Essendon utility Jake Kelly has announced his retirement from the AFL.
The 29-year-old said he is focusing on the “next phase of his life” despite appearing to have plenty of footy ahead of him.
Kelly was a mainstay in the Bombers’ line-up this year, playing 20 games to take his career total to 168.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
He enjoyed some strong form early in the season with a number of key shutdown jobs on the opposition’s dangerous forwards, but was often a whipping boy among fans.
Kelly featured in the Bombers’ final game of the season, but there was no inkling he would be following club great Dyson Heppell into retirement.
Kelly began his career at Adelaide, playing 110 games there before joining Essendon as a free agent at the end of the 2021 season.
He is the son of Collingwood CEO Craig, but the Pies opted against drafting him as a father-son in 2013.
“It’s the right time for me to move on and into the next phase of my life which I’m extremely excited about,” Kelly said.
“Firstly I’m incredibly indebted to the Adelaide Football Club for giving me the opportunity to be on an AFL list, they believed in me before I believed in myself and I’ll always be thankful for that as well as to the coaches, players and staff involved with the Adelaide Football Club.
“It’s been a privilege to have played for the Essendon Football Club. I leave knowing that the quality of people within it are the right ones to lead it back to being a dominant club within the AFL. I can’t thank the players, coaches and staff enough, they are truly great people and it’s been a pleasure to work with them all.”
Essendon general manager of AFL Daniel McPherson hailed Kelly’s decision to step away from the game.
“It’s a courageous decision for Jake to decide to step away from football at his age to focus on the next stage of his life away from the game,” McPherson said.
“To play 168 games at AFL level, including a Grand Final, is a terrific achievement, and Jake should be extremely proud of the contributions he made to both the Essendon and Adelaide Football Clubs.
“We thank him for everything he gave to the club over his three seasons in the red and black and wish him all the best for the next chapter of his life.”
The Bombers have now made six list changes with Kelly and Heppell retiring, and Nick Hind, Kaine Baldwin, Jaiden Hunter and Tex Wanganeen all delisted.
