For Werribee recruit Josh Kellett, Werribee Football Club already feels like home.
Kellett, who has spent the past five seasons in Footscray’s Victorian Football League program, was the first new signing for the Tigers for 2026.
For Kellett, it was an easy decision to choose to join Werribee when he decided he needed to have a change.
“I’m pumped,” he said. “I grew up in Werribee and followed them as a kid.
“I lived around the corner and I’m excited to be involved.
“I play locally with Werribee Districts and the alignment was really easy.”
The Kellett name isn’t completely new to the Tigers.
Josh’s dad Nigel Kellett rounded out his playing career at Werribee in the late 1990s.
“It was a bit before my time, but he finished up here,” Josh said.
“He was excited to hear about it. He was involved at the Dogs as well.”
Kellett said the decision to move from the reigning premiers to Werribee was based on getting more opportunities.
He played 53 games for the Dogs, including 14 games in 2025.
Kellett said he wanted to play for a standalone club which presented more chances to nail down a spot.
“I’m absolutely keen to get some consistency,” he said.
“When the AFL boys come back … That is what you sign up for at aligned clubs.
“I want to lock in a spot.”
Kellett was one of the heartbreaks last season for the Bulldogs in their VFL premiership run.
While he had 20 disposals in the preliminary final, he was the one that made way for retiring AFL player Taylor Duryea to come into the side for the grand final after suspension.
“It was super disappointing,” Kellett said. “But at the same time that is what we had been working towards.
“To be involved in the club and see some real close mates win that was special. The club deserves that.
“It was shattering not to be involved [in the game] but it was still a really good day.”
There’s been a number of familiar faces for Kellett coming across to Avalon Airport Oval.
Sean Potter heads up strength and conditioning having been at the Dogs as well previously
There’s a few former Western Jets teammates as well.
“Mace Cousins, Emerson Jeka Daly Andrews,” he said. “I grew up with Jaelen and Rani Pavlidis.
“It makes it feel like home.”
Kellett said new coach Dan Lowther had been a breath of fresh air.
He said the group was trying to grow their new connection and strengthen the group to help the side rise back up the ladder.
“We want to get back to where the club was a couple of years ago,” he said.”I think we can.
“I played them when I was at Footscray and they were a strong team and unlucky to not finish higher on the ladder.”
Kellett said they were itching to get into the pre-season games ahead of round one against the Gold Coast Suns.
