Beloved Cat James Kelly will come out of AFL retirement to bolster Essendon’s midfield in 2016.
The triple-premiership winner with Geelong has been lured back into the league by the depleted Bombers, committing to the club for the season ahead.
Essendon has been scouring former playing lists to find players to replace a dozen players who have been handed anti-doping suspensions.
Kelly, 32, was an obvious choice after facing a tough cut at Geelong at the end of the 2015 season.
The fan-favourite was squeezed out as the Cats seek to rebuild with younger players.
After turning out in the Northern Territory Football League since leaving Geelong, he now has the chance to add to his 273 AFL games in red and black.
Kelly confirmed his switch by tweeting “#donthesash” on Wednesday night.
An Essendon statement said while a contract had not yet been agreed, Kelly had given his word to join.
He joins fellow delisted midfielder Ryan Crowley as the first two top-up players to be signed by the ailing giant.
Crowley sat out most of the 2015 season after taking a prohibited substance.
He said he would offer to help banned Bombers cope with time on the sidelines.
“In time, I’d like to sit down and have a chat with them because it is a unique situation,” Crowley told reporters on Wednesday.
“I am someone who could give them an insight as to what it’s like.”
He said the 17 players, including 12 current Bombers, needed to lean on each other and work together.
“For me, it was quite a lonely place because it was only me going through it,” he said.
“I’m not going to hide it – there were times when it was really, really tough.”
The tagger, who played 77 consecutive games for Fremantle before his ban, said it had offered him the time to properly recover from various, small ailments accrued over the years.
“It was getting really tough but having that year off made my body feel great,” he said.
“So they can take some positives out of it too.”
Crowley trained with the team on Wednesday for the first time since signing to the Bombers.
Essendon can sign top-up players up until March 15 – less than two weeks before their round-one opening match against GWS.
mattyb
Guest
Very true PD.The way we treated Hawkins is the darkest day in our clubs history.Not only was he easily holding his place in the side he had a great season for Fitzroy that year.Joyce had issues with Hawks well earned and justified greatness down at the club and the decision cannot even be put into the words it truely deserves
George
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't say Chappy, Stevie or Pops are in the Cats top 30 any more. Nearly everyone said the Cats made a HUGE mistake when they let Chappy go. Two years on and no one even talks about it because he was a shell of the champion player he is at Essendon. Time proved the Cats correct. Time will prove them correct again.
Wilson
Roar Guru
:) very true for Lake but I would not think he would have been in our top 30 this year so the timing was right and it look like it was as he chose not to go to Ess this year.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
I reckon if you've played 300 games or in 3 flags with the one club, and you're still in the club's best 25-26 players, then you deserve to make that decision, not coaches or administrators. (With the exception of Brian Lake, 3 flags in just 3 years is ridiculous!)
Wilson
Roar Guru
the problem is that those players like Kelly stevie J, Chapman and Cross from the Dogs did not realy have a choise in staying at the club they kind of forced out before they where 100% ready to hang up the boots. and young teams like GWS, Suns, Melbourne will pick them up for those 1 or 2 year for there experance and knowlaged of the game and to help out the younger players
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Sad. Club champions like Kelly, Stevie J (and Chapman) should have finished their careers at the Cats, for the supporters' sakes. It left a bitter taste in my mouth (I stopped buying a club membership for 4-5 years in protest and disgust) when Dougie Hawkins was discarded by the Doggies and played a final year at Fitzroy, considering he was still earning his place in our best team.