Essendon utility Jake Kelly has announced his retirement from the AFL after 168 games.
Originally selected by Adelaide with pick No.40 in the 2014 AFL Rookie Draft, Kelly played 110 games for the Crows before seeking a trade to Essendon at the end of the 2021 season.
In his three years at the Bombers, the 29-year-old has played 58 games as a regular member of the club’s backline and wing rotations.
Reflecting on his career, Kelly is proud to have extracted the most out of his time in the AFL.
“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.”
In his first season at the Dons, Kelly’s hard work ethic and team-first attitude - a constant in his red and black career, saw him place seventh in Essendon’s Crichton Medal.
Kelly leaves the game’s most elite level with a Grand Final appearance in 2017 with Adelaide and having reached the 150th AFL game milestone in round three of this season.
General Manager - AFL 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’s retirement comes after club champion Dyson Heppell announced his farewell from the AFL, while becoming Essendon’s sixth list change after Jaiden Hunter, Nick Hind, Kaine Baldwin and Tex Wanganeen were not offered contracts for 2025.
