Brodie Kemp doesn’t hide that 2025 was tough on a personal and team level, but even while he was in it, he used it to springboard into 2026.
By **Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media**
“I’M A better athlete than I was before doing my Achilles.”
Brodie Kemp doesn’t hide behind the fact that 2025 was tough on a personal and team level, but even while he was in it, he used it to springboard into 2026.
Kemp had his first hitout in 10 months when he lined up in attack against Brisbane, having suffered an Achilles rupture in Gather Round. It was just five games into the season - a year where he was planning on locking down a new role in Carlton’s forward half.
But even with just a month of games under his belt (including a five-goal haul against the Western Bulldogs in Round 3), there were aspects of Kemp’s game that he knew he needed improvement in.
So he went to work.
“I was able to go after things that even in five games, I felt like I needed to work on," Kemp said on _SEN_.
"Getting a bit stronger and bigger, putting on a few more kilos - having those games made me confident, but I feel much more confident in my body now than when I started as a forward.”
Kemp and Carlton’s physios looked worldwide for the best possible rehab approach, with a spate of Achilles injuries occurring not only in the AFL, but also in the NFL and NBA in the last calendar year.
In particular, the Blue followed the journey of Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics star who injured his Achilles a month after Kemp.
“I’ve been following a few guys loosely on social media, Jayson Tatum and Dame Lillard. Our physio actually has contact with the Celtics physios, and they sometimes exchange information on how each of us are doing.
“We probably care more about what Jayson Tatum is doing rather than how much he cares about Brodie Kemp for Carlton… but it was still good information to have!”
After a recovery process with “no hiccups”, Kemp took his place in that new-look forward line for the Blues last Wednesday, relishing the chance just to be back out there with his teammates again.
In a career where he’s been a valuable swingman to date, Kemp sees his home in attack nowadays - and he feels it’s a great fit.
“I would put myself forward. There are perks to each position and I enjoy each position I play, but I think it suits my personality.
“I can be a bit more creative and have more flair a a forward, and I’ve done a lot of work with my body over the last few months especially to really nail down that forward role.
“\[Michael Voss\] agrees. I’ve been there all pre-season, that’s the plan.”