Sydney Swans midfielder Josh Kennedy is ready for 2013. Picture: Tim Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph
JOSH Kennedy is driven by a fear of failure - he is one of the 10 best players in the AFL but unlike the Chris Judds and Lance Franklins of the game, Kennedy has never felt like one of the chosen ones.
That's why you won't find a hint of arrogance or contentment in Kennedy's football personality.
The fear factor doesn't hold him back, though, and he's planning to use it for an even better season.
Kennedy knows rival clubs will come after him with everything they've got and devote time, energy and personnel to bringing him down.
It comes with the territory of being the best player in a premiership-winning team.
So Kennedy plans to turn the tables on the taggers by studying their tactics and using that information to his advantage.
"I have a fear of going backwards," Kennedy said.
"I think there will be a little bit more pressure on me. I've slipped under the radar the last few years.
"It could be a tough year. I do expect to be tagged more, I'd be naive if I didn't.
"I'll at least be preparing for it. It depends on the individual you're playing on and finding what they like to do and finding what they don't like to do and exploiting it. It's just a week-to-week thing."
Former Swans coach Paul Roos helped bring Kennedy to the club in 2009 and believes his fear of failure comes from his time at Hawthorn when he chalked up just 13 games in two years.
"He spent a lot of time running around in the seconds at Hawthorn," Roos said.
"He knows where he's been and he doesn't want to go there again. If he had stayed at Hawthorn his career could be finished now.
"I think that's what drives him - knowing where he's been and where he is now."
Roos has seen a steady improvement by the 24-year-old since arriving at the club three seasons ago. He has been remarkably consistent in that time, finishing third in 2010, second in 2011 and winning the Bob Skilton Medal last year.
He has also not missed a single game through injury in that time.
"He's added dimensions to his game, he can run and spread and he can take marks over his head and kick goals," Roos said.
"I don't think I've ever seen a player who just can't be dragged to the ground when he's tackled.
"His capacity to keep his feet and cope with tacklers and get his arms free is second to none. You can't bring him to ground, which means he's got so much time and he has great composure under so much pressure and finds a teammate."
Kennedy was heavily tagged in the back half of 2012 but still managed to finish equal eighth in the Brownlow Medal count last year with 19 votes.
It has prepared him for a full season of increased attention from rival clubs desperate to stop his dominance in winning contested possessions and clearances.
"I think I still have a fair bit of improvement in me and I think I'll have to deal with a bit more attention as well," Kennedy said.
"There were a fair few games where I was getting a fair bit of attention, which is a great compliment. It's just about finding different ways of dealing with that."
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