Quick Facts
Biography
Joshua P. "Josh" Kennedy (born 20 June 1988) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Hawthorn Football Club.
The son and grandson of former Hawthorn players, Kennedy was originally recruited to Hawthorn in the 2006 national draft under the father–son rule. He debuted for the club during the 2008 season, but was traded to Sydney prior to the 2010 season, having played 13 games for Hawthorn. An inside midfielder, Kennedy has since become a star player for Sydney. He has won the Bob Skilton Medal three times as the club's best and fairest (2012, 2015, 2016) and also played in a premiership in 2012. Kennedy has been named in the All-Australian team on three occasions, in 2012, 2014 and 2016 as well as finishing equal third in the 2014 Brownlow Medal. He has served as the captain of Sydney since the 2017 season.
AFL career
Hawthorn (2008–2009)
Kennedy is the son of John Kennedy Jr., a former Hawthorn player and grandson of John Kennedy, Sr., an Australian Football Hall of Fame member. He finished Year 12 studies at Xavier College in Kew, Victoria in 2006, having also played for Ashburton Football Club as a youngster. In mid-2006 it was announced that he would be recruited in the 2006 AFL Draft by the Hawthorn Football Club for the 2007 season, under the father-son rule. Kennedy made his debut for the club in round nine of the 2008 season. He played two further games in his debut season, and ten the following season, but was traded to Sydney at the end of the 2009 season, along with Ben McGlynn, with Hawthorn receiving draft picks 39, 46, and 70 in exchange.
Sydney Swans (2010–present)
In late 2009, Kennedy was offered a three-year deal by the Sydney Swans. Kennedy accepted the offer, as the Swans' offered him more opportunity to play senior football than Hawthorn, who had many players similar to Kennedy. He was traded to the Swans along with teammate Ben McGlynn for 2009 AFL Draft picks 39, 46 and 70. Kennedy capped a fantastic year by finishing 3rd in the Sydney Swans Best & Fairest, behind winner Kieren Jack and runner-up Shane Mumford. Kennedy was also awarded the Paul Roos Award for best player in the finals series.
Kennedy followed up his outstanding debut year in Sydney with another very consistent season in 2011. Despite a relatively slow start, Kennedy hit top form in the 2nd half of the year to finish equal 2nd with Rhyce Shaw in the Bob Skilton Medal (behind winner Adam Goodes). Kennedy further enhanced his growing reputation around the league with 2 more outstanding performances in the Swans' finals games against St.Kilda and Hawthorn.
Kennedy had his most consistent year in 2012 earning himself his first All-Australian team selection. Kennedy won the Brett Kirk Medal in round one. Kennedy polled in equal eighth place in the Brownlow Medal, with 19 votes - the most of any Sydney player. He played in Sydney's Grand Final winning team, where he had 26 disposals and kicked two goals. He also won the Sydney Best & Fairest (Bob Skilton Medal) with (877) votes to win by a massive 172 votes from 2nd Ted Richards (705) and 3rd Ryan O'Keefe (701), managing to consistently poll votes in each round.
Kennedy's 2015 season was rewarded with his second Bob Skilton Medal. He won the best and fairest for the second consecutive year in 2016.
In 2016, Kennedy won his 3rd All-Australian selection, 3rd Bob Skilton Medal and was awarded the inaugural Gary Ayres Award for best player in the 2016 finals series.
On 9 December 2016, Kennedy was named the new captain of the club, taking over from previous co-captains Kieren Jack and Jarrad McVeigh.
Statistics
- Statistics are correct to the end of the 2016 season
| Legend | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Led the league after finals only | |
| Led the league after season and finals |
| Season | Team | # | Games | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Hawthorn | 36 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 24 | 41 | 12 | 13 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.7 | 8.0 | 13.7 | 4.0 | 4.3 |
| 2009 | Hawthorn | 32 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 65 | 129 | 194 | 31 | 42 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 6.5 | 12.9 | 19.4 | 3.1 | 4.2 |
| 2010 | Sydney | 12 | 24 | 10 | 10 | 210 | 272 | 482 | 70 | 107 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 8.8 | 11.3 | 20.1 | 2.9 | 4.5 |
| 2011 | Sydney | 12 | 24 | 10 | 19 | 272 | 256 | 528 | 54 | 135 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 11.3 | 10.7 | 22.0 | 2.3 | 5.6 |
| 2012 | Sydney | 12 | 25 | 29 | 13 | 307 | 401 | 708 | 73 | 125 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 12.3 | 16.0 | 28.3 | 2.9 | 5.0 |
| 2013 | Sydney | 12 | 25 | 14 | 16 | 257 | 421 | 678 | 42 | 123 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 10.3 | 16.8 | 27.1 | 1.7 | 4.9 |
| 2014 | Sydney | 12 | 23 | 13 | 20 | 272 | 385 | 657 | 75 | 132 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 11.8 | 16.7 | 28.6 | 3.3 | 5.7 |
| 2015 | Sydney | 12 | 24 | 15 | 23 | 308 | 423 | 731 | 74 | 149 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 12.8 | 17.6 | 30.5 | 3.1 | 6.2 |
| 2016 | Sydney | 12 | 25 | 20 | 9 | 315 | 472 | 787 | 67 | 139 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 12.6 | 18.9 | 31.5 | 2.7 | 5.6 |
| Career | 183 | 115 | 115 | 2023 | 2783 | 4806 | 498 | 965 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 11.1 | 15.2 | 26.3 | 2.7 | 5.3 | ||
Honours and achievements
| Brownlow Medal votes | |
| Season | Votes |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 19 |
| 2013 | 14 |
| 2014 | 21 |
| 2015 | 25 |
| 2016 | 14 |
| Total | 82 |
Team
- AFL Premiership (Sydney): 2012
Individual
- All-Australian: 2012, 2014, 2016
- Bob Skilton Medal (Sydney Swans best and fairest): 2012, 2015, 2016
- Brett Kirk Medal: 2012 (round 1)
- Peter Badcoe VC Medal: 2012 (round 3)
- Gary Ayres Award: 2016
Personal life
In April 2015 Kennedy's wife Ana gave birth to their first child, a baby boy named Emilio.