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The Northampton local was drafted at pick No.4 in 2005 and debuted for Carlton the following year. He was then traded to the Eagles in 2007 as part of a deal for the Blues to get former Eagles captain Chris Judd.
The forward will fall just short of reaching 300 games, with 292 games played to date.
Kennedy said post-football he planned to continue to oversee his labor hire business and establish a foundation to support children in the midwest, where he was raised.
“We’re looking at helping disadvantaged youth there and help to facilitate programs to find what they want to aspire to and then help build an environment around them to build a pathway where they feel supported in being able to achieve what they want to achieve and not be restricted with travel or location,” he said.
West Coast coach Adam Simpson said Kennedy was one of the club’s greatest players.
“What he’s done in my time at the club, it’s just been a pleasure to see and watch. Coleman Medals, the ability to stand up in big games. Clutch, not just goals, but clutch moments,” he said.
“I can remember the prelim against North Melbourne in 2015 where we were 20 points down, hadn’t scored a goal, and he took this contested mark 50m out and just rolled and slotted it.
“That just sums him up. He’s a big-game player, but he also loves his teammates and loves his club.
“He’s going to go down as one of the greatest.”
Meanwhile, Port Adelaide dasher Steven Motlop has opted to retire immediately, having played 217 matches with the Power and Geelong.
Port Adelaide dasher Steven Motlop, who began his career with Geelong, has retired immediately. Credit:Getty Images
Motlop, 31, was one of the league’s most exciting players when at his best. Taken with the 39th selection in the 2008 national draft, Motlop played 135 games with the Cats, booting 175 goals, before crossing to Alberton during the 2017 trade period.
I have played 82 games with the Power, booting 54 goals.
“Fourteen years is a long time in the game, especially in the position I play. It was always a childhood dream to play in the AFL and I’ll always be grateful to Geelong and to Port Adelaide for giving me the opportunity to achieve that dream,” Motlop said on Tuesday.
“As a kid you just want to play in finals. I played in five preliminary finals and, while it would have been nice to have won one, playing in those big games alongside my teammates is something I’ll always look back on fondly.
“There’s been a rich history of my family playing at Port Adelaide and to be able to get the opportunity come over to Adelaide, where my family was set up, was a big part of why I moved across and it means a lot to say I had the chance to play at the club where I have such strong family links.”
Josh Kennedycareer highlights
- West Coast Eagles all-time leading goal kicker (currently 704 goals). Ranked 24th for most goals in VFL/AFL history
- Seven-time club leading goalkicker – 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020 – equal-most tied with Peter Sumich
- Equal fourth-most games played in West Coast history (270) behind Shannon Hurn (317), Dean Cox (290) and Glen Jakovich (276).
- Runner-up best and fairest 2016; 3rd-place in 2013
- Three-time All-Australian – 2015 (vice-captain), 2016, 2017 (vice-captain)
- Two-time Coleman medalist – 2015 and ’16
- 2018 premiership player
- Chris Mainwaring Medal as best clubman in 2015
- Three-time Glendinning-Allan medalist in a RAC Derby
- West Coast vice-captain 2014-2020
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