football career 2009
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Irish name | Tadhg Mac an Fhailí | ||
Sport | Gaelic football | ||
Position | Half Forward | ||
Born | Listowel, County Kerry | ||
Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
Club(s) | |||
Years | Club | ||
1998 - 2001; 2009 | Listowel Emmets | ||
Inter-county(ies)* | |||
Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
2009 | Kerry | 6 (0–8) | |
Inter-county titles | |||
Munster titles | 0 | ||
All-Irelands | 1 (2009) | ||
NFL | 1 (2009) | ||
All Stars | 1 | ||
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of November 2009. |
Upon returning to Kerry, Kennelly was given a job as a coaching officer by the Kerry County Board.[17]
He played his first senior competitive game for the
In October 2009, he published his autobiography, Unfinished Business,
In November 2009, Kennelly informed the Kerry County Board of his intention to return to the AFL in 2010.[24]
AFL career, 2009–2010
On 12 November 2009, Kennelly signed a two-year deal with the Sydney Swans, marking his return to the AFL. In addition to his playing role, he took up a coaching role at the club.[25] He was very consistent throughout the year, playing in his customary role off half-back. He was chosen in the Irish squad for the International Series in October.
Kennelly played his final AFL game in Sydney's semi-final defeat at the hands of Hawthorn on 16 September 2011; he played 197 AFL games.
Statistics
G
|
Goals
|
K
|
Kicks | D
|
Disposals | T
|
Tackles |
B
|
Behinds
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H
|
Handballs | M
|
Marks
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Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | ||||
2001 | Sydney | 41 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 36 | 13 | 49 | 11 | 5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 6.1 | 1.4 | 0.6 |
2002 | Sydney | 17 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 127 | 100 | 227 | 46 | 26 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 6.4 | 5.0 | 11.4 | 2.3 | 1.3 |
2003 | Sydney | 17 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 206 | 164 | 370 | 85 | 38 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 8.6 | 6.8 | 15.4 | 3.5 | 1.6 |
2004 | Sydney | 17 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 192 | 153 | 345 | 83 | 37 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 8.3 | 6.7 | 15.0 | 3.6 | 1.6 |
2005 | Sydney | 17 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 250 | 146 | 396 | 99 | 50 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 9.6 | 5.6 | 15.2 | 3.8 | 1.9 |
2006 | Sydney | 17 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 211 | 149 | 360 | 88 | 42 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 9.6 | 6.8 | 16.4 | 4.0 | 1.9 |
2007 | Sydney | 17 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 129 | 89 | 218 | 67 | 25 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 9.9 | 6.8 | 16.8 | 5.2 | 1.9 |
2008 | Sydney | 17 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 235 | 175 | 410 | 78 | 36 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 10.7 | 8.0 | 18.6 | 3.5 | 1.6 |
2010 | Sydney | 17 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 261 | 152 | 413 | 99 | 19 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 13.1 | 7.6 | 20.7 | 5.0 | 1.0 |
2011 | Sydney | 17 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 170 | 125 | 295 | 46 | 49 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 8.9 | 6.6 | 15.5 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
Career | 197 | 30 | 21 | 1817 | 1266 | 3083 | 702 | 327 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 9.2 | 6.4 | 15.6 | 3.6 | 1.7 |
Post AFL
Post AFL Kennelly shifted into AFL recruitment and coaching.
In 2013, he was appointed by the Australian Football League as its International Talent Manager. As part of this role he oversaw the International AFL Combine and coordinated the first AFL Europe Combine held in Dublin in 2015.[27]
In 2018, he returned to the Sydney Swans becoming a development coach.[28]
In 2021, he founded a fitness class and discussion group aimed at offering peer support called "When No-One's Watching".[29]
In October 2022 Kennelly was appointed Academy coach of the Swans cross town rivals Greater Western Sydney Giants.[30]
See also
- List of players who have converted from one football code to another
- Irish experiment (Australian rules football)
References
- ^ "Kennelly's champion Irish dad dies after being there for Tadhg's Swans fairytale". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 December 2005.
- ^ Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 November 2008.
- ^ Kennelly to miss Swans' AFL opener | BreakingNews.ie
- ^ An Irishman Abroad (Podcast) (193 ed.). SoundCloud. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
- ^ Listowel Emmets Archived 26 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ RTE TV Archived 5 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Official Website of the Australian Football League > NEWS ARTICLE > Kennelly a National Rising Star nominee". Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
- ^ Zander, Joel (16 September 2005). "Swans slam Saints with late onslaught". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ "Grand final agony for Kennelly". BreakingNews.ie. 30 September 2006. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011.
- ^ Kennelly represents the world in AFL Tribute Match from worldfootynews.com
- ^ Swans draw on spirit of Kelly By Jenny McAsey for FoxSports.com.au 11 September 2008
- ^ a b Kerry GAA – Tadhg Kennelly to Return to Kerry Football
- ^ "Family man torn between home and blood brothers". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 September 2006.
- ^ Reidy, Marisa (7 January 2009). "Kennelly calls time on Aussie Rules career". The Kerryman.
- ^ Hoganstand.com – GAA Football & Hurling
- ^ http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=sport-qqqm=sport-qqqa=sport-qqqid=83158-qqqx=1.asp[dead link]
- ^ Keys, Colm (4 March 2009). "Kennelly to take up coaching role". Irish Independent.
- ^ "Different strokes as GAA clocks adjust to summer time". Irish Independent. 8 March 2009.
- ^ "Derry 0–10 Kerry 0–12". RTÉ News. 8 March 2009. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009.
- ^ "Kennelly adds to family's medal haul". RTÉ Sport. 21 September 2009. Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
- ^ "Kennelly commits himself to Kerry". RTÉ Sport. 22 September 2009. Archived from the original on 23 September 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
- ISBN 978-1-85635-639-8.
- ^ Sweeney, Eamonn (25 October 2009). "Kennelly is an admirable sportsman who has to accept his own mistakes". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020.
- ^ "Tadhg Kennelly to return to AFL". RTÉ. 6 November 2009. Archived from the original on 9 November 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
- ^ "His body healed, Kennelly returns to Swans". The Age. 12 November 2009.
- ^ Tadhg Kennelly's player profile at AFL Tables
- ^ "AFL looks to Europe for fresh talent". Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ Coaches: Tadhg Kennelly from Sydney Swans 22 November 2019
- ^ Ward, Mary (30 October 2022). "'Men go to the pub, but don't know each other'". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Swans Great Joins the GIANTS By GIANTS Media 5 October 2022
External links
- Tadhg Kennelly's profile on the official website of the Sydney Swans