Brett Kenny

Brett Kenny
Brett Kenny
Born	Brett Edward Kenny; March 16, 1961 (age 65); Canterbury, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s)	Professional rugby league player (retired), coach
Years active	1980–1993 (player)
Known for	Playing for Parramatta Eels, Australian national team, New South Wales Blues; winning four premiership titles with Parramatta; awarded Lance Todd Trophy and Clive Churchill Medal

Brett "Bert" Edward Kenny (born 16 March 1961) is a retired Australian professional rugby league player who competed during the 1980s and 1990s. He played as a and representing the Australian national side, the New South Wales Blues, and the Parramatta Eels. Over his career, Kenny participated in 17 Test matches, appeared in 17 State of Origin games, and won four premiership titles with Parramatta. He is widely acknowledged as one of the premier rugby league athletes in Australia throughout the 20th century.

Background

Kenny's birthplace is Canterbury, New South Wales, Australia.

Playing career

Kenny made his first-grade debut for Parramatta during round 14 of the 1980 season against South Sydney, entering the match from the bench in a 28–12 defeat at Redfern Oval. In 1981, he played a crucial role in Parramatta securing their inaugural premiership by overcoming Newtown 20–11 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where he scored two tries. Parramatta continued their dominance by winning back-to-back grand finals in 1982 and 1983 against Manly-Warringah, with Kenny again crossing for two tries in each final.

The 1984 grand final saw Parramatta narrowly lose to Canterbury-Bankstown by 6–4. The subsequent year, they were eliminated in the preliminary final with a 26–0 loss to Canterbury. During the Australian off-season in 1985, Kenny joined English side Wigan, delivering an outstanding performance in the memorable Challenge Cup final against his former teammate Peter Sterling, who was playing for Hull F.C.. Leading Wigan to a thrilling 28–24 victory at Wembley Stadium before a crowd of 100,000, Kenny earned the Lance Todd Trophy for man of the match, highlighting his exceptional composure under pressure.

In 1986, Kenny secured his fourth premiership as Parramatta edged out Canterbury with a rare grand final scoreline of 4–2, marking a game without any tries. He remained loyal to Parramatta until retiring after the 1993 season, although the team did not qualify for finals during those later years. His career concluded on a positive note with a final match victory over Balmain at Parramatta Stadium, finishing 22–16.

Statistical highlights

Kenny held Parramatta’s record for most first-grade appearances (265) from his retirement in 1993 until Nathan Hindmarsh surpassed it in 2010. Additionally, he maintained the club record for most tries (110) until Luke Burt overtook it during the 2011 NRL season. His tally of 21 tries scored in the 1983 season remains third highest behind Semi Radradra’s 24 and Steve Ella’s 23 for most tries within a single season.

He stands alone as the only player to have scored two tries in three consecutive grand finals (1981–1983). In the controversial 1986 Grand Final against Canterbury, Kenny appeared to have scored twice; however, both tries were disallowed under contentious circumstances.

Across twelve State of Origin matches as New South Wales’ starting five-eighth, Kenny achieved an eight-to-four winning record over Wally Lewis.

Accolades

Dally M Representative Player of the Year: 1986
Grand Final Man of the Match (Clive Churchill Medal): 1982, 1983
Lance Todd Trophy: 1985
Golden Boot Award: 1985
Ranked No. 27 in Rugby League Week's Top 100 players: 1992
Included in NRL Team of the 1980s: 2004

Post-playing career

In 2000, Kenny was honored with the Australian Sports Medal in recognition of his impact on Australia's international rugby league reputation.

He appeared briefly in the 2006 movie Footy Legends and led the Penrith Panthers Jersey Flegg team to a premiership that same year, although he was later relieved of his coaching duties.

In February 2008, Kenny was included in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007), an accolade commissioned by the NRL and ARL to commemorate the centenary of rugby league.

By 2010, he had taken on the role of coach for the Wentworthville Magpies competing in the NSW Cup. During this period, Kenny disclosed experiencing financial difficulties after retiring from playing, mentioning that his coaching salary was modest and indicating intentions to exit rugby league within two years if advancement did not occur.

In July 2017, Kenny received a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

External links

Brett Kenny profile at stateoforigin.com.au
Brett Kenny Wigan Playing Career on the Wigan RL Fansite
Whiticker, Alan and Hudson, Glen; The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players (3rd ed., 1998) Gary Allen Pty. Ltd
Kenny, Brett with Cardigan, Neil The Natural: Brett Kenny's Life in League (1993) Ironbark Press, Randwick, NSW
Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sydney