Kelly O'Donnell
Melbourne
AFL career
80 games67 goals
- Debut
- R3 1979 v SME21 Apr 1979
- Most recent
- R11 1984 v STK9 June 1984
Stats
1984 | MEL | 5 | 10.0 | 5.6 | 15.6 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
1983 | MEL | 21 | 14.0 | 7.4 | 21.4 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1982 | MEL | 16 | 14.4 | 8.0 | 22.4 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.1 |
1981 | MEL | 20 | 12.3 | 6.4 | 18.7 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
1980 | MEL | 7 | 9.1 | 4.3 | 13.4 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
1979 | MEL | 11 | 10.4 | 4.2 | 14.5 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
Bio
Recruited from Kyabram in the Goulburn Valley, Noel "Kelly" O'Donnell was a goal-kicking wingman and rover who made an immediate impact for Melbourne after debuting in 1979. A consistent performer during the turbulent Ron Barassi era, O'Donnell proved dangerous near goal, most notably booting 30 majors in the 1981 season, though his progress was frequently interrupted by injuries including a severe cheekbone fracture. His VFL career ended abruptly after a 1985 trade to Fitzroy involving Les Parish; O'Donnell suffered a broken shoulder upon arrival and retired without playing a senior game for the Lions. While his playing career was cut short, he established a lasting legacy in football administration and coaching, leading the Murray Bushrangers to their first TAC Cup premiership and serving as an assistant at Fremantle before returning to Melbourne as a long-serving recruiter and pro scout.
Profile
- Born
- 16 Nov 1960 (age 65y 339d)
- Height
- 173 cm
- Weight
- 73 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Kyabram in the Goulburn Valley, Noel "Kelly" O'Donnell was a goal-kicking wingman and rover who made an immediate impact for Melbourne after debuting in 1979. A consistent performer during the turbulent Ron Barassi era, O'Donnell proved dangerous near goal, most notably booting 30 majors in the 1981 season, though his progress was frequently interrupted by injuries including a severe cheekbone fracture. His VFL career ended abruptly after a 1985 trade to Fitzroy involving Les Parish; O'Donnell suffered a broken shoulder upon arrival and retired without playing a senior game for the Lions. While his playing career was cut short, he established a lasting legacy in football administration and coaching, leading the Murray Bushrangers to their first TAC Cup premiership and serving as an assistant at Fremantle before returning to Melbourne as a long-serving recruiter and pro scout.