AFL Draft: Richmond father-son on Tigers interest, family and likely role“It’d be very cool to continue the legacy of Dad and a couple of uncles at the club.”
Mitch Keating
zerohanger.com
October 5, 2025Richmond father-son Louis Kellaway could be left to wait until the night of the draft to find out whether he becomes a Tiger as the Punt Road club keeps "their cards pretty close to their chest".
Kellaway, the son of 180-game ex-Tiger Duncan, Louis is one of South Australia's leading prospects ahead of next month's talent intake, having enjoyed a successful year with both the SA U18s and Sturt.
The versatile teenager is yet to have an official nomination lodged by Richmond, who currently hold just two selections for the 2025 count - Picks 2 and 3.
The Tigers, who share a mutual interest in Kellaway, are likely to look toward swapping picks ahead of the draft to ensure they have the points to match a bid for the clean-kicking prospect, using future selections to get into the later rounds of the draft.
Kellaway, speaking to Zero Hanger's Craft of the Draft, said he has long wished to extend his family's legacy in the yellow and black, but understands there's a waiting game at play.
"It's hard to know. They still keep their cards pretty close to their chest," Kellaway said of Richmond's interest.
"It depends how much other clubs like me. If I get a bid earlier than what (the Tigers) rate me, then I might not end up there. We'll see what happens. It'll be interesting to see.
"I've always supported them always, am always cheering them on when I watch. It'd be very cool to continue the legacy of Dad and a couple of uncles at the club. But honestly, I'd be grateful for the opportunity anyway, just to see how I'd go and test myself."
Kellaway's father isn't the only member of the family to have strong links to the club, with Duncan's brother Andrew playing 172 games in the yellow and black, and his mother, Alexandra's, brother Ben also played 125 games for the Tigers.
With Duncan's experience as a player at the highest level, as well as being a physio with Adelaide, Louis is able to rely on his dad for the needed support and standard-setting.
"I'm pretty lucky to have so many people to lean on," Louis said.
"Dad's always there, offering feedback before the games, after the games, what I did, well, what I can do better, a bit about the opposition at times as well. So he's been unbelievable to have.
"Just knowing the level you need to get to was something he's really pushed on to me. Being the physio at the Crows and with that background, he knows how hard I need to work and what I need to do to get there."
Louis found success wherever he played this year, featuring in South Australia's undefeated U18s National Championships before helping lead Sturt's U18s to a premiership.
His stellar season came off the back of feedback and a focus to strengthen the combative side of his game, with Kellaway often deployed in a 'sweeper' role on the defensive side of midfield stoppages.
Already a lethal user of the ball and a rebounding asset who can play across all three lines, Kellaway aimed to improve his power and build some size, seeing the work pay off early into his draft campaign.
"Probably the big thing I sort of worked on between last year and this year's maybe my defensive and tackle pressure," he said.
"I've been pretty aware that that was one of the things I need to improve if I want to play at a higher level.
"Feedback from state coaches and stem to put on, put on a little bit of size, get in the gym a bit more.
"So, through the pre-season and during the season, to keep putting on size as much as I can and get the body in the right shape (was a goal).
"A mix of being a top-ager and that gym work helped me compete a lot better around stoppage. At times, it's hard playing primarily that sweeper role. You're not always in the contest all the time, but when I needed to, I felt like I was able to use my body well."
While versatility is a strength of the Glenunga junior, the exact role he'll likely step into at AFL level comes with some uncertainty.
Kellaway played midfield and half-forward for the Double Blues and was positioned across half-back as a key distributor from defence in the Croweaters' title-winning carnival.
While his preferred position is through the middle of the field, Kellaway has looked to adapt his game to suit the new trends and demands of AFL football.
"I think my go-to has always been midfield. You're just constantly around the ball and never out of the game," he said. "Sometimes on the wing or half forward, you can get a little bit lost at times.
"Going down half back as well was new to me. I haven't played there since, probably, under-12s or so. So, to go down there and get a taste for that, as well as be a bit more of a high half-back and distributor, was a good role to play and get used to as well.
"It's something that comes up pretty often in the interviews I've had, where I'd be suited to playing next year if I were to get drafted.
"I probably haven't quite got the strength and size to take on the midfield straight away, so being able to adapt (has been a focus).
"I feel like I'm pretty versatile with all of those different roles. I'm not sure what I'd be best suited to, but I'd be leaning towards that half-back role where I can be a bit of a distributor of the ball. I feel like that is my skill set."
https://www.zerohanger.com/afl-draft-richmond-father-son-on-tigers-interest-family-and-likely-role-169441/
