Jay Kennedy Harris

Jay Kennedy Harris (born 21 March 1995) is a former Australian rules footballer best known for his playing career with the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A small forward, 1.73 metres (5 ft 8 in) tall and weighing 75 kilograms (165 lb), Kennedy Harris has the ability to play in both the forward line and the midfield. He entered top-level football early when he played for the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup as a bottom-aged player, in addition to representing Vic Metro in the 2013 AFL Under 18 Championships. His achievements as a junior include being the first indigenous player to captain a TAC Cup side and he was named in the TAC Cup team of the year. He was recruited by the Melbourne Football Club with the fortieth overall selection in the 2013 AFL draft and made his debut in the 2014 season.

Jay Kennedy Harris
Kennedy Harris playing for Melbourne in June 2019
Personal information
Full name Jay Kennedy Harris
Nickname(s) JKH
Date of birth (1995-03-21) 21 March 1995
Original team(s) Oakleigh Chargers
Draft No. 40, 2013 national draft
Debut Round 1, 2014, Melbourne
vs. St Kilda, at Etihad Stadium
Height 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight 75 kg (165 lb)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current club Melbourne
Number 24
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2014-2019 Melbourne 39 (12)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2019.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Kennedy Harris was delisted by Melbourne shortly after the completion of the 2019 AFL season.

Early life

Kennedy Harris was born to Heather Kennedy and Edgar Harris and grew up in Endeavour Hills, Victoria[1] attending St John's Regional College before moving to Trinity Grammar for year nine in 2009 as a boarder.[2] He was encouraged by schoolmate and eventual North Melbourne player, Luke McDonald to join the Kew Comets Junior Football Club[2] before he joined the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup as a bottom-aged player in 2012 where he was a part of their premiership winning side.[3] After graduating from school in 2012 and commencing a science degree at the University of Melbourne in 2013,[4] he entered his draft year as the co-captain of the Oakleigh Chargers, becoming the first indigenous player to captain a TAC Cup side.[5] He played twelve matches for the season and was named on the interchange bench in the TAC Cup team of the year.[6] He received mid-year state honours when he represented Vic Metro at the 2013 AFL Under 18 Championships.[7] After his performances in the TAC Cup and under 18 championships where he played as both a small forward and midfielder,[8] he was compared to Port Adelaide small forward, Jake Neade and then-Geelong player, Mathew Stokes, and it was predicted he would be drafted inside the top thirty in the 2013 AFL draft.[9]

AFL career
Kennedy Harris warming up prior to a pre-season match in February 2017

Kennedy Harris was drafted by the Melbourne Football Club with their second selection and fortieth overall in the 2013 national draft.[10] His first match in Melbourne colours was in Melbourne's first match of the 2014 NAB Challenge against Richmond at Etihad Stadium, he kicked three final quarter goals to secure Melbourne an unexpected victory.[11] He was praised during the match by AFL Media journalist, Jennifer Phelan, by stating he "demanded attention every time he went near the ball with his speed, courage and creativity."[12] His performances in the pre-season earned him a round one debut in the seventeen point loss against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium.[13] He played the first eleven matches for the season before he was omitted for the round thirteen match against Essendon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[14] He spent the next month in the Victorian Football League (VFL) for Melbourne's affiliate team, the Casey Scorpions, before being recalled to the senior side for the three point loss against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in round eighteen.[15] He played the next two matches before being dropped for the round twenty-one match against Greater Western Sydney at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and missed the remainder of the season.[16] He managed fourteen games in his debut season — starting as the substitute in six games — and kicked nine goals.[17]

On the eve of the 2015 season, Kennedy Harris signed a two-year contract extension, tying him to the club until the end of the 2017 season,[18] and played for the Indigenous All-Stars in the nine point loss against West Coast at Leederville Oval.[19] After the recruitment of Carlton small forward, Jeff Garlett, Kennedy Harris struggled to maintain a spot in the senior side.[20] He played in the opening round win against Gold Coast at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, before he was omitted for the round two match against Greater Western Sydney at StarTrack Oval.[21] He returned the next week for the twenty-five point loss against Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, replacing the injured Jack Viney.[22] He played every match until the round seven match against Hawthorn at the Melbourne Cricket Ground due to a groin injury.[23] He missed the next month of football, before returning from injury through the VFL Development League.[24] He played three AFL matches in the second half of the season to finish with eight matches in total.[25]

The 2016 season saw Kennedy Harris suffer from a hamstring injury on three separate occasions, he first injured it during the pre-season and the second time during the opening match of the VFL season against Frankston at Casey Fields.[26] He returned to play in the VFL in June, before he was ruled out for the next four to six weeks when he injured his hamstring for the third time during the season.[27] He managed to return to the VFL for the end of the season, playing four matches in August.[28] His injury interrupted season meant he did not play a senior AFL match for the year.[25]

Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2019 season [25]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2014 Melbourne 241496756514030270.60.45.44.610.02.11.9
2015 Melbourne 2482340337322140.30.45.04.19.12.81.8
2016 Melbourne 240——————————————
2017 Melbourne 2460145519618230.00.27.58.516.03.03.8
2018 Melbourne 2461442468817280.20.77.07.714.72.84.7
2019 Melbourne 2450048378523110.00.09.67.417.04.62.2
Career 39 12 14 250 232 482 110 103 0.3 0.4 6.4 5.9 12.4 2.8 2.6

Acting

Before being recruited into the AFL, Kennedy Harris had a regular role in the 2010 ABC 1 TV show, Dead Gorgeous, starring in all 13 episodes as Charlie. He has also been in an episode of Neighbours, credited as Cub Scout No. 2, and was in the film, Blessed, as Young Jimmy. Kennedy Harris was also in a protective services officers recruitment campaign commercial by Victoria Police.[4]

Filmography
YearTitleRoleNotes
2009NeighboursCub Scout No. 21 episode; Episode: 1.5646
2009BlessedYoung JimmyFilm debut
2010Dead GorgeousCharlie13 episodes
gollark: Ideatic idea: find dhcpcd alternative? I'm sure some exist.
gollark: Not unless unary encoding weirdness is counted.
gollark: You can do it with two commands actually.
gollark: Ideatic idea.
gollark: It explains a lot actually.

References
  1. Landsberger, Sam (9 November 2013). "Small forward Jay Kennedy Harris's road towards AFL dream hasn't all been smooth sailing". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  2. Twomey, Callum (25 June 2013). "Kennedy-Harris thriving in Metro-land". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  3. "Jackson Macrae the hero as Oakleigh win TAC Cup premiership". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. 22 September 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  4. Quayle, Emma (13 November 2013). "AFL draft hopeful Jay Kennedy Harris is waiting for a leading on-field role". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  5. "2013 draft prospect: Jay Kennedy-Harris". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  6. "TAC Cup Team of the Year". TACcup.com.au. Fox Sports Pulse. 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  7. "Victorian selection for Kennedy-Harris". TACcup.com.au. Fox Sports Pulse. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  8. Clark, Jay; Landsberger, Sam (18 November 2013). "Champion Data picks the top 30 draft prospects of 2013". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  9. Twomey, Callum (3 November 2013). "18 days to the draft: Meet gun prospect Jay Kennedy-Harris". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  10. "Melbourne's draft haul: recruiter's verdict". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  11. Ralph, Jon; Matthews, Bruce (14 February 2014). "Melbourne draftee Jay Kennedy Harris kicked three goals as the Demons shocked Richmond". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  12. Phelan, Jennifer (14 February 2014). "The Roos revolution: Demons start with a win". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  13. Matthews, Bruce (20 March 2014). "Melbourne co-captain Nathan Jones says Jay Kennedy Harris and Alex Georgiou likely to join experienced core in Round 1". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  14. Gardiner, Gilbert (13 June 2014). "Round 13 teams: Carlton regains Chris Judd while North Melbourne adds Lindsay Thomas and Robbie Tarrant". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  15. Burgan, Matt (17 July 2014). "Blease, JKH named in final 22". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  16. "2014 round 21 AFL teams". The Age. Fairfax Media. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  17. Gutrhie, Ben (16 February 2015). "Jay Kennedy-Harris signs new deal with Demons". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  18. "Two More Years For Kennedy-Harris". Triple M. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  19. "2015 Indigenous All Stars Team". Triple M. 19 February 2015. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  20. Burgan, Matt (6 March 2015). "JKH eager to build potent attack". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  21. Burgan, Matt (9 April 2015). "Dawes and Vince return for round two". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  22. Burgan, Matt (16 April 2015). "JKH returns for injured Viney". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  23. "Demons' Christian Salem out for a month, Jesse Hogan set to return". The Age. Fairfax Media. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  24. Burgan, Matt (18 June 2015). "JKH thankful to play, rather than train". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  25. "Jay Kennedy Harris". AFL Tables. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  26. Burgan, Matt (1 June 2016). "JKH ready to hit ground running". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  27. Guthrie, Ben (17 June 2016). "Clever Demons forward hamstrung yet again". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  28. "Jay Kennedy-Harris–Player Profile". VFL.com.au. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
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