BIO

Richard Kelly was educated at St. Ignatius College and progressed through Norwood's junior grades before making his senior debut in the 1990 Foundation Cup series. In 1989, he had played 14 games for the Norwood under 17s in their Premiership winning season.
 
After playing two Foundation Cup games in the 1990 pre-season competition, Kelly spent the rest of the season in the Reserves and under 19s.
 
He played another two Foundation Cup games in 1991, before missing nearly four months of football with a serious hamstring problem.
 
It was to be 1992 before Kelly became a regular league footballer, playing 20 games for the year.
 
He had an excellent season in 1993, finishing third in the best and fairest, behind Stephen Patterson and Scott Burns. He also reached the 50 game milestone, making 28 appearances for the year and was named in the centre in Norwood's Grand Final loss to Woodville-West Torrens.
 
Creative and strong at ground level, Kelly continued to show consistently good form in 1994. He was named in the back pocket for South Australia's clash against Western Australia at Football Park. Kelly again finished high in the club's best and fairest award despite missing most of the second half of the season through injury. He required a knee reconstruction after damaging the cruciate and lateral ligaments in his left knee.
 
Unfortunately, he again injured the same knee in round 3 of the 1995 season which resulted in another season-ending knee operation but was able to come back from the serious injuries to play six league games in 1996, and seven in 1997.
 
Unable to cement a spot in the powerful 1997 Norwood premiership side, Kelly decided to move to Glenelg in 1998. He played another 48 games for the Tigers, winning their best and fairest award in 1999, before injury forced him into early retirement.

He later served on the Norwood Football Club Board from 2011 to 2014.
 
His older brother Matthew, made 50 appearances for the Redlegs between 1989 and 1993 and Richard, like his brother, also played A Grade cricket for East Torrens.

R Cialini March 2017