“It’s the right time for me to move on and into the next phase of my life, which I’m extremely excited about.”
Essendon defender Jake Kelly has made the shock decision to retire after 11 seasons in the AFL across two clubs.
Kelly – who is the son of Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly – was drafted by Adelaide ahead of the 2015 season through the Rookie Draft, taken with Pick 40.
The Oakleigh Chargers product became an instant contributor for the Crows, playing in 24 games throughout 2017, including the grand final loss to Richmond.
Seeking a move back home to Victoria, a deal was struck between Adelaide and the Bombers, donning the red sash from 2022 onwards.
Kelly played in multiple roles throughout his 168 games and believes now is the time to move on to the next chapter.
“It’s the right time for me to move on and into the next phase of my life, which I’m extremely excited about,” Kelly said.
“Firstly, I’m incredibly indebted to the Adelaide Football Club for giving me the opportunity to be on an AFL list, they believed in me before I believed in myself, and I’ll always be thankful for that, as well as to the coaches, players and staff involved with the Adelaide Football Club.
“It’s been a privilege to have played for the Essendon Football Club. I leave knowing that the quality of people within it are the right ones to lead it back to being a dominant club within the AFL. I can’t thank the players, coaches and staff enough; they are truly great people, and it’s been a pleasure to work with them all.”
Essendon GM Daniel McPherson said Kelly can be proud of his AFL career.
“It’s a courageous decision for Jake to decide to step away from football at his age to focus on the next stage of his life away from the game,” McPherson said.
“To play 168 games at AFL level, including a Grand Final, is a terrific achievement, and Jake should be extremely proud of the contributions he made to both the Essendon and Adelaide Football Clubs.
“We thank him for everything he gave to the club over his three seasons in the red and black and wish him all the best for the next chapter of his life.”
Kelly will join Dyson Heppell, Nick Hind, Jaiden Hunter, Kaine Baldwin and Tex Wanganeen in departing the club.