Collingwood are set to make another list change with Will Kelly to depart the club.
7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary revealed Kelly, the son of CEO Craig, will not be offered a contract for 2024.
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Kelly joined the club under the father-son rule with pick No.29 in the 2018 AFL draft.
He made his debut in 2020, but suffered a horrific dislocated elbow that ended his season.
The 23-year-old played another two games in 2021 and featured twice as the starting substitute this year to take his career games to five.
Will Kelly is set to be delisted by Collingwood. Credit: Getty Images
One of this year’s senior appearances came on Anzac Day when he played against older brother and Essendon defender Jake.
Will Kelly becomes the eighth departure from the club after winning the premiership last month.
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In the week following the grand final win over Brisbane, Collingwood announced that Trey Ruscoe, Trent Bianco, Tom Wilson, Arlo Draper and Cooper Murley were all delisted.
The Magpies then traded out vice-captain Taylor Adams to Sydney and premiership forward Jack Ginnivan to Hawthorn.
Kelly’s father Craig played 122 games for Collingwood between 1989-96, including the 1990 premiership side.
After his playing career finished, Craig became one of the leading player agents for TLA.
He returned to Collingwood as CEO at the start of the year, replacing Mark Anderson.
Rival clubs believe that appointment gave the AFL powerhouse an extra leg-up in its successful ploy to recruit Lachie Schultz from Fremantle, according to Cleary.
As Cleary explained on the Tradies podcast last week, Schultz is managed by TLA’s Jason Dover, who used to report to Kelly.
“There are people at other clubs that I’ve spoken to that have joined the dots,” he said.
“When Craig Kelly went from TLA to Collingwood, we were all thinking, ‘What’s the link going to be? Where’s the Collingwood upper hand going to be as part of moving the move from him out of player management?’.”
“The Dogs and Hawthorn were well down the path with what they thought was a deal for Lachie Schultz in 12 months’ time.
“He hit a trigger for 2024 this year, a games trigger. And those clubs were positioning themselves for 12 months’ time.
“Collingwood comes in… is it a free kick, or is it just good management that they that knew Lachie Schultz was up for grabs this trade period?
“He comes in on a four-year deal with a trigger for a fifth and takes Taylor Adams’ spot.
“I think it’s great business for Collingwood and smart play, but there are people questioning it.”
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