Ben Kennedy

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Thursday, 14th March, 1974
Current Age
50 years and 5 days
Place Of Birth
Casino, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Lock Of The Year
2005, 2006
Dally M Captain Of The Year
2006
RLPA Player of the Year
2006

Biography

Hard-running Canberra second-row forward first represented NSW in 1999. Kennedy was the subject of much speculation that year – rumours that he was already heading to Newcastle surfaced before the June 30 deadline, (triggering threats of a poaching investigation), before he and team-mate Brandon Pearson were sent home from training after being involved in an alleged drug incident in a Canberra nightclub. Although the allegations could not be substantiated Kennedy seemed to cop the brunt of the club’s dissatisfaction with his departure and he withdrew from the final rounds of competition with an injury. Joining Newcastle in 2000, a succession of ankle and shoulder injuries affected Kennedy’s form late in the season. Although he represented NSW and Australia that year, his decision to delay surgery until the end of the season ultimately affected Newcastle’s run to the grand final and cost him a place in Australia’s victorious World Cup final team. Kennedy made every post a winner in 2001 despite being dropped from NSW’s interchange bench after the Blues’ loss in the opening State of Origin match. That act of rashness by NSW selectors only made Kennedy keener to succeed. In the grand final that year, his first half try broke the backs of the P’matta team and he was a standout choice for the Kangaroo Tour at year’s end. Kennedy’s ability to bust the line on the edge of the rucks and his rugged defence was seen to great affect in England where he played in each of the three Tests. After breaking his hand in the vital Second Test, he carried the injury into the Ashes-winning Third Test. Shoulder surgery kept him out of the Knights’ World Club Challenge in January 2002 before he made his return in the early rounds of the season. Subsequent injuries limited his rep appearances in 2002-04 and disrupted Newcastle’s premiership aspirations. Following his decision to sign with Manly for 2005 Kennedy played in just one Test (the 16-all with NZ in October ) before touring with the Kangaroos in 2004’s Tri Nations competition. In his two seasons with the Sea Eagles the club made the play-offs in both years (incredibly, Kennedy was named in Manly’s greatest ever team, spanning the last sixty years). He announced his rep retirement after playing in his final Test match – Australia’s 50-12 win over NZ in May 2006 – and retired from the game altogether at the end of the season.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 195 70 -   - 280 114 77 4 58.46% List
NRL Finals 12 7 -   - 28 4 8 0 33.33% List
State of Origin 13 1 -   - 4 10 2 1 76.92% List
Tour Matches Australia 1 2 -   - 8 1 0 0 100.00% List
World Cup 3 3 -   - 12 3 0 0 100.00% List
Test Series 3 1 -   - - 2 1 0 66.67% List
The Ashes 3 1 -   - 8 2 1 0 66.67% List
City vs Country 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Tri-Nations 6 - -   - - 3 2 1 50.00% List
Anzac Tests 2 - 1   - 2 2 0 0 100.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 2000-02, 2004-06 15 5 1   - 22 11 3 1 73.33% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 2000-2004 2 1 -   - 4 2 0 0 100.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 2000 3 3 -   - 12 3 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW 1999-05 13 1 -   - 4 10 2 1 76.92% List
NSW Country 2003 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Overall1999-2005 14 1 0   0 4 10 3 1 71.43% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Canberra ARL 1996 15 4 -   - 16 8 6 1 53.33% List
Canberra Super League 1997 18 15 -   - 60 11 7 0 61.11% List
Canberra NRL 1998 18 8 -   - 32 11 7 0 61.11% List
Canberra NRL 1999 16 4 -   - 16 8 7 1 50.00% List
Newcastle NRL 2000 17 4 -   - 16 10 6 1 58.82% List
Newcastle NRL 2001 29 17 -   - 68 19 9 1 65.52% List
Newcastle NRL 2002 11 4 -   - 16 8 3 0 72.73% List
Newcastle NRL 2003 13 3 -   - 12 9 4 0 69.23% List
Newcastle NRL 2004 16 1 -   - 4 8 8 0 50.00% List
Manly NRL 2005 21 8 -   - 32 11 10 0 52.38% List
Manly NRL 2006 21 2 -   - 8 11 10 0 52.38% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Canberra 1996-99 67 31 -   - 124 38 27 2 56.72% List
Newcastle 2000-04 86 29 -   - 116 54 30 2 62.79% List
Manly 2005-06 42 10 -   - 40 22 20 0 52.38% List
Overall1996-2006 195 70 0   0 280 114 77 4 58.46% List

Your Say

  • Tom Cunningham
    25/05/2016

    Thanks for the memories

  • Ray
    20/04/2020

    One of the main reason Manly came back from the dead after the Merger with the Bears - BK started what Des wanted them to be...

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash, AJ Lucantonio, Max Turner, Alan Katzmann, Terry Liberopoulos, Bill Bates, Cymru RL

Sources: ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1998, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1999, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2001, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2002, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2003, NRL 2004 Official Rugby League Annual, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2004, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2000, 2006 Official Rugby League Annual