2025 AFL Draft: Louis Kellaway Player HighlightsClick on pic/link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jKaavcZerA---------------------------------------
Louis KellawayD.O.B: 16-03-2007
height: 183cm
Midfielder
Leagues: AFL U18 Championships
SANFL U18 (Sturt)
SNAPSHOT: “An efficient and tough ball winner with neat skills and a solid level of consistency.” – James Bell
The son of 180-game Richmond defender, Duncan, Louis Kellaway is one of his draft class’ most steady midfielders. The hopeful Tigers father-son candidate was rewarded for a consistent season with premiership success at both the club and national level.
Kellaway featured throughout South Australia’s dominant Under 18 National Championships campaign after being part of the state squad at Under 16 level. He played a crucial role at the coalface alongside Larke Medalist and captain Dyson Sharp. Across his four games for SA, he averaged 19 disposals and exhibited his growing versatility, occasionally filling in at half-back and half-forward.
In addition to that, Kellaway was a key contributor to a SANFL Under 18s premiership with Sturt, averaging 24 disposals per game and intermittently hitting the scoreboard for eight goals from his 16 games for the Double Blues. His season’s best came against South Adelaide in Round 16, where he registered 27 touches and two goals, and was responsible for shepherding his side across the line.
His performances at the National Draft Combine further proved his worth as a decent ground-level athlete, registering an almost sub-three-second 20-meter sprint (3.002 seconds), an agility test of 8.154 seconds, and a very respectable 2km time trial effort of 6.31.
ANALYSISSTRENGTHS:
+ Ball-winning
+ Clean hands
+ Consistency
+ Defensive pressure
+ Stoppage craft
+ Toughness
IMPROVEMENTS:
- Hurt factor
- Size
Kellaway is a solid on-baller whose toughness and efficiency at stoppages saw him go toe-to-toe with some of the most formidable Under 18 midfielders in the country. His clean ball handling and fast feet help him extract possession from stoppages, then extricate himself from congestion.
He had spells across half-back for Sturt and the state squad, where he demonstrated clean ball gathering and competent ball use in transition. Kellaway is a tidy kick, one who doesn’t push his limits when in possession. At the highest level, this could limit his opportunities in that role but fortunately, his midfield acumen is robust. His footy nous is undeniable. Kellaway typically knows when to take space with run or by foot, and when to release teammates on the outside via hands.
The SA ball-winner is not one of the most imposing physical presences on-field, but he uses his core strength to wriggle out of tackles and sneak away from opponents in pursuit. He also proved his defensive capabilities not just on the ball, but also in the defensive 50, averaging just under five tackles a game for Sturt. He is quite gutsy when competing overhead too, occasionally sliding back into space and clunking marks deep inside defensive 50, or making good on risky passes from teammates.
The club that drafts Kellaway, likely Richmond, will know exactly what they’re getting with the reliable midfielder. Although not exposed to high-level senior footy as a junior, he could well replicate his form at the next level, as contending with larger, more physically mature opponents is something he has ably accomplished throughout his Under-18 campaign.
DRAFT RANGE: 40-60
SUMMARY:Kellaway is obviously tied to Richmond via father-son rules, but at the time of writing, has yet to be formally nominated by the club. Richmond will have to complete its draft hand by the end of trade period and assess whether Kellaway’s likely draft range matches their plans. At the recent draft combine, only two other clubs interviewed the tough on-baller, so perhaps the writing is on the wall. He could be a nice fit at the Tigers as a young, more nimble inside midfielder that could counterweight the size and age of their current engine room. With Richmond securing pick 38 through the Tylar Young trade to West Coast, the Tigers have a prime opportunity to take him there, but will more likely match a bid later down the line.
https://central.rookieme.com/afl/player/louis-kellaway/
