NO STOPPING TON OF GOALS
KENNEDY-HUNT: WOUNDED WONDER
HE felt the pinch in the warmup. Concerned about his fitness, Inverleigh spearhead Jak Kennedy-Hunt left the field to seek treatment on his dodgy quad.
Coach Mark McDowell suggested his big power forward sit the match out.
But Kennedy-Hunt was having none of it.
With a healthy crowd and an air of expectation, the Hawks powerhouse trailed his teammates onto Inverleigh Recreation Reserve.
But within 10 minutes, history was made.
They came from everywhere as the former Geelong Falcon star became the first player in the club’s history to boot 100 goals in a season.
Kennedy-Hunt was mobbed by his teammates, then the fans who streamed onto the field after he quickly booted the two goals needed to bring up the ton.
Once the dust settled, he earned a quiet kiss and cuddle from his adoring mum Gail.
Then things reverted back to normality.
“It was a bit of a relief,” Kennedy-Hunt said of the century just moments after his team belted out the theme song following a 102-point drubbing of Geelong West.
“It’s a good accolade, a nice personal achievement, but to be quite honest I’ve got other things on my mind . . . a premiership,” he said.
“I’ve ticked the box but it really wasn’t important to me, to be honest I’m more zoned in on finals and the big one.”
Needing just two majors to crack the ton, Kennedy-Hunt had his first 3.19 minutes into the first term.
And in almost a mirror image of the first goal, the prized recruit marked a laceout pass above his head and lined up 20m out on a slight angle in the left-forward pocket at the southern end.
There were no nerves, Kennedy-Hunt said, and he gobbled it up.
“There was a bit of an angle but I was pretty confident,” he said, reaching the ton in just 14 matches. “I was only 15-20m out.” Kennedy-Hunt bagged four goals for the term and slotted two against the breeze in the second quarter before calling it quits.
He remained adamant the anticipation surrounding his history-making feat played no part in his decision to play on.
“It wasn’t hanging over my head,” Kennedy-Hunt said.
“We’ve got four or five weeks to go and it was always going to come.
“I’ve been playing with it and I just wanted to get out there and play a quarter or two and see how it was, but it was no good.”
While a significant milestone, the biggest story coming out of the game was his injury. With ice wrapped around his left leg, Kennedy-Hunt was uncertain how much footy he would miss. McDowell hinted he would be rested for a week, while the club’s trainer suggested the twinge would only sideline the star for a match. “I’ll get in and see the physio and find out what damage we’re looking at,” a relaxed Kennedy-Hunt said. “I don’t want to (rest), but if I have to rest it before finals l will. “I’ve been carrying it for five or six weeks now. “I had a couple of weeks off and with the bye week it gave me three weeks off, and it felt good against Banno two weeks ago but I pulled up a bit tender today (Saturday). “That’s why I only played a half of footy, but fingers crossed the physio can sort it out.” McDowell, who was inspirational in luring the former SANFL product to the Hawks, paid tribute to Kennedy-Hunt postmatch. “He’s had a cracking year, he’s kicked a lot of goals and he’s had two players hanging off him all the time,” McDowell said. “It’s been a great effort by him to reach the hundred. It’s pretty special. Not many people kick a hundred, do they? “It doesn’t happen much in this day and age and what’s really been impressive with him is the opposition has stacked numbers on him every single week. “He’s done a really good job.”