Sydney Swans star Josh Kennedy confirms 2022 AFL season will be his last
Sydney Swans great Josh Kennedy has confirmed this season will be his last, announcing he'll be hanging up the boots at the end of 2022.
The 2012 premiership player, a three-time All-Australian and three-time winner of the Bob Skilton Medal for Sydney's best and fairest, Kennedy has struggled with injury this year.
He suffered a left hamstring injury in the Swans' VFL match against North Melbourne on Sunday, having injured his right hamstring against Carlton in May, which resulted in eight weeks out of the game.
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Mitch Morton, Josh Kennedy and Marty Mattner soaking up the Swans' 2012 AFL premiership celebrations. Getty
"It was on the other side, it's not the hamstring he did early in the season," coach John Longmire said after the match.
"He told me, 'I just pulled up a bit short at the start of the second quarter and knew I'd done something and would stop the game'."
The midfielder joined the Swans from Hawthorn for the 2010 season, captaining the side from 2017-2021.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Kennedy expressed his thanks everyone at the club.
"It is with a heavy heart but a whole lot of gratitude that I make this announcement today," he said.
"I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone at the club. The overarching sentiment I want to leave is one of gratitude.
"I'm eternally grateful to the football club, the players past and present, the support staff that make the club great from the board level down, and of course all the fans and supporters over the journey who have supported me and the team and made me feel very special to belong to such a great club."
Sydney are in the thick of this year's premiership battle, positioned fourth on the ladder with two weeks left in the regular season.
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