The not insubstantial decision to move was based on the second-year player’s appreciation of the sacrifices that needed to be made in the pursuit of a successful AFL career, as Kerr recently explained.
“It [the move] has been hard for my family and friends with me not being coming down as often to see them,” a candid Kerr told carltonfc.com.au.
“But the move to Kensington with Dave and Dennis has been really helpful to me and I’m really grateful to them for taking me in. From a footy point of view it’s been of enormous assistance, and my family and friends all understand.”
Aspendale to Carlton is hardly Rome to New York, and yet for Kerr the tyranny of distance was profound.
“It was still a long way to travel by car - an hour and a half to training every day, so the move to Kensington, from a career point of view, had to be made,” Kerr said.
“Earlier on I was thinking ‘She’ll be right, she’ll be right’, but in the end the end the people at the club recommended that I make the move.”
“Eventually I moved out to Caulfield, but even that was still a good 45-minute journey . . . it was closer but it wasn’t close enough, and like I said before, I was just so grateful to Dennis and Dave for taking me into their house, which is only five or ten minutes from the ground and makes it all so much easier.
“Most of the boys live around this area, so I get to see more of them which makes me feel more accepted into the group.”
The further good news for Kerr fans is that the 19 year-old has dropped eight kilos, is over what was a protracted problem with an ankle injury, and has comfortably negotiated a solid free pre-season without mishap. And now that he’s acclimatised with his new surrounds, Kerr truly feels that he belongs at Carlton.
“In the first year you basically have to earn respect, and you can only do that by performing on the track and on gameday, and doing all the little things right around the club,” Kerr said.
“That took me a while in my first year, but eventually it hit me in terms of what it takes to be a League footballer . . . and that is why I think I’ve really matured as a player and as a person.”
