Josh Kennedy

Player Stats

Biography

Joshua J. "Josh" Kennedy (born 25 August 1987) is an Australian rules footballer currently listed with the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). Originally playing with the East Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), he was recruited to the Carlton Football Club with the fourth pick overall in the 2005 National Draft. Kennedy played 22 games for Carlton before being traded to the West Coast Eagles during the 2007 season. Playing mainly as a centre half-forward, Kennedy has played a total of 71 games for West Coast, kicking 148 goals, and led the club's goalkicking during the 2011 season.

Recruited at number four in the 2005 AFL Draft by the Carlton Football Club, he made his Australian Football League debut in Round 6, 2006. Kennedy had a hard decision to make over whether to play basketball or AFL because both of his parents played basketball.

In 2006, Kennedy showed promises that he could be a future key-position forward. However, he struggled for ground time and form when playing at the AFL level, scoring only 5.4 from his nine games. In Carlton's VFL-affiliate, the Northern Bullants, he found it easier to show his skills with eighteen goals for the season.

In 2007 Kennedy committed to a new 2 year contract with the Carlton Football Club. However on 11 October, it was announced that he had agreed to return to his native state and play for the West Coast Eagles, thus enabling Carlton to secure the services of top midfielder Chris Judd in a trade.

On 26 April 2008, Josh Kennedy, wearing number 17, made his debut for the West Coast Eagles against the Western Bulldogs. In Round 9, 2011, Kennedy kicked ten goals against the Western Bulldogs, becoming just the fourth Eagle (after Scott Cummings, Peter Sumich and Mark LeCras) to kick ten goals in a game.

After playing in struggling teams at the start of his career – four of Kennedy's first six seasons resulted in bottom two finishes, including two wooden spoons – Kennedy made his first finals appearance in 2011.