Nick's Collingwood Bulletin Board

Geek wrote:

MJ23 wrote:
At least his injuries haven't been soft tissue - keep him in the gym building on his frame and I think we will have a player.

Missed most of his first year with a hamstring. Might have been tendon though so not technically soft tissue?

Yes, correct was tendon and a bad one. First year and no reoccurrence so fingers crossed.

Just wonder if he is working hard enough to get his body right. Not sure if I mentioned it here or elsewhere - Tom Boyd mentioned that it took him some time to get his head around the work it took to succeed as a forward.

His father and brother - not injury prone. So genetics should not be an issue (see Reid brothers).

The stats:
Craig - 190cms - 95kgs
Jake -- 190cms - 89kgs (Drafted 2014 84kgs)
Will --- 194cms - 93kgs (Drafted 2018 84kgs)

MJ23 wrote:

Geek wrote:

MJ23 wrote:
At least his injuries haven't been soft tissue - keep him in the gym building on his frame and I think we will have a player.

Missed most of his first year with a hamstring. Might have been tendon though so not technically soft tissue?

Yes, correct was tendon and a bad one. First year and no reoccurrence so fingers crossed.

Kelly didn’t help his cause when he damaged his ankle towards the end of the season he was to be drafted. He was given medical advice to consider immediate surgery but he played on because the Chargers were flag favourites and it was his year to be drafted. He had significant ankle surgery in the off season ( before his first season at Collingwood ) and although he came back ok, he then copped a hamstring related injury shortly afterwards. There is every chance this may have occurred on the back of the work load that comes with making up lost ground.

Will needs to keep on eating like a horse, and putting muscle on.
Hoping the club remains patient with him, as Roughead may not last into 2023, and Darcy Moore keeps on finding new ways to get injured.

Reid also started forward before, becoming our KPD, before his frame crumbled.

Given the reported lack of interest in Weideman, I get the feeling the pies have a few eggs in the Will Kelly basket.

Through a combination of injuries and form, the long term vision hasn't been clear for Will but with the potential addition of Kreuger and the likes of Roughead and Howe heading towards their twilight, I'd like to see him assigned to a CHB/FB role for him to make his own.

A Darcy Moore/Will Kelly defensive spine could be anything.

MatthewBoydFanClub wrote:We don't have enough forwards. It's as simple as that. If it works out with Kreuger then we have an opportunity to swing him back into defense.

With McMahon, Beeg and Johnson all added to the list in the last 12 months I'd have said the opposite is true. Adding another like (say) Kreuger only compounds that. KPD depth however is Roughy, Moore, Madgen, Keane and Wilson with neither Madgen or Wilson really KPDers.

Magpie Russ wrote:Just wonder if he is working hard enough to get his body right. Not sure if I mentioned it here or elsewhere - Tom Boyd mentioned that it took him some time to get his head around the work it took to succeed as a forward.

His father and brother - not injury prone. So genetics should not be an issue (see Reid brothers).

The stats:
Craig - 190cms - 95kgs
Jake -- 190cms - 89kgs (Drafted 2014 84kgs)
Will --- 194cms - 93kgs (Drafted 2018 84kgs)

Or maybe he's working too hard. Either end of the spectrum can get you in trouble physically.

After missing a game earlier in the year with Gastro and then another 4 with a hip injury, Will Kelly returned to play a fairly good game in the VFL. He backed that up with an "ok" performance in a heavy loss to Casey.

Now after having the bye, is it time we can expect Will to put his hand up for selection? Charlie Dean will return from injury this week and will also be looking to impress for a position in defence.

Now in his fourth season, Will has struggled with some bizarre injuries and of course 2 seasons interrupted by covid. Obviously all AFL players were hit by that, but wit no VFL season, Will never really had a chance to play much football.

With the retirement of Roughead and Howe starting to get long in the tooth, the team will be looking for talls to fill the void in the back six. Will stands at 194cm.

Can he stand up and become a stalwart in defence? Or can he become a threat in the forward line? Is he a forward or a defender?

Either way, I think he should start by handing back the #20 jumper and switching it to #23 now that it is available.

Presti35 wrote:Either way, I think he should start by handing back the #20 jumper and switching it to #23 now that it is available.

100%

23 was made famous by Lachie Keefe.

He could end up with number 53 if he doesn't show some decent form soon.

Actually, I think he has been quite good in his last two games. I am encouraged.

Fast forward 2023 with an improved Dean ( however that looks ) an ever improving Liam McMahon and hopefully a bigger stronger Murphy as well, I don’t see where Kelly fits in unless he totally transforms himself in the off season. Even if he was to go forward, it’s not likely he comes back a better player than Krueger. And all that is before we have even hit the trade period or gone to the draft.
He was a good U18 talent and I thought he would be further advanced by now. I accept injuries have severely dented his progress but the same could be said about Murphy. One has grabbed his opportunity, while the other looks less likely as every month rolls on.

Number 20 should be binned as it's cursed. Remember these names:

* Ben Reid
* Tony Burgess
* Stephen Clifford
* Peter Marshall
* Tony Woods
* Graeme Teasdale
* Gordon Towan

(Chris Tarrant aside)

How did big Will go today in the VFL?