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16th January 2003, 01:53 PM
http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,5846456%255E23211,00.html
Kel's 30 operations price of fame
By Tim Morrissey
16jan03
HE might have retired but Swans fans are still going to see plenty of Paul Kelly this season.
The Swans yesterday revealed Kelly will be a runner as well as the face of the Swans' Team of the Century promotion.
But not before doctors finish rebuilding the man known as "Captain Courageous".
To date Kelly has had 30 operations since making his AFL debut with Sydney in 1990 - repairing his broken body many times over.
The last five operations have all been done since the 234-game veteran hung up his famous No.14 guernsey at the end of last season.
"It's been a bit like getting rebuilt but hopefully in a month or so I'll be feeling good," said Kelly.
"I haven't been able to run or do anything yet except stand around and watch the guys at training."
Three months ago Kelly had his nose reconstructed after breaking it in the final game of his career.
"It had to be done anyway but ended up a bigger job than planned," he said. He also had his cracked, chipped and dead teeth repaired.
Then in December, Kelly had groin surgery after playing most of the season suffering osteo pubis - inflammation of the pubis bone.
That was followed by repair work to a broken right thumb as well as reconstructive surgery on the ligaments in the same joint.
At the same time Kelly also had his little finger on his right hand reconstructed after ripping the ligaments apart.
However, it doesn't end there for Kelly who has to see the surgeon about getting his right shoulder repaired ... for the sixth time.
As testament to his phenomenal durability and toughness, Kelly didn't miss a single game after his first 14 operations.
That doesn't take into account the numerous pain-killing injections the rugged midfielder endured over the years because he hated to miss a game.
In Kelly's mind the long list of post-career surgery was a convincing argument that he had made the correct decision to retire.
"I knew myself during the season that my body was wearing out," said Kelly.
"If I wanted to play again I knew I had to have these operations pretty much straight away after September. At the end of the day I couldn't do that to myself.
"I'm up to number 30, which isn't a bad effort.
"My right ankle is the only joint I have left that hasn't been operated on.
"But I'll probably roll it on the field in my job as a runner."
Kelly is looking forward to his new dual roles within the club but admits after 13 seasons in the AFL he's going to miss playing.
However, the 1995 Brownlow medallist reckons he'll get his footy fix in the heat of the game by running out messages and instructions to the players from Swans coach Paul Roos.
"That's as close as you can get to playing," Kelly said. "But I've got to be a bit guarded in how I deliver the message because the boys get pretty fired up out on the field.
"I might cop a spray from them now I'm not captain any more ... I've got no power."
Apart from being only the second runner in AFL history to have won a Brownlow - 1967 Brownlow winner Ross Smith was a runner for St Kilda in 1975 - Kelly will play a strategic marketing role for the Swans.
Kelly will be one of the driving forces behind the Swans' Team of the Century, which will be announced on August 8 when the club is planning the biggest ever AFL function held in Sydney.
Kel's 30 operations price of fame
By Tim Morrissey
16jan03
HE might have retired but Swans fans are still going to see plenty of Paul Kelly this season.
The Swans yesterday revealed Kelly will be a runner as well as the face of the Swans' Team of the Century promotion.
But not before doctors finish rebuilding the man known as "Captain Courageous".
To date Kelly has had 30 operations since making his AFL debut with Sydney in 1990 - repairing his broken body many times over.
The last five operations have all been done since the 234-game veteran hung up his famous No.14 guernsey at the end of last season.
"It's been a bit like getting rebuilt but hopefully in a month or so I'll be feeling good," said Kelly.
"I haven't been able to run or do anything yet except stand around and watch the guys at training."
Three months ago Kelly had his nose reconstructed after breaking it in the final game of his career.
"It had to be done anyway but ended up a bigger job than planned," he said. He also had his cracked, chipped and dead teeth repaired.
Then in December, Kelly had groin surgery after playing most of the season suffering osteo pubis - inflammation of the pubis bone.
That was followed by repair work to a broken right thumb as well as reconstructive surgery on the ligaments in the same joint.
At the same time Kelly also had his little finger on his right hand reconstructed after ripping the ligaments apart.
However, it doesn't end there for Kelly who has to see the surgeon about getting his right shoulder repaired ... for the sixth time.
As testament to his phenomenal durability and toughness, Kelly didn't miss a single game after his first 14 operations.
That doesn't take into account the numerous pain-killing injections the rugged midfielder endured over the years because he hated to miss a game.
In Kelly's mind the long list of post-career surgery was a convincing argument that he had made the correct decision to retire.
"I knew myself during the season that my body was wearing out," said Kelly.
"If I wanted to play again I knew I had to have these operations pretty much straight away after September. At the end of the day I couldn't do that to myself.
"I'm up to number 30, which isn't a bad effort.
"My right ankle is the only joint I have left that hasn't been operated on.
"But I'll probably roll it on the field in my job as a runner."
Kelly is looking forward to his new dual roles within the club but admits after 13 seasons in the AFL he's going to miss playing.
However, the 1995 Brownlow medallist reckons he'll get his footy fix in the heat of the game by running out messages and instructions to the players from Swans coach Paul Roos.
"That's as close as you can get to playing," Kelly said. "But I've got to be a bit guarded in how I deliver the message because the boys get pretty fired up out on the field.
"I might cop a spray from them now I'm not captain any more ... I've got no power."
Apart from being only the second runner in AFL history to have won a Brownlow - 1967 Brownlow winner Ross Smith was a runner for St Kilda in 1975 - Kelly will play a strategic marketing role for the Swans.
Kelly will be one of the driving forces behind the Swans' Team of the Century, which will be announced on August 8 when the club is planning the biggest ever AFL function held in Sydney.