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Hayden Kelly in action in his last game – the 2014 AFL Canberra First Grade premiership win.
The wait is finally over – Hayden Kelly returns!
They say you are only as good as your last game. For Hayden Kelly that statement doesn’t sit too badly given his last game was an AFL Canberra First Grade premiership win in 2014.
Although it’s a nice way to look at a career, Hayden certainly doesn’t see it that way and has persevered through two and a half years of bad luck and injury in trying to add to his games tally.
In early 2015 Hayden was diagnosed with a serious ankle problem. In fact, he arrived at a 2015 pre-season carnival at Kippax fresh from surgery carrying a specimen jar containing several bits of bone removed from his ankle.
Later that year he received bad news that he would require further surgery to fix the problem.
Hayden was unable to play at all in 2016 and feared his career may be over.
During the pre-season of 2017 his recuperation progressed well enough for him to play a few AFL 9s games. His intent was to play full scale football again in 2017.
But on the eve of the season, just when things were looking up, he fractured his leg in a mistimed kick during a game of backyard soccer.
Hayden has worked tirelessly in the gym during his recuperation and is a welcome addition to the Second Grade team this weekend where he’ll play his first match in 1043 days, or 2 years, 10 months, 9 days – but who’s counting?
Welcome back Haydos and good luck!