Kennelly ready to take the mic

TADHG KENNELLY is leaning towards beginning a career in the Australian media.

The Listowel man hasn’t ruled out returning to play for Kerry again but is enamoured by the prospect of working behind the microphone Down Under. He plans to travel as well but a profession in the media floats his boat.

“Yeah, that’s a plan. It seems like a pretty easy gig,” joked Kennelly before commenting tongue-in-cheek, “You (journalists) all got a free trip out here to Australia. Having a few pints and what-not.

“Stick a mic down someone’s throat and ask a few questions. And getting the big money. It sounds alright to me.”

Kennelly’s video diaries of this year’s series on the AFL website have gone down well.

Giving that level of insight is something he wished he had done years ago.

“That’s something of me that I’ve probably put to the background.

“In a professional environment you’re told not to let media or people in and not let secrets out.

“I wish, looking back, that I had been a bit more open in that way and let people into my life.

“It’s what I live. I’m a very positive person, I love having the craic and a joke like most of these boys.”

Kennelly departs the series having defended it to the hilt but admits more needs to be done to support the concept in Australia.

He reasoned: “The problem is here more than at home. At home Kerry people love to support a Kerryman playing for Ireland. Here I don’t think a Sydney Swans person is going to support a Swans player playing for Australia. That’s the difference between Ireland and Australia. That’s probably a PR thing and something that could be dealt with AFL-wise.”

He has no doubt Australia are smarting after the extent of this year’s record series defeat. A lot of their best Rules players were unavailable due to injury and many were dismayed with their country’s performances.

“I know the Aussie players feel the same way I do about playing for my country. I got a text off Ryan O’Keefe after the game last week and he was very, very disappointed in the performance of the Australian players. He’s as passionate about it as I am.”

He added: “It’s a great thing for the Irish players to do because they get to live like professionals for three weeks — the can get a taste of it and they do pick up things and bring them back home. When you get to spend so much time with these lads and you get to play with them — these are lads that you might be knocking the heads off at home. You might have a perception of someone until you meet them.”