MURRABIT Football Netball Club will be hoping former Sydney Swans star Josh Kennedy will help break their winless streak on the football field on Saturday.
Kennedy joins Murrabit for their round 8 clash against local rivals Wandella, as part of Carlton Draught’s Carlton Draft competition.
The Draft attracted more than 300 country football clubs to enter for the chance to bring in a former AFL legend for a single game.
The Blues were one of the six lucky winners chosen for the draft, where they used the fourth pick to select premiership Swan Kennedy.
It has been a tough start to the season for the Blues’ senior side, who haven’t recorded a win in the first eight games.
Following an agonisingly close seven-point loss to Moulamein last week, Murrabit will be looking to the three-time All-Australian to change their fortunes.
Murrabit coach Mick O’Toole said Kennedy’s one-off appearance had timed itself perfectly.
“It really couldn’t have come at a better time,” he said.
“We’ve just hit a nice patch of form in the last week. Unfortunately, we just didn’t get over the line, but we really weren’t far away.
“Last week we were in front pretty much all game and it wasn’t until the last minute or two that things went against us.
“We have brought in 15 new players into the playing group, so for us it’s about getting everyone on the park, and I feel like we are starting to gel a bit.”
The grandson of Hawthorn legend John Kennedy Sr, Josh called time on an illustrious AFL career last year, finishing a 14-year period in which he claimed three Bob Skilton Medals as the Swans’ best and fairest.
A father-son selection for Hawthorn in the 2007 draft, Kennedy was traded to Sydney in 2010. Just two years later, the Swans would win their second AFL premiership.
O’Toole said Kennedy’s experience will be invaluable to his side.
“I think he’ll bring a wealth of leadership to the game,” he said.
“I’m sure the guys will take a lot of experience from the day and learn a lot from being alongside Josh.
“He seems like a really decent bloke, so I’m sure he will be out there teaching the younger blokes in the middle as well. His knowledge and talk out there will be invaluable.
“I think his delivery to our forwards should be pretty good. If we can grab the win this week, it’ll really give us something to build on.”
O’Toole said he was expecting a large crowd to flock to see Kennedy help the Blues take on their bitter rivals.
“There is a big rivalry between the two teams, there’s definitely no hate lost between Murrabit and Wandella,” he said.
“Everyone’s really up and about, we’ve also got four premiership reunions plus a sponsors day on Saturday, so it’ll be a pretty big day.
“We’re expecting Josh will draw a pretty big crowd, some of our boys wouldn’t have played in front of a crowd like this.”
