Tadhg Kennelly was a stand-out when the Swans played a short practice match during their last session before the Christmas break. Running off the half-back line, he had the ball on a string and weaved his way through the middle to kick three goals. Here he tells Sydneyswans.com.au that he is feeling born-again after his stint in Gaelic football.

I absolutely loved playing in the practice game on Friday. It was my first game of AFL footy since September, 2008, when we lost the final to the Western Bulldogs at the MCG. I remember that night - I was in a bad way. My shoulders were sore and my groin was just hanging in there. I was wrapped up like a mummy.

Now I feel like a totally different player. My body is feeling amazing. I feel fresh, my knees aren’t sore, my shoulders aren’t sore and I’m a lot freer in the way I’m running.

The other really important thing is that mentally I am very fresh, I am very hungry for everything, I’m hungry to do all the work, I’m hungry to play games, I’m hungry for footy, I’m hungry to run, it is quite exciting. I recommend it to every footballer, to take a year off! I said to Roosy, I want a year on and a year off in my next contract!

Before I went back home to play for Kerry, I remember going to the MCG for a
game and thinking, 'Oh god, I wish I was on the bus to Croke Park (in Ireland) playing for Kerry’, and that is the wrong attitude to be taking to games.

That weight was often on my shoulders, so now I feel a lot clearer about Sydney and where I am as a person. All the pressure is off me and it feels like I’m just a big kid running around on the footy field again. Yes, I did kick three goals off half-back in the practice game. I was showing off! But it’s a good start and I will enjoy the break over Christmas and fire up again.

There’s a great feeling around the Club. There are a lot of changes, so we are going to be very unpredictable to a lot of teams, and to ourselves a bit as well!

But we are already playing games, which is very early for us, so we’ll be able to get used to each other and give the new players time to learn the game plan. The way players have attacked the pre-season, there has been a lot of hunger and a lot of bite. Even for the players that won the premiership, that was a long time ago now for us and there is a lot of desire for those players. With all the new players, there is unbelievable competition for spots and that can only make us better.

Have a great Christmas, and I can’t wait to be back in a Swans jumper in the
new year!

Tadhg Kennelly