GWS Giants midfielder Josh Kelly has opened up about the debilitating hip injury that nearly forced him into early retirement. The 31-year-old, who has been a cornerstone of the Giants since joining the club in 2014, revealed the extent of his struggles both on and off the field.
A Decade of Service and Heartbreak
Kelly, selected with pick No. 2 in the 2013 national draft, has played 230 games for GWS over more than ten years. Despite his individual accolades, including All Australian honours, a premiership has remained elusive. The Giants have experienced regular September disappointment, losing the 2019 Grand Final and suffering three preliminary final defeats. The 2024 season ended with a straight-sets exit from the finals, adding to Kelly's frustration.
The Painful Reality
In recent years, Kelly has been plagued by a hip injury that made everyday tasks agonizing. He was unable to tie his shoelaces or sit comfortably on the couch. A particularly poor performance against the Western Bulldogs in Canberra last year, hampered by injury, made him question whether the game had passed him by.
“I was just so exhausted by it all,” Kelly told News Corp. “For such a long time I was just trying to grind through, but that night in Canberra it tipped over. When the game was on the line I did nothing.... I thought I had played my last game. That was really hard and it felt like I was throwing in the towel, but there was this moment where I realised I just can't do it alongside these guys anymore.”
Teammates including Toby Greene and Stephen Coniglio knew Kelly was giving his all, but the pain was too much.
The Andy Murray Surgery
Kelly underwent a major hip resurfacing procedure, similar to the surgery undergone by Scottish tennis star Andy Murray. The operation involved shaving off bone spurs and the top layer of his femur, then placing a metal cap on the femur and relining the hip joint surfaces. There were no guarantees he would return to his peak.
Post-surgery, Kelly felt as if he had been hit by a bus, but he has now begun the long rehabilitation process. He hopes to start running again in June but may sit out the entire 2026 season as a precaution.
“I feel so much better. No hip pain,” he said. “There is still some stiffness, but this is a new start line for me. The (safe) plan is round one next year.”
