This week on #ChatsWithPav, Pav is joined by his former player manager Craig Kelly.
Better known as “Ned” in the footy & management landscape, Ned enjoyed a successful AFL career at the Collingwood Football Club from 1989 – 1996, playing 123 games including the 1990 Premiership. Known for his hard scrappy playing style who was often tasked with defending star key forwards such as Jason Dunstall & Gary Ablett Senior.
In 1996, Ned created Elite Sports Properties and the AFL Pro Squad to rival the Famous Club 10 founded by Ricky Nixon. This was the beginning of a career in talent management for over 20 years. Kelly’s off-field presence is arguably greater than his playing career. He transformed his passion for business and marketing into the sports administration giant TLA Worldwide a leading athlete representation, event management, and sports marketing group. More than 250 of the AFL’s 800 players are in the TLA stable.
The pair discuss Ned’s transition from hard-nosed defender to leading sports agent, the 24/7 role of talent agents, the extreme art of negotiation, effective forms of communication and operating/navigating in a social media-driven society.