Boom Geelong recruit Tim Kelly is currently weighing up his future, as his manager Anthony Van Der Wielen admits the Kelly family are struggling with homesickness.
According to Jon Ralph of the Herald Sun, both Fremantle and West Coast are circling the 23-year-old, given his current contract runs out at the end of the 2019 season.
With Kelly's family still in WA and he and his partner having three kids under three years of age, a lack of family support could see Kelly consider a move back home in the near future.
Geelong are interested in keeping the midfielder long-term, and Van Der Wielen understands the Cats will put an offer to Kelly to keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.
However, Van Der Wielen believes the homesick issue is a real one, although he hopes the Kelly family can soon settle into their current surroundings.
“Both Perth clubs are interested. They are banging down the door but I have told them we don’t want to get into any discussions with them,’’ Van Der Wielen told the Herald Sun.
“The family thing is definitely an issue but hopefully the will learn to warm to Geelong.
“Geelong have made it crystal clear they don’t want to trade him under any circumstances but they have also said we understand it from a humanitarian side.
“They got (Patrick) Dangerfield to Geelong because of it and they understand it from both sides. They have said they aren’t putting pressure on him.”
“They are prepared to put a good contract in front of him if he wants to sign on. But if they need to back off and give him some time that’s what they will do.”
Kelly has played 13 games in his debut season, averaging 21.1 disposals, 4.4 clearances and 3.9 inside 50s per game.
The mature-aged draft selection was taken at pick 24 in the 2017 Draft, and has easily been the best first year player in the AFL, although is ineligible for the Rising Star award given his age.
