KELLY FIGHT TWIST
DOCKERS STEP UP BID: ‘By no means are we giving up’
FREMANTLE football manager Peter Bell says the club will not concede to West Coast in the race for Tim Kelly, with the Geelong midfielder expected to request a trade in coming days.
Kelly’s manager, Anthony Van Der Wielen, insisted yesterday the Cats star was still “grappling” with whether to return to Western Australia.
The 25-year-old requested a trade to West Coast last year after one season with the Cats, but a deal fell through after Geelong maintained a hard line stance on the then-contracted player.
Kelly was not interested in a move to Fremantle, instead opting to return to Geelong to play out his contract, but the Dockers remain hopeful they can sway the midfielder this time around.
“Clearly we would love to have him at Fremantle,” Bell told AFL Trade Radio.
“But fresh in our memory is the fact that this time last year it was West Coast that was his preferred destination.
“We will do everything we can to impress upon Tim and his family … that we should be a viable option for Tim to continue playing in Western Australia, if that’s what he wants to do.”
Bell said he hoped the changes the Dockers had made in the past 12 months would help their Kelly pitch.
“By no means are we giving up on a race for Tim Kelly,” he said. Kelly’s price has soared after he averaged 25 disposals, four marks, four tackles and a goal per game this year. The dynamic onballer also finished fifth in th is year’s Brownlow Medal, behind only elite midfielders Nat Fyfe, Patrick Dangerfield, Patrick Cripps and Lachie Neale.
Asked whether Kelly’s call had been more difficult after spending an extra 12 months in Geelong, Van Der Wielen said: “I don’t think so. Family comes first. And when you see what’s going on there, I think it’s just a matter of doing the right thing for his family.”
“And that’s what he’s grappling with at the moment — what is the right thing to do,?” he said.
Van Der Wielen told SEN he expected Kelly’s decision would be announced in the next week.
“He’s still grappling with it,” he said. “He’s got some real genuine family concerns that he’d like to get home for.
“But he also enjoys playing at the Geelong footy club. So, he’s grappling with all that at the moment. I’m in talks with Geelong all the time and Tim all the time.”
Teammate Mitch Duncan conceded on Monday “the writing’s on the wall”.
“If you looked at most people that leave it this long, the facts are kind of there that they usually do try to ask for a trade home,” Duncan said.
West Coast’s first pick in this year’s national draft is 14, while the Eagles hold selections 24 and 33 in the second round.
The Dockers again hold a better trade hand and could offer the Cats pick No.7 or No.26 in a deal for Kelly.
Van Der Wielen said “I haven’t really got that far” when asked whether Kelly would be open to joining either WA club.
Fremantle is expected to secure St Kilda’s pick No.6 in a deal for Brad Hill, which would strengthen its position if new coach Justin Longmuir wants to pursue Kelly.