Cats, Kelly caught in bind over family
GEELONG has vowed to hold Tim Kelly to his contract, declaring the homesick midfielder remains “highly likely” to stay at the club next season.
The Cats have dug in their heels and will play hardball with the midfield star, who has requested a trade home to Western Australia to be closer to family.
While Geelong will consider offers from West Coast or Fremantle “out of respect for Tim”, it will take a significant offer for the Cats to roll over and release the 24-year-old from the final year of his contract.
West Coast is Kelly’s preference, but the reigning premier has a weaker trading hand given it does not have a firstround pick in this year’s draft.
It would receive additional second-round picks for each of Andrew Gaff and Scott Lycett if they were to leave, but Geelong feels Kelly’s value is a top-10 selection.
Fremantle has the fifth pick and could yet settle for pick four from the Brisbane Lions if Lachie Neale departs, but the Kelly camp has little interest in going to the Dockers.
“Tim Kelly has asked that the club explore the possibility of trading him to his home state, Western Australia,” the Cats said in a statement.
“As is well known, Tim is under contract to the Cats for the 2019 season, and it is highly likely he will remain with the club.
“However out of respect for Tim, we will listen to what Fremantle and West Coast are prepared to offer and determine whether or not we believe it is a viable trade for our club.”
Geelong’s hard line stance sets the scene for a tense fortnight of negotiations when the trade period officially starts on Monday.
Kelly’s manager, Anthony van der Wielen, said while the call to go home was “not easy”, his client wanted the Cats to explore whether a trade was possible.
“It’s hard to predict the future. At this stage he wants to go home right now and I can’t see that being any different in 12 months’ time, in fact it would probably be stronger I would think,” van der Wielen said on SEN.
“And that’s why I hope both the clubs can work out a way forward for this.
“It’s in everyone’s best interests, I think, while he still has more currency, Geelong can hopefully get something out of it as well, rather when he comes out of contract next year.”
Kelly’s value only soared in the past 48 hours after finishing tied for second in Geelong’s best-and-fairest, half a vote away from claiming the Carji Greeves Medal.
Cats fans called out during Kelly’s acceptance speech on Thursday night, pleading with him to stay.
The Cats have offered him a two-year extension on his current deal, boosted with a significant pay-rise from his modest base salary.
“It’s been a pretty tough year for Tim and the family, just being away from home,” van der Wielen said.
“Just to give you a timeline, he was drafted in November, his partner was heavily pregnant at the time with twins and had a two-year-old son at the time as well.
“He had to, when drafted, come over to Geelong, leave his partner and family behind because she was too heavily pregnant to fly and then of course on the 30th of December she gave birth to twins.
“It wasn’t until February that the family got to head over to Geelong and were able to fly and things like that.
“A couple weeks later, Tim was already playing AFL footy. So it all happened pretty quickly, it’s been a big year.
“Without the family structure and support around, it’s just been tough on the kids.
“But he absolutely loves the Geelong Football Club and loves playing for the Geelong Football Club. What a great season he had. He pinches himself each day when he goes to the club and hangs around with players who are all going to be Hall of Famers in that midfield.”
Van der Wielen said the Cats were aware this result was a possibility when they drafted him with pick 24 last season.
“They did. (Partner) Caitlin had about six weeks to go ... they went to the house and interviewed all the family on a couple of occasions,” he said.
“I’ve got to say, they’ve been absolutely fantastic along the way in trying to accommodate Tim and the family.
“Ideally, Tim has said on a number of occasions, if he could pick up the Geelong Football Club and bring them back to Perth, he wouldn’t be going anywhere. It’s just hard.”