IT HAS been a season of highs and lows for Matt Kennedy.
The 24-year-old midfielder was moved to the rookie list at the end of 2020 and was struggling to stay in the side.
Finding himself in and out of the VFL throughout 2020 and 2021, Kennedy admitted he was starting to lose confidence in his ability and his strengths.
“I was struggling to get into the side but I thought I was playing some good consistent footy in the VFL,” Kennedy said.
“In the second half of the year, I got a bit more of a run at it, I found I was getting more confident every week, trying to play that consistent footy and through the midfield and trying to nail the one spot.”
Kennedy certainly made a big impact to the AFL side in the back half of the year, having some of his career-best performances between Rounds 15 and 23, averaging 18 disposals and four tackles a game.
One thing Kennedy realised in the VFL was that he needed to go back to basics and remember what it was that made him such an influential inside midfielder.
“I found I was trying to improve in so many areas that I was forgetting to play to my strengths which is my physicality and tackle pressure,” he said.
“I think trying to build that inner belief and confidence that you are good enough and can play at the level, so if anything I just simplified it a little bit more and just wanted to play with a bit more freedom and bring my strengths.”
Kennedy certainly had the talent around him to help, living with Sam Walsh and Paddy Dow, while also having extra training sessions with Patrick Cripps in an effort to bring his centre game to the next level.
“I live with ‘Walshy’ and ‘Dowy’ so it felt like we put in a lot of work together off the field,” he said.
“With ‘Crippa', I was doing extra touch sessions and I fully understand I’ve got a fair bit to improve and grow on.”
Kennedy admitted that being in and out of the side was tough mentally for him personally, but that he was grateful to have Dow by his side to support him and keep his confidence up.
“We can sort of lean on each other a bit and give each other confidence to back each other and tell each other that you’re good enough,” he said.
“When you play and get your opportunity, you just go and play with a bit more freedom and to your strengths, which I think in the second half of the year, we were both able to do.”
Despite a tumultuous season for the Blues on and off the field, Kennedy was never bogged down with the drama, trying to stay as light-hearted as he could around the Club to keep perspective.
“The highs and lows of footy are so extreme, it can be a week to week thing,” he said.
“I think it’s important not to get too high when things are going well and also not too low if you have a bad performance or get dropped, and for me that helps me keep pretty level headed, carrying on and taking the piss out of myself to a certain extent.”
One thing Kennedy was certain of was that the group has become stronger through adversity, and are hungry to achieve the ultimate success.
“It’s not just me, there are a lot of boys that are hungry to get back and play good footy and hopefully make finals, that’s why we all play,” he said.
“Next year, we just want to get back in good shape and play the best footy we can, start winning games and to a certain extent, build a winning culture because it’s been pretty hard over the last few years but I don’t think we’re far away from it now.”
