- Ben Kennedy
:"For the
Neighbours character, seeBen Kirk "Infobox Rugby Union biography
playername = Ben Kennedy
fullname = Ben Kennedy
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1974|3|14|df=yes
cityofbirth =Casino, New South Wales
countryofbirth =Australia
height = convert|188|cm|ftin|abbr=on
weight = convert|107|kg|stlb|abbr=on
nickname = BK
school =St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber =
position = Lock / Second Row
youthyears =
youthclubs = Casino Cougars
years = 1996–1999
2000–2004
2005–2006
clubs =Canberra Raiders Newcastle Knights Manly Sea Eagles
caps(points) = 67 (124)
86 (116)
42 (40)
repyears = 1999–2005
2000–2004
repteam = New South Wales
Australia
repcaps(points) = 13 (4)
12 (8)Ben Kennedy (born
14 March ,1974 inCasino, New South Wales ), is an Australian former professionalrugby league player. He represented at State and National levels from 1999 to 2005, touring with the Kangaroos in 2001 and 2004.Rugby union schoolboy
Kennedy played rugby union at
St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill and was selected in the Australian Schoolboys side. He switched to rugby league before representing at the senior level in rugby union.Rugby league club career
His club career started with the
Canberra Raiders in 1996 where he was named the club's Rookie of the Year. He had four seasons with the club though the 1999 season was coloured by questions whether he had agreed to terms with theNewcastle Knights before the mid season anti-tampering deadline.Kennedy saw premiership victory during his five year stint with the
Newcastle Knights from 2000 and was selected to national honours while playing for the Knights.In his final seasons 2005-06 he was an inspirational leader in captaining the
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles . Such was his impact that sports betting odds would shift dramatically against Manly if Kennedy was to miss a match though injury.His final club match was Manly's 2006 Semi Final loss St George Illawarra at Aussie Stadium.Representative career
He was first selected for New South Wales in 1999 and went on to play 13 State of Origins. He debuted for Australia in 2001 when he played in all three Tests in Britain that year on a condensed Kangaroo tour.
Kennedy was a fiercely competitive player who gave some truly remarkable performances at the representative level often going beyond the ordinary limits of fatigue and playing himself to total exhaustion by game end.
After missing representative opportunities in 2003 due to injury and surgery, Kennedy seemed determined to make the most of all further chances and grew in stature as an on-field leader. With a new lease of life at Manly in 2005, he appeared in six out of the seven Australian Test matches that year. Along with former club team mate and friend
Andrew Johns , Kennedy finished his international career in the 2006 Anzac Test.Kennedy has played in twelve Tests for Australia, three games in the 2000 World Cup, one minor international and two minor tour games.
ources
* Whiticker, Alan (2004) "Captaining the Kangaroos", New Holland, Sydney
* Andrews, Malcom (2006) "The ABC of Rugby League" Austn Broadcasting Corpn, SydneyExternal links
* [http://www.nrl.com/Clubs/SeaEagles/SeaEaglesPlayerProfile/tabid/238/playerid/286/Default.aspx Official profile on NRL.com]
* [http://www.manlyseaeagles.com.au/players.asp?playerid=126 Profile on manlyseaeagles.com.au]
* [http://www.stateoforigin.com.au/SOOgame/PlayerDetails.aspx?Pid=180 State of Origin Official website Rugby League Player Stats]
* [http://www.smh.com.au/news/SPORT/Manly-skipper-Kennedy-farewells-league/2006/09/15/1157827163930.html Manly skipper Kennedy farewells league]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/static/in_depth/rugby_league/2001/ashes/kennedy.stm 2001 Ashes profile]
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