At his best, Kelly was simply sublime but, like so many others, the smooth-moving midfield star was impacted by injuries in 2021.
Kelly’s second campaign in the west got off to a brilliant start and after 10 rounds he was leading the John Worsfold Medal count.
A six-game purple patch between the round five win over Collingwood and the hard-fought round 10 defeat to the Giants showcased the damage Kelly can do as he averaged 27 disposals and nearly eight clearances.
Undoubtedly, the highlight was a career day out in the first RAC Derby of the season, when he racked up 42 disposals in a stunning performance to clinch his maiden Glendinning-Allan Medal.
However, a nasty-looking right knee injury forced him out of the home loss to Essendon in round 11, and while he only missed two games around the bye, it was a setback for the 27-year-old and he had to rebuild his fitness.
Kelly then injured his left knee and was subbed out at half-time during the disappointing round 22 defeat to Fremantle, which ultimately ended his season of highs and lows prematurely.
Standout performance: Day out against the Dockers
The star Eagle exploded in his second taste of an RAC Derby, propelling West Coast towards an 11th-straight victory over the club’s crosstown rival.
Kelly had made a habit of stepping up when the Eagles needed him most and this was no exception with Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo sidelined, as he extracted 13 clearances to go with his career-high 42 touches.
Relishing the freedom of not being tagged for the first time in several weeks, Kelly received maximum votes from the three judges as he went to work at Optus Stadium in front of empty stands.
Season averages:
Disposals – 23.9
Pressure acts – 22.5
Ground ball gets – 6.8
Total clearances – 5.3
Inside 50s – 4.3