Decorated Swans stalwart Josh Kennedy has been forced to retire following a second serious hamstring injury this season, writes Malcolm Conn | theagerealfooty AFL
Decorated Swans stalwart Josh Kennedy has been forced to retire following a second serious hamstring injury this season.
Kennedy, 34, is a former club captain, three time club champion, three-time All-Australian and 2012 premiership player. The powerful midfielder began his career as part of a Hawthorn dynasty established by his famous grandfather John Kennedy as a player and the Hawks’ first premiership coach.Josh played 13 games for Hawthorn but was unable to secure a regular place in the team and moved to the Swans in 2010 to seek greater opportunities.
He played a further 277 games for the Swans, finishing on 290, just short of the 300 required for AFL life membership.Credit:Kennedy’s latest injury came playing for the Swans reserves and followed a serious setback against Carlton in round 10 when he was out for eight weeks. Coach John Longmire said the most recent injury was to his left leg, as opposed to the right leg problem he suffered earlier in the season.Kennedy had struggled for a regular game with the Swans this season as a new generation of midfielders such as Chad Warner and James Rowbottom continued to assert themselves.