“WE’VE BEEN building confidence since day one of pre-season.”

Matthew Kennedy capped off a stellar personal summer with a strong showing in the final practice match of 2022. 

Stationed in the midfield against a formidable Melbourne unit, Kennedy was one of the standout players on the ground in the five-point victory. 

Collecting 37 disposals and kicking two goals, Kennedy did it in the air and at ground level, collecting 23 uncontested possessions while also clunking three contested marks.

It backed up a solid performance against St Kilda a week prior, with Kennedy - speaking on FOX Footy - lauding the influence of the coaching and playing groups on his pre-season this time around.

“The first step was building a real connection and a lot of trust has flowed from that,” Kennedy said.

“It starts with the way we train: it’s been a brutal pre-season. The boys have done well and are building confidence week by week.”

The 2021 campaign was a significant one for Kennedy, with his second half of the season ultimately seeing him rewarded with a return to the senior list.

Sharing a close connection with Luke Power, Kennedy lauded the influence of the development coach alongside Tim Clarke: Kennedy’s first line coach when he arrived at the Blues in 2018.

“They really complement each other,” he said.

“Those two have been working really closely with the mids, with the two new guys in George Hewett and ‘Cez’ [Adam Cerra].

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“A really good connection has been formed with players and coaches, and I think we’ve seen that grow on the field.”

In the absence of Sam Walsh, Kennedy has clutched the opportunity of more midfield minutes with both hands.

“For me, [pre-season] was about fitness. Trying to lose a bit of weight was the start, and ‘Vossy’ has really been talking about getting more mids through there,” he said.

“We’re working well together and sharing the ball.”