SYDNEY Swans defender Tadhg Kennelly is expected to announce his retirement from AFL football this afternoon.

Senior coach Paul Roos will join Kennelly, who has one year remaining on his contract, at a press conference at the club's offices at 3.30pm AEDT.

The 27-year-old has consistently said that he would see out his contract with the Swans, despite his plans to eventually return to Ireland to play for County Kerry in the Gaelic football competition.

Those plans gathered momentum following the 2005 death of Kennelly's father, Tim, a Gaelic football champion who won five All-Ireland titles with Kerry.

Battling injuries in the last two seasons, Kennelly has also expressed his struggle with living away from family and friends.

Swans general manager of football Andrew Ireland last week denied a report in an Irish newspaper that Kennelly would retire before the start of his final season.

Kennelly made his debut for the Swans in 2001 and was a key member of their 2005 premiership side. He has since played 158 games.