Collingwood assistant coach Brenton Sanderson has flagged the possibility of Will Kelly making his long-awaited AFL debut in the coming weeks.
Kelly, son of Collingwood premiership player Craig and brother of Adelaide defender Jake, was taken with pick 29 in the 2018 National Draft but is yet to play senior footy for the club.
After showing strong signs in multiple scratch matches this year, Sanderson said he is on the cusp of making his Pies debut imminently.
“He’d be in the mix for the next few weeks,” Sanderson said on AFL Nation.
“He’s got incredible talent and a little bit different to Ned…he’s creative and got some real tricks and kicked another bag (in Friday’s scratch match against Essendon) and looks like he’ll be a real player of the future for us.
“He’s a really good size and super fit so he will definitely play senior footy this year.”
Sanderson said the versatile teenager could play at both ends but the club saw his making the most impact as a forward.
“He’s has played both ends but at the moment we sort of see him as a key, mobile marking forward,” he said.
“That’s where we see him playing for Collingwood.”
The Pies have struggled for goals so far in 2020, kicking 46 from five matches, placing them just 10th highest in the league.