GWS Giants tie down star on mega eight-year deal

The GWS Giants have tied down Josh Kelly to an eight-year contract extension, essentially making Kelly a Giant for life.

The 26-year-old was taken by the Giants with the second pick of the 2013 national draft, and hasn’t looked back since.

Kelly has represented the Giants on over 150 occasions, and will have plenty more over the next eight years.

The midfielder was ecstatic about pledging his future to the club.

“I couldn’t be happier to commit my future to the GIANTS as I see big things coming for the club,” Kelly said.

“I’ve been a GIANT since being drafted in 2013 and after weighing everything up, just can’t wait to continue building on what we have here at the GIANTS.

Josh Kelly inked an eight-year deal with the Giants. (Pic: Michael Klein)Source:News Corp Australia

“The club has grown considerably since I’ve arrived. We’ve got a strong track record of playing finals football and I believe the best is yet to come for the GIANTS.

“I can’t wait for what lies ahead for this team and the club.”

Kelly has been in career-best form this season, averaging 25 possessions a game and kicking 15 goals.

Giants general manager of football Jason McCartney was delighted to repay Kelly’s strong showings in the form of a bumper new deal.

“Josh is a young leader of our club, he wants to play consistent finals football and clearly believes the club will be contending for several years to come,” McCartney said.

“We are delighted Josh now joins the likes of Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Lachie Whitfield and Nick Haynes as players that’ll spend their whole career at the club.”

Kelly was the Giants’ best and fairest in 2017. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source:Getty Images

Kelly was named in the All-Australian team in 2017, and finished fifth in the race for the Brownlow Medal along with winning the Kevin Sheedy medal for the club’s best and fairest that same year.

The new deal also puts a permanent end to the speculation between Kelly and North Melbourne, after the Kangaroos made an offer for the star’s services back in 2017 and had been linked ever since.

It’s not the first time an AFL star has penned a monster deal this season, either.

Carlton announced Patrick Cripps would stay with the club for the next six seasons in July, effectively making him a Blues player for life.

Kelly will get the first chance to celebrate his new deal on Saturday against Richmond in what’s shaping up to be a mouth-watering clash.

The Giants sit in eighth spot, but are only two points ahead of Essendon and Richmond. If they want to play finals footy for the fifth time in six seasons, they’ll have to take all four points against the Tigers and Carlton in the final game of the regular season.

They’ll also be without Toby Greene for the Richmond game after he copped a one-match ban for striking Patrick Dangerfield in their upset win over Geelong last Friday night.

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