— James Kelly (@JamesPopsKelly) January 20, 2016
Great to have you at the Bombers!
Welcome James.
Dons land Kelly
Simon Conway January 20, 2016 7:00 PM
Newsletter
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Kelly joins the Bombers after winning three premiership medals at Geelong.
We are pleased to announce that triple Premiership Player James Kelly has committed to the Essendon Football Club for season 2016.
While the minor details of the contract are yet to be completed, we are excited to welcome the former Cat to the True Value Solar Centre.
The former Cat is the second player to join the Club after Ryan Crowley signed on yesterday.
Kelly played 273 games for Geelong and was named in the All-Australian side in 2011.
More to come
I only just noticed that Kia isn’t on the front of the jumper this year, it must be Fujitsu’s turn.
Dons land Kelly Simon Conway January 20, 2016 7:00 PMNewsletter
RSS
Kelly joins the Bombers after winning three premiership medals at Geelong.
We are pleased to announce that triple Premiership Player James Kelly has committed to the Essendon Football Club for season 2016.
While the minor details of the contract are yet to be completed, we are excited to welcome the former Cat to the True Value Solar Centre.
The former Cat is the second player to join the Club after Ryan Crowley signed on yesterday.
Kelly played 273 games for Geelong and was named in the All-Australian side in 2011.
More to come
I only just noticed that Kia isn’t on the front of the jumper this year, it must be Fujitsu’s turn.
And they finally worked out you dont need panels to make the logo work. Fark.
Dons land Kelly Simon Conway January 20, 2016 7:00 PMNewsletter
RSS
Kelly joins the Bombers after winning three premiership medals at Geelong.
We are pleased to announce that triple Premiership Player James Kelly has committed to the Essendon Football Club for season 2016.
While the minor details of the contract are yet to be completed, we are excited to welcome the former Cat to the True Value Solar Centre.
The former Cat is the second player to join the Club after Ryan Crowley signed on yesterday.
Kelly played 273 games for Geelong and was named in the All-Australian side in 2011.
More to come
I only just noticed that Kia isn’t on the front of the jumper this year, it must be Fujitsu’s turn.
And they finally worked out you dont need panels to make the logo work. Fark.
Are you sure?
Oh, you are right, unless they are raiding the bombershop and what they have isn’t matching the matchday geurnsey.
Dons land Kelly Simon Conway January 20, 2016 7:00 PMNewsletter
RSS
Kelly joins the Bombers after winning three premiership medals at Geelong.
We are pleased to announce that triple Premiership Player James Kelly has committed to the Essendon Football Club for season 2016.
While the minor details of the contract are yet to be completed, we are excited to welcome the former Cat to the True Value Solar Centre.
The former Cat is the second player to join the Club after Ryan Crowley signed on yesterday.
Kelly played 273 games for Geelong and was named in the All-Australian side in 2011.
More to come
I only just noticed that Kia isn’t on the front of the jumper this year, it must be Fujitsu’s turn.
And they finally worked out you dont need panels to make the logo work. Fark.
Yeah that logo looks heaps better than a “slapped on contrasting panel”
Maybe it’s the wide sash - oops sorry wrong thread
Welcome to Essendon James Kelly, looking forward to seeing you out there in the red and black.
It would be a cack if we can get enough decent cover for the 12 and blood the young ones a la 93, and make the finals and Port finish 9th having been denied any top up.
A cack for a Koch.
Very happy with this pickup.
I was hoping we delist a little deeper and take him on as a rookie or main list.
I heard around free agency and leading up to the draft, his manager was really working hard to try and get him on a list. It showed, he really wanted to play another year.
Given he was willing to give up his coaching role, he’s still keen.
I cannot recall hearing if he applied for our development coaching role, but it would be great if we could offer him an opportunity or coaching role at our club after this season.
Haters are losing it on FB. ■■■■■■■ hilarious.
I’m enjoying the new approach of embracing the hate
James Kelly to join Essendon in 2016 after tweeting club slogan
an hour ago
JAY CLARK Herald Sun
Kelly set to join Essendon
ESSENDON will add three-time Geelong premiership player James Kelly to its list of replacements almost 14 years after targeting him in the 2001 draft.
The Bombers confirmed on Wednesday night that Kelly, whom they had wanted with pick No.18 in the 2001 “Super Draft” but were trumped by Geelong, would become the club’s second “top-up” player.
“We are pleased to announce that triple Premiership Player James Kelly has committed to the Essendon Football Club for season 2016,” the Bombers said on Wednesday night.
“While the minor details of the contract are yet to be completed, we are excited to welcome the former Cat.”
Essendon has long been an admirer of Kelly, but was beaten to the punch by the Cats in 2001 when Geelong’s ace recruiter Stephen Wells took the gun midfielder with pick 17.
Then-Cats coach Mark Thompson looked across the room and winked and nodded at his friend and business partner, Essendon list boss Adrian Dodoro.
The Cats had beaten the Bombers to their man, who became an integral midfield cog in three flags over 273 games, forcing Essendon to settle on their next preference, Shane Harvey, who played 14 games over three seasons.
But on Wednesday, more than a decade later, Essendon moved in on the decorated Cat as one of its 10 top-up players, helping bolster a squad depleted by the year-long doping bans to 12 senior players.
Kelly toured the Bombers’ facility and met his new teammates on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old later tweeted, revealing his decision: “#donthesash @EssendonFC”
Kelly follows fellow top-up player and ex-Fremantle tagger Ryan Crowley, who on Wednesday said he was out to prove the Dockers wrong for delisting him last season after serving a 12-month drug ban for taking a banned painkiller.
“Ross (Lyon) sent me a text last night just to say good luck, and I told him I would see him in Round 11,” Crowley said.
Crowley said he would use the experience of the time training alone on the sidelines to help the Essendon players who have suffered a similar fate following the doping charges.
“In time I’d like to sit down and have a chat with them because it is quite a unique situation. I am somebody who could give them an insight in what it’s like,” Crowley said.
“For me it was quite a lonely place because it was only me going through it.
“I am not going to hide it. I went through some dark times. It was really, really tough, but they will be able to lean on each other, work together and they will come back.”
But he was unfazed by whatever sledging tactics he may receive on the field this season after taking the prohibited painkiller.
“I’ve been sledged about lots of things, that’s for sure,” he said.
“I think that’s the least of my worries. I think I’ve been booed at every away game for the last five years, so I’m sure that’ll probably stick.”
Crowley dismissed the drug ban a hurdle in his move to Essendon and was adamant the painkiller saga was behind him, declaring “I’ve served my time.”
Crowley was regarded as one of the league’s best taggers before his suspension and yesterday said he was again intent on nullifying the game’s stars at his new club.
But he said trying to stop former teammate and Brownlow medallist Nathan Fyfe in Round 11 would be a formidable challenge.
“We played on each other a lot during training. I know a lot of his tricks, he knows a lot of mine,” he said.
“I sort of tried to help him break the tag and tell him all the things that I didn’t like, so maybe that wasn’t the smartest move (laughs).
“He doesn’t need too much help.”
I hope Dodoro didn’t put Bomber onto Kelly, he would never have let Disco forget that sliding doors moment, when we then go and get Shane Harvey …
I hope Dodoro didn't put Bomber onto Kelly, he would never have let Disco forget that sliding doors moment, when we then go and get Shane Harvey ...
Do you seriously think Dodoro would go blabbing to people from other clubs about potential recruits?
James Kelly was always one of those players that I 'd hoped we could prise away from the Cats earlier in his career.
He always seemed to be one of their best whenever they played against us. In particular when they would consistently smash us over the last 8 or 9 seasons.
I have always admired his no nonsense, hard at it playing style and am thrilled to have him here, taking our younger guys under his wing, this year.
Bring 2016 on.
Really good get, like plenty of others I have had a lot of respect for him and I think he will be an excellent teacher for the kids. Fairly happy with Crowley too. The silver lining of the cloud is we really get to see a lot of our kids and hope that their development is fast tracked without the short term pain that we experienced when Australian cricket side did when we played some of the kids against the West Indies in the 80’s. Yes that did play a fairly large role in Steve Waugh’s ruthlessness…
2 first names.
Ordinarily wouldn’t trust him.
These are extraordinary times.
Hope he has a blinde.
Oh, you are right, unless they are raiding the bombershop and what they have isn't matching the matchday geurnsey.
Yup. They do that every year since the next seasons jumper isnt ready before the draft.
Anyway, liking the signings so far. I think Polk will fit in nicely in the forward line too.
Hope he’s better than Cooney.
Cooney will be alright this year
Very happy with our first two picks. Both hardnuts, committed and tough footballers. Kelly has a touch of class too. He’ll do very well in the red and black.
Cooney will be alright this year
At what?