Jackson Kelly will remain at Wagga Tigers for the rest of the season

Kelly had been splitting his time between the Tigers and Salisbury North in the Adelaide Footy League throughout the first half of the year while deciding where he would play out the remainder of the season

Kelly had been named in the best in two of his three appearances for Salisbury North but has made the decision to finish the season out in Wagga.

Tigers coach Murray Stephenson was excited to have Kelly remaining at the club for the rest of the season.

"It was a drawn out process but you've got to understand which we do that footy is not the be-all or end-all," Stephenson said.

"He had a few things outside footy to work through before he could come to a decision and he's decided to come back and it's a big get for us on the field but off the field as well.

"He's just another bloke that fits in perfectly within our group and he's good to have in all facets of having a player at your footy club."

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Kelly has performed strongly in his four games for the Tigers this season and was arguably their best in their victory against Coolamon back in round five.

Stephenson said that he's shown some strong patches of form so far this season and that he adds some real depth to their midfield stocks.

"Yeah he has and it probably shouldn't come as too much of a surprise," he said.

"He's obviously played some good footy in the SANFL and played in a premiership there.

"He's a very capable player and he adds some real stock to our midfield group."

Brothers Ben and Harry have also returned to their junior club for this season and Stephenson believed the pair could've been a major factor in Jackson's decision to remain at the Tigers for the rest of 2023.

"I'm not too sure but I'd have to say it would've," he said.

"Knowing those three boys, they are pretty close so I think that would've spiked the interest a fair bit."

Kelly's confirmation is set to finalise the Tigers list for the back half of the season as Stephenson believed they wouldn't try to add any more recruits before the June 30 deadline.

"We are pretty happy with what we've got," he said.

"The boys are bouncing off each other pretty well at the moment and things are pretty smooth off the field and at training.

"So we are probably not looking to disrupt the current group too much and back them in and hopefully we can play some more good footy."

With a round to go to reach the halfway point, Stephenson said he's been really pleased of how his side has turned their season around after a slow start in the first couple of games.

"I'm really proud of the boys actually," he said.

"It would've been pretty easy being 0-2 to go here we go again, but even a lot of the guys from last year that have stuck around I don't think it was in their nature to be like that.

"Obviously getting some guys in helps like Dyl (Morton), Benny (Kelly), Jack (Kelly) and a couple of other pieces as well in Jeremy Piercy, Sam McNaughton and Harry (Kelly).

"But the pleasing thing is that it's some of the young guys that are standing up in moments when games are on a knifes edge.

"For them to get up off the deck from being 0-2 and get to 5-2 is a good sign for the group that there is some kind of resilience there."

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