AFL
3 hours ago
The traded player tipped to be the best value recruit of 2025
By Andrew Slevison
The Western Bulldogs did some clever business in the trade period by picking up Matt Kennedy from Carlton.
The 27-year-old joined the Bulldogs as part of a four-club trade with the Blues receiving Pick 38 in exchange for a player who played 99 AFL games across seven seasons in navy blue.
Given Kennedy’s versatility as an inside midfielder who can spend time up forward and on the wing while filling various other holes, Kane Cornes can see him becoming the best value recruit of 2025.
Cornes is forecasting that what the Dogs gave up for Kennedy will prove to be brilliant value.
“Who do you think is going to be the best value recruit? No draftee, but recruit,” Cornes asked Sam Edmund on SEN Breakfast.
“Matt Kennedy for me.
“I’m not talking ‘the best recruit’, I’m talking ‘the best value recruit’.
“You’ve got him for a steal. Every time I watch him play I think why would he not be a top-15 player at any club?
“For me, that’s my tip in terms of a best value-for-money recruit, got him for nothing and the role that he’s going to play.
“I think he’s a difference-maker, I do. He’s tough and he’s versatile.
“I’m a big fan of Matt Kennedy. He’s 27 years of age, can play wing, can play forward, can play inside (midfielder).
“I think he’s going to be a good little magnet-mover for Luke Beveridge this year.”
Edmund felt that while Kennedy was a solid player for the Blues, he can understand why the club moved him on due to the stacked inside midfield stocks.
“I was a fan (of Kennedy), but I thought if there was an area of the playing list they could cut that was it,” he said.
“How many inside midfielders do you need and do you want? They couldn’t fit him in.
“He would be the sub and then (George) Hewett was the sub. Some were dropped, some were kept in.”
Kennedy played 24 games for Carlton in 2024, amassing a career-high in disposals (424 at an average of 17.6), kicking a career-best 16 goals, laying a career-best 81 tackles and finishing 10th in the best and fairest.
The former Giant, who was drafted in 2015, has played 118 games across nine seasons at AFL level.
