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Martin in fight for NRL glory
Chris Garry | 15th September 2010
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IF THE junior rugby league record of Lowood-raised NRL giant Martin Kennedy is anything to go by, the Sydney Roosters will win this year's premiership.
As a Norths Tigers junior, Kennedy won three grand finals in consecutive years and his maiden NRL campaign has begun on a similar note.
Kennedy excelled in his debut finals match last weekend, helping his Roosters team defeat the Tigers 19-15 with powerful runs late in the 100-minute match.
In fact, Kennedy was a driving force, literally, behind the Roosters come from behind win.
With the Roosters down by one point and 30 seconds remaining on the clock, Kennedy drove forward in a Tigers scrum and twisted the pack, allowing a team-mate to pounce on the loose ball.
Roosters captain Braith Anasta kicked a field goal seconds later and the Bondi club went on to win the game.
“I was so tired I can barely remember that scrum. I think I was just too fat and the other team couldn't hold me up,” Kennedy said.
He said his premiership victories as a teenager felt like the world's greatest achievements at the time, but he now realises just how important winning an NRL final is.
“That Tigers match was the greatest football moment of my life,” Kennedy said.
“When I was a kid at Norths, playing footy with your mates and winning grand finals was everything. You think its like playing in the NRL, but its not.
“The feeling at the end of game against the Tigers was incredible.
“Our season was pretty much over with one minute to go and we came back to get it.”
Kennedy was born in northern New South Wales but moved to Lowood aged 13.
He attended Ipswich Grammar School and became a star in their senior rugby team, but Kennedy was always going to remain a league player.
Kennedy made his NRL debut in round one last year before suffering a season-ending injury.
“Last year was a horror year for me,” he said.
“It was pretty depressing being injured. I didn't like it at all.
“I didn't have my family in Sydney and I didn't have footy to take my mind off the isolation.”
As a youngster at Norths, Kennedy was coached by current Ipswich Jets CEO Brad Wolens.
At the start of this year, Wolens predicted this would be Kennedy's break-out season. “I think he is a future representative player,” Wolens said.
http://www.qt.com.au/story/2010/09/1...for-nrl-glory/
Chris Garry | 15th September 2010
*
*
*
IF THE junior rugby league record of Lowood-raised NRL giant Martin Kennedy is anything to go by, the Sydney Roosters will win this year's premiership.
As a Norths Tigers junior, Kennedy won three grand finals in consecutive years and his maiden NRL campaign has begun on a similar note.
Kennedy excelled in his debut finals match last weekend, helping his Roosters team defeat the Tigers 19-15 with powerful runs late in the 100-minute match.
In fact, Kennedy was a driving force, literally, behind the Roosters come from behind win.
With the Roosters down by one point and 30 seconds remaining on the clock, Kennedy drove forward in a Tigers scrum and twisted the pack, allowing a team-mate to pounce on the loose ball.
Roosters captain Braith Anasta kicked a field goal seconds later and the Bondi club went on to win the game.
“I was so tired I can barely remember that scrum. I think I was just too fat and the other team couldn't hold me up,” Kennedy said.
He said his premiership victories as a teenager felt like the world's greatest achievements at the time, but he now realises just how important winning an NRL final is.
“That Tigers match was the greatest football moment of my life,” Kennedy said.
“When I was a kid at Norths, playing footy with your mates and winning grand finals was everything. You think its like playing in the NRL, but its not.
“The feeling at the end of game against the Tigers was incredible.
“Our season was pretty much over with one minute to go and we came back to get it.”
Kennedy was born in northern New South Wales but moved to Lowood aged 13.
He attended Ipswich Grammar School and became a star in their senior rugby team, but Kennedy was always going to remain a league player.
Kennedy made his NRL debut in round one last year before suffering a season-ending injury.
“Last year was a horror year for me,” he said.
“It was pretty depressing being injured. I didn't like it at all.
“I didn't have my family in Sydney and I didn't have footy to take my mind off the isolation.”
As a youngster at Norths, Kennedy was coached by current Ipswich Jets CEO Brad Wolens.
At the start of this year, Wolens predicted this would be Kennedy's break-out season. “I think he is a future representative player,” Wolens said.
http://www.qt.com.au/story/2010/09/1...for-nrl-glory/
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