Duringthe 2001 national draft, James Kelly was one of the eight players that joinedGeelong that year at pick number 17 following teammate Jimmy Bartel at pick8.
Despitehearing from four different clubs, Kelly couldn’t help but feel anxious about notknowing which way his future would turn.
“Leadingup to it I was pretty confident that I was going to get drafted but I still hadthat little element of doubt,” Kelly told Cats TV.
“I’dhad meetings with Adelaide and Geelong, they had both come to my house and I’dspoken to Brisbane on the phone.
“Whenit was getting closer I was getting more and more nervous and the day beforethe draft Essendon rang and said they were going to take me with pick number 19,so I was pretty happy with that.”
Growingup Kelly was an Essendon supporter, however he knew it wasn’t wise to set hissights on only one club.
“Iwasn’t getting too carried away that I was definitely going to Essendon,” Kellyadmitted.
“They(Essendon) said they would take me at pick 19 - but then they wouldn’t becauseBrisbane were going to take me at pick 18 or Geelong were going to take me pick17.
“So Ithought one of those three clubs might be the one.”
Kellyand his parents received an invitation to attend the draft, which onlyheightened the excitement of what was about to come for Kelly.
“Whenit came down to the actual day I was invited down to the draft, so I went downand sat through the first round until number 17 got called out - which wasobviously myself,” Kelly recalled.
“I wasquite ecstatic but I had to control it because there were cameras around.
“Mumwas really happy I was staying in Victoria and didn’t have to move too faraway… and as an added bonus I barracked for Essendon as a kid and was a fan ofBomber (Mark Thompson) - so I was pretty excited about that at the time.”
Kellyfondly recalls the moment when he met his coach for the very first timeface-to-face. It was one short conversation that he’ll never forget.
“Bombercame up to me once the draft finished and gave me the club polo. He came up andshook my hand and said congratulations.
“Isaid ‘thanks very much for taking me’ and he said ‘no, no thanks very much forbeing there.
“I waspretty nervous and excited at the same time.”
Sincehis arrival in 2001, James Kelly, who debuted in round 6 in 2002, has been avaluable element to the Cats midfield in a grand total of 256 games, includingthree Premierships, and was named in the All-Australian team in 2011.
Geleongdraftees of 2001
JimmyBartel – 8
JamesKelly – 17
CharlieGardiner – 23
SteveJohnson – 24
GaryAblett Jnr (Father Son) – 40
HenryPlayfair – 41
MatthewMcCarthy – 69
DavidJohnson – 81
