Tadhg Kennelly

Early life

Kennelly was born in Listowel in 1981 to mother Nuala and father Tim Kennelly, a former All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner with Kerry GAA.

Tadhg grew up playing Gaelic football and was recognised as a highly talented underage player with Kerry GAA. He was scouted by a number of English football football teams, including Tranmere Rovers and West Brom, and had under-age trials for the national team before being recruited by Blackburn Rovers. Within a few months he decided to return to Ireland.

AFL career, 2001–2008

In 1999, he signed a rookie contract with the Sydney Swans. After his debut in 2001 (following elevation from the rookie list), he became a permanent fixture in the Sydney line-up as a dashing rebound defender, wearing the number 17 guernsey.

Kennelly earned an AFL Rising Star nomination in round 19 of 2002, consolidating his reputation as an upcoming young talent. He was second (behind Leo Barry) for rebounds (77) from the defensive 50-metre arc in 2004.

Kennelly became the first Irishman to win an AFL Premiership medal in 2005, after playing all 26 games for the Sydney Swans that year. He was reportedly earning $750,000 (350,000 Euro), while playing for the Sydney Swans. The hype in Australia surrounding Kennelly's appearance in the AFL Grand Final was so much that Network Ten sent out its usual game-day boundary rider, Andrew Maher, over to County Kerry to visit Tadhg's family for the week and watch the Grand Final with them. Kennelly also appeared in the 2006 Grand Final, but the Swans lost 85–84 to the West Coast Eagles.

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 Melbourne Demons' Byron Pickett, causing an anterior cruciate ligament tear and seeing him miss several matches and later matches due to complications. In 2008, he again injured his knee, dislocating his knee cap and injuring his shoulder. He was selected in the Dream Team for the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match, but later withdrew due to injury. He was quick to recover, however, and made an appearance for the Swans the following week, though again succumbed to the injury curse. During the rest of 2008, Kennelly's shoulder continually dislocated during games and his unorthodox methods of popping it back in was the subject of much media interest.

On several occasions during his AFL career, Kennelly had expressed a desire to return home to Ireland and leave the AFL, as he would like to emulate the success of his father and win an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal with his native county's team, Kerry. In December 2005, Kennelly's father Tim died suddenly at age 51. It is believed his father's death may have some bearing on Kennelly's wish to return to Ireland.

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 to play with Kerry, saying "I want to win an All-Ireland with Kerry." Kennelly announced his return to Ireland and Gaelic football in January 2009.

Gaelic football career, 2009–2010

Upon returning to Kerry, Kennelly was given a job as a coaching officer by the Kerry County Board.

He played his first competitive game for the Kerry Senior team on 8 March 2009 when he came on as a substitute in the Irish NFL against Derry GAA, and there was speculation that he would be a member of the Kerry squad for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. He went on to win an Irish NFL medal when Kerry GAA defeated Derry GAA in the final in Croke Park. As Kerry had a number of injuries meaning that Darragh Ó Sé, Anthony Maher, Séamus Scanlon and Kieran Donaghy were all short of full fitness, Kennelly played in Kerry's first two games of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in June. He picked up an injury during the qualifier series but his form continued to improve and after an impressive appearance as a substitute in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin, he broke into to the starting team for the semi-final in which Kerry beat Meath. On 20 September 2009 he played the first 50 minutes of the All-Ireland final, scoring 2 points and becoming the first person to win an AFL premiership and an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. After the final Kennelly committed himself to the Kerry football team for the 2010 season, despite speculation that he was returning to Australia.

In October 2009 he published his autobiography, Unfinished Business, ghost written with Scotty Gullen. The book sparked controversy when a paragraph claimed that he setting out to make his mark at the start of the All-Ireland by deliberately colliding with Nicholas Murphy. After a big backlash, Kennelly released a statement where he stated he was taken out of context by his ghost writer.

In November 2009, Kennelly informed the Kerry county board of his intention to return to the AFL in 2010.

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 will take up a coaching role at the club. 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 to Hawthorn on 16 September 2011; having played 197 AFL games.