Kelly flags a night of derby desperation
GWS star Josh Kelly has foreshadowed another brutal Sydney finals derby, one in which Zac Williams will make his long-awaited senior comeback.
Giants coach Leon Cameron made it clear yesterday that while the match committee would not pick all seven players available again after injury, Williams would play Saturday’s elimination final against Sydney, barring any unexpected setback.
The speedy defender ruptured his achilles in the preseason and returned last month, playing two NEAFL games.
“Barring injury during the week, Zac will play on the weekend,” Cameron said.
Classy midfielder Kelly will play his 100th game in Saturday’s SCG finals derby.
He took part in the Giants’ qualifying final win over the Swans two years, rating it one of the toughest matches he had played in.
‘It was brutal, it was hard contested footy and that’s what finals footy is about.” Kelly said.
‘"If you don’t rock up with that kind of intent and attack the footy, you’re going to get found out.”
He could be one of the players Swans coach John Longmire might consider putting his top run-with man, George Hewett, on.
“He’s having a great year, he’s played that role really well for the Swans,” Kelly said of Hewett. “If he goes to someone, whoever he goes to, we’ll be looking to help that player out.”
Kelly, who comes off contract at the end of 2019, chuckled when asked if he would sign a four-year extension, as one of the club’s sponsors did yesterday.
However, he was serious when describing the 2018 Giants were a more mature side than the groups that made preliminary finals each of the past two years, despite slipping out of the top four this season.
“We’ve learnt a lot this year, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing,” Kelly said. “We had a tough first half of the year and I think a lot of people wrote us off.
“I think we’ve built a lot of character. We’ve just found what makes us tick as a club and what makes us play good footy.
“We’ll be looking to bring that into the finals series and do a bit of damage.”