Three rounds into the season, Tim Kelly could have been forgiven for thinking 2022 just wasn’t going to be his year.

The star onballer had been a dominant force on the training track over summer and looked set to thrive after reuniting with former Geelong midfield coach Matthew Knights - the Eagles’ new engine room mentor. 

But when Kelly walked off Mineral Resources Park two days before the round three RAC Derby nursing a hamstring strain, it’s fair to say things hadn’t gone to plan. 

After being forced to watch round one from isolation as undermanned West Coast took the fight to Gold Coast in a 27-point loss, he had returned off limited preparation and played a role with 18 touches in another tough defeat to North Melbourne. 

Seemingly, there were blue skies ahead, only for his hamstring strain to set him back again amid a disastrous series of events for the team to start the new campaign.

Fortunately, the pulled muscle didn’t slow Kelly down for long. 

The classy Eagle soon found his groove and delivered during a tough spell for the team prior to the mid-season bye, before climaxing with a 40-disposal, two-goal masterclass against Richmond at the MCG in round 16 as West Coast’s form began to turn.

All-too-often his efforts were too no avail in terms of the final result, but the 28-year-old could hold his head high after bouncing back from a challenging beginning. 

By season’s end, Kelly ranked first at the club for average disposals (24.3) and inside 50s (4.9), second for clearances (5.6), and launched more passages of play leading to scores than any other Eagle (31 in total). 

When final votes were tallied in the John Worsfold Medal, the 2019 All-Australian had achieved his first podium placing for West Coast.

Despite often being targeted by opposition taggers, Kelly put together a strong season, and felt he grew as a leader around the club with so many of the Eagles’ established and experienced midfield brigade regularly sidelined. 

“I thought I played pretty consistent footy over the year and the biggest thing I got out of this year is I feel like I’ve grown in the leadership space,” Kelly reflected.

“Especially throughout our midfield we had a lot of our core leaders and guys that have been around for a while not there, so I felt like it was on me and a couple of others to share our knowledge and upskill the younger players. 

“For me, I’m probably more someone who leads by example but having to speak a lot more in meetings and have a lot more one-on-one conversations with the younger players, that was probably something I haven’t done a lot of. 

“That was probably something I had to get outside myself a little bit just with the position we were in as a club. 

“I feel I’ve grown a lot in that space, but obviously it was a very tough year. 

“I’m looking forward to getting back to the boys, putting in a big pre-season and putting last year behind us and getting the club back to where it belongs.”

Too often this year Kelly looked around the starting midfield minus the previous six John Worsfold medallists Nic Naitanui (eight games), Luke Shuey (17) and Elliot Yeo (five).

But that star trio will hopefully have a bigger impact in 2023, while Kelly is also looking forward to seeing some fresh faces make their mark.

“I’m pretty excited; we didn’t get to see Campbell Chesser this year and the way he was training in pre-season and even when we started playing games, he was someone that I thought was going to play straight away,” Kelly said. 

“Unfortunately, he copped an (ankle) injury just before the season started but I’m really excited about what he’s going to bring heading into his second year.

“I loved what I saw from Brady Hough. He came in, played a little bit in the backline, but we found a spot for him in the midfield and he runs all day on the wing. He’s not scared to put his body on the line. 

“He’s one who surprised me and one I think has got a big future for our footy club.

“Yeoy, Nic, ‘Boots’ (Shuey), I’m just hoping they – and a lot of my teammates – we can get these injury woes behind us because I still feel like that is a dangerous midfield and I feel like we’ve still got a lot of very good football ahead of us. 

“I’m still very much excited about that prospect of us all fully fit and healthy. 

“Fingers crossed we can string it together for 22-plus games next year.”