GIANTS star Josh Kelly says it’s a special but surreal feeling as he gets set to become just the sixth player in GIANTS history to play 200 games for the club in Saturday’s clash with the Kangaroos at ENGIE Stadium (formerly GIANTS Stadium).
Drafted by the club as a highly touted teenager out of Victoria with the second pick in the 2013 AFL Draft, Kelly burst out of the blocks to win the GIANTS’ Rising Star award in his first season before quickly establishing himself as one of the competition’s most damaging midfielders.
Fast forward more than a decade, and with two Kevin Sheedy Medals and an All-Australian blazer to his name, the former co-captain and current GIANTS vice-captain will further cement his legacy as a club great on Saturday when he becomes the fastest player to reach 200 AFL games for the GIANTS.
“Looking back [at my career], it does fly, and it’s a bit surreal to be playing 200 games,” Kelly said ahead of the milestone match.
“It’s definitely not something that sinks in or feels like a massive achievement in the moment, but it is something I’ll be very proud of going forward.
“To be part of that group [from the club’s early days] and the first bunch of GIANTS to play 200 games is special, and I feel a real special connection to the club and those players.
“They are some of my best mates and people who I really respect and look up to, so to be joining them in that category is pretty cool.
“I’ve always felt a real connection to the club, not only for taking the chance on me but for the opportunity to be part of the first wave of GIANTS coming through. That’s something that can’t be taken from us and I’m very proud of that.”
Kelly - who will bring up the milestone against the side he grew up supporting and the one his father Phil played 61 games for in the ‘80’s - says he’s immensely proud of how far the club has come since his arrival in late 2013.
“The growth has been massive. Obviously, the club was young when I arrived, they’d only played two seasons and it’s changed a lot since then,” Kelly said.
“The fundamentals of the club, in terms of what it stands for, being a family, and the strong relationships throughout the playing group and the staff has always remained and we’re really proud of the culture we’ve created.
“The club really wants to be successful right across the board and it’s something we are always working on, and I feel a real attachment to that. I was here in the early days and it’s something I want to be really proud of going forward to say I was part of building this club into something.”
Kelly’s milestone match comes following an impressive 32-point win for the GIANTS over Collingwood at home in Opening Round, with the smooth-moving midfielder confident the victory can be a platform for turning ENGIE Stadium into a fortress throughout the season.
“It was awesome. The game was as active and as up and about as any GIANTS crowd that I’ve ever played in front of,” Kelly said.
“They had the GIANTS chant going and competing with the Collinwood fans so that was great to see … it’s definitely going to be a fortress going forward.
“The momentum we have at the moment and the feeling of the crowd on the weekend and the feeling in Western Sydney and Sydney in general is amazing.
“It’s another thing this club should be really proud of, we just have to keep at it.”
Kelly will enter the GIANTS’ history books on Saturday at 4:35pm as the GIANTS host the Kangaroos at ENGIE Stadium.
Tickets to this weekend’s game include entry and return public transport while the match will feature FREE Easter Show rides from when gates open at 3:35pm. Kick-to-kick and an on-field signing session will also be held as part of the round one game day.
Further adding to the game day experience, GIANTS are encouraged to get along to ENGIE Stadium on Saturday to help celebrate retired inaugural GIANTS co-captain Phil Davis who will be honoured at the game and available for a meet and greet with fans.
