West Coast spearhead Josh Kennedy expects his minor elbow issue to “heal and settle” over the AFL shutdown period, and hopes the community heeds government advice to slow the COVID-19 spread to minimise the impact on life and, to a lesser extent, football.
The veteran sharpshooter hurt his right elbow during the second Marsh Community Series contest against Fremantle and played with strapping in the round one victory over Melbourne.
Kennedy damaged the same elbow far more severely in 2015 – when he slotted 80 goals from 25 matches – and was sporting the same protective brace he wore five years ago when he departed Mineral Resources Park recently when Eagles players went into hiatus from the club.
“This is my guard from 2015 when I did my elbow, which I still had in my locker because ‘Lecca’ (retired premiership teammate Mark LeCras) signed it,” Kennedy told westcoasteagles.com.au.
“I thought it might be a good luck charm.
“It’s (elbow) healing every day. Just ligament that kind of came off a little bit.
“Through the game it was alright, still feeling it a little bit here and there, but I suppose over this time now we’re not going to have much contact so it should heal and settle.”
The best-case scenario for the AFL season’s restart is June 1, and Kennedy hoped the wider community would play their part in reducing the risks of COVID-19 to help hasten the resumption.
After 243 career games – and only six of those in front of fewer than 10,000 fans – the 32-year-old said it was a surreal experience playing for premiership points at an empty Optus Stadium against the Demons.
“It was different. It was hard switching out of practice match (mode) to a proper game,” Kennedy said.
“The crowd and fans make the atmosphere and they make the game what it is. Some people say the players play and they make the game, but I don’t think so, I think it’s the fans.
“For them not to be there was quite sad, so hopefully us just playing put a smile on their faces in a time like this (helped).
“This thing is bigger than football. It’s a world crisis, it’s a crisis in Australia, a lot of people losing jobs.
“The financial loss from this COVID-19 is going to be massive, so as a community it’s going to be tough.”
Although Kennedy has extended family in the Northampton region of WA, he has remained in Perth with his young children and encouraged others to help slow the spread by isolating from others.
"Just staying put is the best thing, which is obviously what the government want us to do,” he said.
“I’ve got grandparents or even parents who are old enough if they do get it it could be quite serious.
“Hopefully as a community we can do our part to help contain this.
“You still see people out and about and probably don’t think it’s serious but you feel like at this current stage it’s getting serious with what’s happening around the world and we don’t want to be at that level.”
