MELBOURNE recruit Ben Kennedy says he’s ready to go and eager to make his mark from round one next year, when the Demons take on the Giants in the opening round of the season at the MCG.

Speaking to Dee TV in his first week at the club since crossing from Collingwood during the October trade period, Kennedy said he wanted to step-up straight away in 2016.

“I’d like to think I’m a ready-made player as it is at the moment and I think I’ve had my years of development and I’m really ready to start playing now,” he said.

“I think I’m ready and up for it, so hopefully I can play all games next year and hopefully have a bit of an impact.

Kennedy, who played 25 matches for Collingwood from 2013-15 after originally being drafted at No.19 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft, said he was eager for greater opportunities at the highest level – and Melbourne was prepared to give him that chance.

“I sat down with Melbourne and they really impressed me with their view and what they presented to me,” he said.

“I felt like my future was destined to be with them, so I’ll look forward to repaying back.”

Kennedy acknowledged it was tough to leave his mates at the Pies, but he was excited for a fresh start at the Dees.

Being so close to his former club’s headquarters up the road, the Holden Centre, Kennedy said the only “weird” thing he had encountered so far was retaining the same swipe card for the car park used by Melbourne and Collingwood players.

But aside from “a tough” first day of pre-season training, Kennedy said he relished being at his new club.  

“It was good to meet all of the boys and the coaches, so it’s good to get stuck into it,” he said.

“It’s the second time I’ve done it now [arriving at an AFL club], so I knew what to expect. The boys were very welcoming and the coaches were very welcoming as well.

“Now, it’s just about getting across the new game plan that I’m to play now. There were a lot of introductions on the first day … but they expect you to pick it up pretty quickly and get into the swing of things.”

The 21-year-old said he was “very close” with new teammate Jack Viney, due to his connection with him in the 2011 NAB AFL academy, along with fellow South Australians and former Glenelg duo Alex Neal-Bullen and Billy Stretch.

And Kennedy said he wasn’t aware that Melbourne had kept a close check on him leading up to the 2012 draft, but he was pleased to know that the club had rated him highly a few years ago.

Now, Kennedy is determined to cement his place in Melbourne’s best 22 and use his “outside speed and inside grunt” to help the side’s fortunes.

“I think I can play both inside and outside, and both forward and mid, so I think I bring a little bit of versatility to the club,” he said.

“I’ll also bring that inside, hard edge as well.”