Martin Kennedy

[Alec]

Martin Kennedy should be playing for NSW
Phil Rothfield
Monday, April 04, 2011 at 01:29am


MARTIN Kennedy has lived 20 of his 22 years in NSW. He should be playing in the front-row for the Blues in this year’s State of Origin.

Yet because he went to boarding school for two years at Ipswich Grammar School he’s considered a Queenslander.

Making it even more farcical is the fact Ipswich Grammar is a rugby union high school and doesn’t even play league.

The Roosters talent scouts - and their then coach Ricky Stuart - spotted him years ago playing in a private school rugby union game on Sydney’s North Shore.

They signed him and he even finished his schooling at Matraville High in Sydney.

He played his first senior football in Sydney with the Roosters and fast became one of the competition’s most feared front-rowers.

It shouldn’t matter where Kennedy wants to play - if he’s a Blue, he’s a Blue.

Before going to boarding school at 15, Kennedy played league on the NSW North Coast - just 100-odd kilometres up the road from where Greg Inglis played in Macksville. Surely the selection rules need to be overhauled when the independent commission arrives and shakes up the administration of the game.

Blues coach Ricky Stuart made enquiries about Kennedy a couple of weeks ago. He’s concerned about depth in the front-row position with only Cronulla’s Kade Snowden sticking his hand up for selection at this stage.

“I could ask again but they’re claiming him,” Stuart said.

But Blues chief executive Geoff Carr says he will be asking questions when he arrives for work this morning.

“We don’t want another Greg Inglis situation and if NSW want him, we’ve got to do a thorough check-up,” Carr said.

“The kid can certainly play.”

The blockbusting Roosters front-rower would be one of the first players chosen in either Origin side this year on current form.

Are we going to have another Inglis situation? NSW should just accept that you have to let people play for who they want to... don't force them like Nazis.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Did he decide to play for QLD??

 

[Alec]

Did he decide to play for QLD??

Yeah, I'm pretty sure he did quite a while back.

 

[dukey]

As far as I can tell, he never even played league in Queensland. I thought the rules said that you're eligible for the state where you played your first senior rep footy?

 

[Big Pete]

His junior club is listed as Norths Ipswich.

 

[Big Pete]

And deep down I think he does.

Stalemate.

 

[dukey]

Why do players have any say in which state they can play for? The rules should be more clear cut. As it stands, it's State of Preference more than it is State of Origin.

 

[Alec]

Why do players have any say in which state they can play for? The rules should be more clear cut. As it stands, it's State of Preference more than it is State of Origin.

Because it's better that way. If you have players playing for the state the feel most connected to, it makes for a better and a more intense game. On the other hand, if you have players being forced to play for teams they don't give a shit about, it'll turn Origin into just another variation of the Allstars/Abo match. Do you seriously want your selectors to pick players who don't want to play for you?

 

[Charmamba]

I find it very hard to believe that he can call himself a queenslander. Deep down I bet he doesn't.

Obviously he isn't going to come out and say he prefers NSW because he Isn't eligible for NSW, only QLD so if he admitted that then he'd never play an origin game. As if QLD would puck someone who says his heart is with NSW.

So don't be fooled. He is a proud new south Welshman who has yet again been struck down with this ridiculous rule that MUST change.

But would anyone who can play for QLD come out and say "I love NSW even tho they are letting me playing for a *Charlie Sheen* Winning Team?

 

[dukey]

Why do players have any say in which state they can play for? The rules should be more clear cut. As it stands, it's State of Preference more than it is State of Origin.

Because it's better that way. If you have players playing for the state the feel most connected to, it makes for a better and a more intense game. On the other hand, if you have players being forced to play for teams they don't give a shit about, it'll turn Origin into just another variation of the Allstars/Abo match. Do you seriously want your selectors to pick players who don't want to play for you?

The danger of this, though, is that it opens the possibility for players to say 'well I'm eligible for NSW or QLD. Who wants me more? Open up the chequebook, boys.'
Or choosing to play for QLD because NSW have too many players in their position ahead of them, and they think they're a better chance of selection for the maroons.
It just seems bizarre to me that Martin Kennedy, who was born in and has spent 91% of his life in NSW, who played his first senior footy for NSW, and has no connection to QLD other than two years in a boarding school, is suddenly a Queenslander.

 

[Twiztid]

It just seems bizarre to me that Martin Kennedy, who was born in and has spent 91% of his life in NSW, who played his first senior footy for NSW, and has no connection to QLD other than two years in a boarding school, is suddenly a Queenslander.

The same theory could be used for NSWelshmen who are QLD fans.

 

[Big Pete]

Dukey, where are you getting the 91% from? Rothfield? [icon_lol1.

 

[Porthoz]

The elegibility is determined by where he played his first senior footy and/or junior state rep. Kennedy played for the Qld U17's, end of story.

Some background here:
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...-state-of-origin/story-e6frepbx-1226033486827

 

[Twiztid]

This article says he was only 10 when he moved to QLD, the original article says 15.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6033647858

If this article is true and he was 10, then he most probably has played league longer in QLD than NSW depending on how old he was when he first started. I say fair call, let him play for QLD and let's move on.

 

[Big Pete]

He was 9 when he first started playing.

Rothfield... [icon_lol1.

 

[OXY-351]

I thought his first club would have been the Eastside Dingoes, along side his brother Billy.

 

[Coxy]

He's more a Queenslander than Inglis.

 

[mrslong]

Phil rothfield is the biggest douche in the universe. As if you can quote his articles as fact. Ha ha ha.