Irish swan primed for AFL semi

KERRY native Tadhg Kennelly believes he is in career-best form ahead of Sydney’s AFL semi-final clash against St Kilda on Friday night at the MCG.

The Listowel Emmetts man, who joined the Sydney Swans in 1999, is preparing to play the most important game in his Aussie Rules career.

And he couldn’t be more optimistic.

“Last year was a really good stepping stone for me to play consistent football,” Kennelly.

“This year has been similar but I have just raised the bar and tried keeping it at that level to play good consistent football, which is great.

“Obviously at the start of the year I had a few injuries with my knee and what-have-you and things just went off slowly, but I’m really happy with the way things have turned out.”

The 23-year-old has grown in confidence and stature as his game develops and feels he owes his strong-running attacking style to his origins.

“I suppose (attacking) is always something that has been in my mindset since I started playing Gaelic football, as it’s a game that is just an all-out attacking sport.

“But my defensive skills have really been driven into me in the last two years.

“I think more so this year I have been able to play on tall players and big players and I have been able to do quite a good job on them and I am really cherishing the defensive side of my game at the moment.”

Despite enjoying the defensive challenges, Kennelly admits Sydney’s game plan to slow down the pace of a match when they have a lead can test his attacking disposition.

“Every now and then it can get frustrating (with all the stoppages) when my natural tendency is to say, ‘come on let’s go, I want to take them on’, but when you get the ball you just have to take it easy,” the 2001 and 2002 Irish representative said.

“It’s the safe option when you have the game under control. It’s probably the best option instead of going hell for leather and you might actually lose the footy in a turnover and they kick a goal.

“So you can see the coach’s point of view really because it is common sense.

“But you always back yourself and sometimes you do turn it over and sometimes you will make mistakes but you know to learn the right thing to do.

“Becoming a good footballer is knowing those times when to go and when not to go and when to play defensive.”