Craig Kelly was an Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

 player with Collingwood Football Club

Collingwood Football Club

The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

 and is now a successful player manager. He is the grandson of famous free marketeer and former Government Minister, C.R. "Bert" Kelly

Bert Kelly

Charles Robert "Bert" Kelly CMG , was an Australian politician and government minister. He was influential in moving Australian political parties away from support for high-tariff policies....

.

Pre VFL/AFL

Kelly began playing top level football with the Norwood Football Club

Norwood Football Club

Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club belonging to the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia...

 in the SANFL. He was drafted to Collingwood in the 1986 National draft, as pick no. 34

Collingwood

Kelly made his debut in 1989 and became a tough defender. He played a crucial role in the low scoring 1990 Grand Final, which Collingwood

Collingwood Football Club

The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

 went on to win.

The barrell chested Kelly was known for being a tough and hot headed footballer. He had many appearances to the tribunal for rough play. One incident occurred in 1992 when playing against Sydney

Sydney Swans

The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...

, Kelly charged at Sydney's Ben Doolan

Ben Doolan

Ben Doolan is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Sydney and Essendon in the Australian Football League during the 1990s.- External links :...

, causing many of Doolan's teeth to fall out.

Craig Kelly is also famous for pinching opposition players to niggle them such as Richmond's Stephen Jurica

Stephen Jurica

Stephen Jurica is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Australian Football League during the 1990s....

, Hawthorn's Jason Dunstall

Jason Dunstall

Jason Hadfield Dunstall is a former Australian rules football player for the Hawthorn Football Club of the AFL. He is the third greatest goalkicker in the history of the VFL/AFL. Dunstall is regarded as one of the greatest full-forwards to have ever played, kicking 1254 goals, a feat only...

 and Geelong

Geelong Football Club

The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...

 duo David Mensch

David Mensch

David Mensch is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the Australian Football League.Mensch was a half forward and played in two losing grand final teams...

 and Gary Ablett, which Ablett stated in his new biography (2007).

Kelly retired after Collingwood

Collingwood Football Club

The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

's final match of the 1996 season, a round 22 win against the Brisbane Bears

Brisbane Bears

The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...

, along with Alan Richardson

Alan R. Richardson

Alan R. Richardson is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian/Australian Football League ....

.

Business

After his retirement, Craig founded Elite Sports Properties with Rob Woodhouse. The company deals mainly with sports management and marketing. Kelly is a player manager to many top current AFL

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

 stars.

Coaching

Craig Kelly is the current Coach of the Mansfield Eagles

Mansfield Football Club

The Mansfield Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the Goulburn Valley Football League, they are based in Mansfield, Victoria. The club is officially known as the Mansfield Eagles Football/Netball club, but have been nicknamed "The Eagles" by supporters...

 in the Goulburn Valley Football League

Goulburn Valley Football League

The Goulburn Valley Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, Australia...

and coached them to the GV premiership in 2009. He has also played some games for the club.