Kerry hero Tadhg Kennelly has explained his reasons for returning to the Sydney Swans after fulfilling his dream of winning an all-Ireland title with Kerry.
This season will be the swansong for Swans coach Paul Roos, who will end his ten year tenure as coach of the Sydney side at the end of the season.
Roos has been a very important figure in Kennelly’s life, and the Kerryman is keen to repay the faith he placed in him, and his guidance during the difficult period after his father died of a heart attack in 2005, by helping to ensure he bows out on a high.
‘We've got a great relationship and it was obviously part of the decision in my mind that it was his last year,’ Kennelly said.
‘Kind of in a subconscious way, knowing that it was Roosy's last year as well, I thought I'd love to be part of it. Him and (assistant coach) George Stone have been the two biggest influences on my career.
‘He has enabled me to express myself in football and really express my opinions on and off the field.
‘Probably the biggest thing was when I did lose my father it was Roosy saying how there's bigger things in life you lose than football.
‘He was a big influence and stepped up to be a father figure for me since my father passed.
‘He is just a fantastic individual, obviously he is a great coach, and his record stands for itself, but as a bloke he is just as good.’
However, Kennelly was also keen to stress that his decision was not a purely sporting one.
‘A lot of it is a lifestyle decision, too. I don't think I will ever take (being a player in the AFL) for granted,’ Kennelly said.
‘Sometimes you do take for granted when you do a pre-season and complain because you have to train, but you don't have to get up at 7 o'clock in the morning to work a job.
‘I worked for the first time in my life at 28 years of age when I was at home. It really struck home to me last year and the biggest decision to come out was a lifestyle decision compared to the two countries.’
