"RIGHT now to be honest, I can't really see myself anywhere else."
Those are the words from Brownlow Medal fancy Tim Kelly that are set to bring a huge smile to the face of every Geelong supporter.
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Kelly's future has been a hot topic over the past year, and it seems Geelong are now well and truly in the box seat to retain him.
The 25-year-old is set to be offered huge deals by both West Coast and Fremantle in a bid to lure him back home.
Kelly has three young children with his partner Caitlin, and they struggled to cope with day-to-day life being so far away from their Perth-based families last season.
The star midfielder was keen to join West Coast at the end of last year, but was forced to remain at Geelong after no trade could be struck.
The Cats have since tabled Kelly a long-term deal to stay at Geelong, and the second-year sensation will make a decision at the end of the season.
But it would seem as though Geelong have their star man in the bag – as long as they can offer him a financial deal lucrative enough that will allow Kelly to look after his family's long-term future.
TK!#AFLCatsCrows pic.twitter.com/j73VTNsyHl
— AFL (@AFL) June 28, 2019
"This club is a great club. I love the club. Right now to be honest, I can't really see myself anywhere else," Kelly said in Perth on Wednesday.
"Ultimately it's going to come down to what's put forward, and ultimately what it means for me and my family.
"The reality is I've come into the game at 23 years of age. I'm not going to have the luxury of these 15, 16, 18-year careers that some of my great teammates are having or going to have.
"I've got a short amount of time at this, and I've got to make the most of everything that comes my way."
Kelly was overlooked in five national drafts before being snared with pick No.24 by Geelong in 2017.
The West Australian said he and his family will forever be indebted to the Cats.
And with his family situation in Geelong improving dramatically this year, Kelly can well and truly envision staying there.
"Bringing my cousin over to live with us in Geelong has been life-changing for me and Caitlin," Kelly said.
"It definitely has gotten easier. It helps that the boys are getting older as well.
"As you can imagine last year the twin boys moved over when they were four weeks old.
"In a new environment, you can feel quite housebound. It was different for me - I'm living my dream.
"But for Caitlin, and for myself as well once I got home, it does sort of have that feel. But it's definitely gotten easier."
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