Jake Kelly Biography

Jake Kelly announces his retirement after 168 games with the Crows and Essendon at the age of 29.

"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," Kelly said.

"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."

Jake Kelly officially joins Essendon on a three-year deal as an unrestricted free agent, with Adelaide receiving a third-round pick (currently No.42) as compensation.

"In our discussions with Jake, he is very excited and motivated by the direction the club is headed, and we look forward to seeing what he can contribute to our emerging playing group in years to come," Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro said.

Adelaide defender Jake Kelly will join Essendon in 2022 as an unrestricted free agent.

"Jake has made a great contribution to our club over the past eight seasons," Crows head of football Adam Kelly said.

"He has consistently set high standards on and off the field with his training and preparation. We thank him for his service and wish him all the best as he embarks on the next stage of his career."

Free agent Jake Kelly is reportedly on the radar of North Melbourne as the 26-year-old weighs a return back to Victoria.

It is understood the Crows have put forward a multi-year contract for him and the club is keen to retain Kelly, who has been a heavily invested member of Adelaide's program.

Patrick Dangerfield is handed a three-week ban after pleading guilty for his bump on Jake Kelly which left the Adelaide defender with concussion and a broken nose.

After eight years as a defender, Adelaide winger Jake Kelly is relishing the opportunity to unleash his running ability higher up the ground.

"I was moved to the wing four weeks ago, and am probably playing 60 to 70 per cent on the wing, and about 30 per cent back," Kelly said.

"I'd been playing as a defender since Year 11 (at school), and sometimes you can get into auto-pilot at times down back.

"It's been massive for me and a new challenge."

A Christmas visit home brought unpleasant reminders for Jake Kelly that the Crows fell short in the 2017 Grand Final.

His father Craig Kelly was part of Collingwood's drought-breaking 1990 premiership side, and the his medallion from that day takes pride of place in the family home.

"I saw my old man's premiership medal when I walked downstairs to the car each time, so every time I looked at that it dawned on me I wasn't a premiership player," Kelly told 5AA radio.

"We had a great opportunity to all become one, but we didn't, and little things like Richmond being on TV or Facebook or social media – whatever it may be – are the ones that really get me personally."

Jake Kelly has identified areas of his game to improve for the upcoming 2018 season.

"That sort of player that can come third-man in, take those intercept marks and come in for spoils," Kelly said.

"That's an area I'm really going to focus on this pre-season."

As Adelaide prepare for their first Grand Final since 1998, Jake Kelly remains one of the Crows' unsung heroes, playing a vital role in the team's backline after not playing a game in 2016.

"It's incredible, it's like I'm in a dream," he said.

"My goal at the start of the year was to play every game, and now it's about winning that one next Saturday."

Jake Kelly signs a new deal with the Crows that will keep him at the club until the end of 2019.

Jake Kelly will miss Adelaide's clash against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium after receiving a poke to the eye in the Crows' round 4 clash against Essendon.

Crows general manager of high performance Matt Hass said the club wouldn’t take any risks with Kelly's injury.

"Jake consulted a specialist and it was recommended that he have the week off," Hass said.

Adelaide re-signs Jake Kelly for another two seasons, keeping him at West Lakes until the end of 2017.

"I'm rapt to be at the club for another two years," Kelly said.

"It's a fantastic club. We're going in the right direction, I know that for sure."

Crows head of football David Noble said Kelly's fearless approach to contests was a massive strength of the 189cm backman.

"Jake is a super competitor and someone who always thinks about the team first," Noble said.

"His attack on the footy and the opposition is a real asset and something we value highly."

Jake Kelly makes his AFL debut for Adelaide at Adelaide Oval with 7 disposals (4 kicks and 3 handballs), 3 marks and 10 tackles in a 25-point win over Melbourne.

Crows backline coach Darren Milburn says rookie defender Jake Kelly is already one of the hardest players at training.

"Sometimes you've just got to pull him aside because he goes so hard and we don't want him cleaning up his own teammates," Milburn said.

"He just doesn't have any regard for his own body and goes 100 per cent all the time.

"I love that about him … you can't teach that in players, you've either got it or you haven't and he definitely has it."