Toast James Kelly

[InnocentBystandr]

I searched to find a James Kelly thread to bump! so here's a new one.

He tends to get overshadowed by the ABC* and Selwood, but his return to the team at the end of last season show how important he is to the team.

Tonight he was BOG for mine. In everything, getting the hard ball and delivering it sweetly to a team-mate. We are blessed to have him.

*ABC - Ablett, Bartel, Corey (insert Chappy as appropriate)

 

[SJ]

Absolutely outstanding once again. He is becoming Rooke-like with his attack on the ball and the man. Loves the tough stuff, putting his head over the footy and laying crunching tackles.

 

[Jef Costello]

He loves games like that, hard and tough - just like the Granny. Terrific clubman.

 

[bombersboy]

What game were you guys watching? I love Kel and his attack on the ball and the contest was fantastic but he absolutely butchered the ball in the first half.

 

[Jef Costello]

It was an error strewn game. Selwood and Jimmeh made errors by foot as well. But it was that kind of hard, willed contest from those guys that saw us through.

 

[Brasil2007]

What game were you guys watching? I love Kel and his attack on the ball and the contest was fantastic but he absolutely butchered the ball in the first half.

Wasn't the way I saw it, I thought he played very well. Was the type of game I thought that was really set for him. Watching the replay now though so perhaps I'll change my mind...

 

[Pivo]

Super game by the Pest. Hard at the ball and the man and enforced some critical turnovers.

The stint in defence has kinda been the making of him, really goes both ways these days.

Loving his work right now.

 

[Turbocat]

Made a few clangers , certainly seen him kick it better but he's a class mid. When he gets a chance to play there , he play it well, he would be a gun mid in most other sides. Really he has allowed us to cover Corey , another side would be struggling with a duel B&F out of the side but Kelly has just stepped in and doing a top job. He's beaut Ute. Can go forward, last year he covered Hunt. Now Corey.

Shhhh don't tell GC17 or they may get ideas.

Especially , loved the strong mark in the middle. Go JK

 

[Dan]

Was at the game.....thought Kelly was great

Bartel too! Who will get the 3 from the umps?

 

[SJ]

Kelly had a game-high 13 contested possessions. Has relished the role in the middle in Corey's absence.

 

[mdc]

Had to be close to BOG, just killed us - which was particularly painful given we managed to contain both Ablett and Chapman in the same game.

Here's to a more competetive last quarter in Rd 19.

 

[hamG]

Strength, poise & decision making >>> long blonde hair flair.

 

[BarryG]

What game were you guys watching? I love Kel and his attack on the ball and the contest was fantastic but he absolutely butchered the ball in the first half.

If you watched the game everyone else did you could see from early on that due to the game being end to end, fast, attacking (not necessarily high scoring), hard contested football, that the players looked fatigued from even as early as 10 minutes into the first quarter. You could see the look on some of the players faces they were digging deep to continually chase. This does not help with fantastic disposal.

 

[Topper]

Another great game by Kelly last night in what has been a great year for him
so far.

Seems to have a lot of mongrel in him this year, I'm loving how aggressive he's been, given his size

 

[CF]

He was awesome. My only criticism there were a few shanked kicks into our 50m arc in the first quarter. But apart from that, he was inspiring how he threw himself into the contest

 

[AidanNelson2009]

James Kelly was outstanding last night, i would give him the 3 votes, he was awsome. His tackling was terrific and he just get's the ball in and out of the packs, great stuff !.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Super game by the Pest. Hard at the ball and the man and enforced some critical turnovers.

The stint in defence has kinda been the making of him, really goes both ways these days.

Loving his work right now.

God dont let Akker hear that

 

[PUNTROADHAMMER]

If this bloke's considered your 5th or 6th best mid...f**k me, you're in fair shape..! I wasn't aware how good this fella is. He has poise - yes, the "P" word folks.
Absolutely loved the result last night by the way...and that had nothing to do with the Cats being in multi of mine either. Pies challenged but were inevitably flicked away, just like every pesky mozzy should be.
Seriously, I enjoyed it as much as the 2002 GF result.
Me? Bitter?...nahhhh.

 

[scottydeewah]

Broke tackles numerous tackles last night as well. Toughest bloke on our team!

 

[The_Todd07]

Broke tackles numerous tackles last night as well. Toughest bloke on our team!

That's what stood out the most from his game for me.

Collingwood simply couldn't tackle him. It was almost Gaz like the number of times he would dive into a pack, grab the ball, shrug a couple of tacklers and send us on our way.

 

[theCATSfromHELL]

That's what stood out the most from his game for me.

Collingwood simply couldn't tackle him. It was almost Gaz like the number of times he would dive into a pack, grab the ball, shrug a couple of tacklers and send us on our way.

Agility has always been one of his greatest strengths. He just ALWAYS seems to be able to casually sidestep, shrug a tackle, sell some cundy and then spot up a target.

Has always been in my top three favourite players.

 

[Brasil2007]

If this bloke's considered your 5th or 6th best mid...f**k me, you're in fair shape..! I wasn't aware how good this fella is. He has poise - yes, the "P" word folks.

Others on this board will be sick of me saying this but I reckon he's a top two to three midfielder in any other team. In some teams he'd probably be the number one midfielder. I've also said elsewhere that I reckon if Tambling played at the Cats the two would be competing for the same spot.

How the hell he moves as well as he does given he's almost wearing flippers has me stuffed though

 

[PUNTROADHAMMER]

Others on this board will be sick of me saying this but I reckon he's a top two to three midfielder in any other team. In some teams he'd probably be the number one midfielder. I've also said elsewhere that I reckon if Tambling played at the Cats the two would be competing for the same spot.

How the hell he moves as well as he does given he's almost wearing flippers has me stuffed though

I'd like to think you're right about the Tambling comparison but Kelly is way ahead of Tambling. I hadn't seen enough of the Cats, hence my surprise at Kelly's talent. You mustn't have seen enough of Richmond if you rate them the same. Sure, the confidence and support of playing in a great side like Geelong would help Richie immeasurably but he's not even close to Kelly. Tambling would be competing against Byrnes/Wojo perhaps.
Of course I'll throw in the standard BF disclaimer..."but I'd love to be proven wrong"

 

[YIIIABLETTT]

Leads our tackle count with 52 for the season

 

[Brasil2007]

I'd like to think you're right about the Tambling comparison but Kelly is way ahead of Tambling. I hadn't seen enough of the Cats, hence my surprise at Kelly's talent. You mustn't have seen enough of Richmond if you rate them the same. Sure, the confidence and support of playing in a great side like Geelong would help Richie immeasurably but he's not even close to Kelly. Tambling would be competing against Byrnes/Wojo perhaps.
Of course I'll throw in the standard BF disclaimer..."but I'd love to be proven wrong"

I think if you go back a few years comments about Kelly are pretty similar to those you see about Tambling. Kelly has played about 50 more games than Tambling and personally I think he really only showed his current form since 2007 (like a lot of our other players). Even then his 2007 wasn't outstanding - he's a much better player today than he was then. Before then - and others might have a different view but this is my recollection - he was seen as a bloke who got it a bit but couldn't use it and had little defensive side. As a first round pick he was probably a bit of a disappointment.

It's hard to compare though. Kelly gets the ball at half back, looks up and he's got Ablett, Bartel, Selwood, etc in front of him. If he looks to the side or backwards he's got Mackie, Taylor, Scarlett, Hunt, etc. That has to make you walk a bit taller. Again not saying he isn't a good player - he's a very good player who has continued to improve - but I think Tambling would be seen a bit differently if he played at the Cattery too.