Tadhg Kennelly

Tadhg Kennelly is an Irish-Australian sportsperson known for his top-level careers in both Gaelic football and AFL. He is the only holder of both an AFL Premiership medallion and a Senior All-Ireland Championship medal, the highest-possible team-based achievement in both sports

Born in Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland Tadhg is the son of a Kerry football star and grew up playing GAA both for local and county teams. 

In 1999, he made the momentous decision to move to Australia to play Aussie Rules football. He debuted for the Sydney Swans in 2001 and went on to become one of their star players. 

In 2005 he won an AFL Premiership medal with the Swans, the first Irishman to do so. He was plagued by injury throughout his final seasons in Australia, but through both his columns on the Sydney Swans website and the attention lavished on him by Australian broadcasters, Tadhg retained a high profile. In 2009 he returned to Ireland and joined the Kerry County panel. He returned to Sydney to play two more years before chronic knee and shoulders issues ended his very successful career. 

Following retirement he went into recruiting and everything to do with International recruiting. Recruiting a new wave of international AFL players like Mason Cox, Connor Mckenna and Mark O'Connor among others. 

He was then appointed head coach of the Sydney Swans reserves and in his first year they reached the Grand Final. He was then promoted to the Swans defence and team defence coach. 

Kennelly holds a Bachelors degree in Arts, majoring in Psychology and History. He also just completed his Masters degree in education, where he now resides in a role as a head of sport in the education system.

Tadhg is the co- founder of a mens health group called WNOW (When no ones watching) www.wnow.com.au we are helping men be better which in evietable will make them better fathers, husbands, brothers, friends.The group is well know for its motto which Tadhg talks alot about "dropping your body armour" 

Tadhg's work in the mental health space is phenomenal and has touched and helping 1,000's of men he is the ideal person to present on the challenges that men face today from anxiety, stress, to trying to keep up appearances, the challenges of been a man today, social media influnces. 

Tadhg is also the head of Rep Sport at St.Catherines, where he works with students, coaches in developing ans driving expectations, standards in the sporting field. 

Tadhg is also the new Head of GWS Academy, where he works withr the best athletes in the region and helps guide, challenge but more importantly support footballers trying to reach their dreams. 

Tadhg's experience in sports and coaching all over the world makes him the ideal expert on a number of topics based on the philosophy of coaching, principles of strategy, tactic and people management, teamwork and culture. 

"Life after football was a challenge. Coming from having everything done for you to finding your own two feet. It certainly took me a while to adjust but unbeknown to myself the lessons I learnt while playing have really stood to me in life after football. Really without knowing it, I have a real drive/determination to set goals and reach them, something which was very much a part of my day to day life as a footballer."

"The one thing I miss from living as a professional footballer is the constant feedback you receive good or bad. This was how you improved as an athlete and certainly today it is something in which I have to go and chase up."

"I am so fortunate to have a life which involves sport and everyday I count my lucky stars that I'm involved in something i love doing like providing opportunities and life lessons to the next generation."