Geohood
Bench
- Messages
- 3,712
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21376337-5001023,00.html
SHAUN Kenny-Dowall arrived in Sydney from Auckland as a 16-year-old schoolboy with a backpack on his shoulders carrying his rugby league dreams.
This Saturday night he will cap a remarkable rise when he makes his first-grade debut for the Sydney Roosters as a winger against Souths in the opening round of the NRL premiership.
From the backpacker who lived in a Coogee hostel to a place in the Roosters' backline has been the sweetest journey of the teenager's life.
"It's so exciting to be named in the side and be part of this special club," he said yesterday.
"It's the Roosters' centenary year as well. I can't wait."
Now 19, Kenny-Dowall is the public face of 18 rookies ready to make their first grade debuts this weekend. The Roosters will also have five-eighth Mitch Aubusson making his debut.
"Shaun has really caught the eye," Roosters lock Braith Anasta said.
Kenny-Dowall arrived at Mascot from New Zealand with his father and two mates.
They stayed at a backpacker hostel in Coogee because it offered a free taxi service from the airport and seemed to be near Clovelly where he wanted to play in the juniors.
"It seemed like a good deal," Kenny-Dowall said. "We looked at the map and Coogee looked close."
Money got tight after a few weeks at the hostel and he took a temporary job with a hamburger chain.
"Eventually we all got decent jobs then and we moved into a house and my mum came over."
The original motivation for coming to Australia was simply that it offered more opportunities in rugby league than New Zealand.
Kenny-Dowall played briefly for Clovelly before being earmarked as a star by the Roosters.
But Kenny-Dowall has already committed himself to a representative career with NZ if needed by turning out for the junior Kiwis.
His only other trip to Sydney was briefly in 2000 to see his father, who lost part of his leg as a child, win gold in the javelin and silver in the shot put.
"Mum was also a sprinter. She ran for New Zealand," he said.
Kenny-Dowall says he does not know quite what to expect in his first game except that it will be "a bit faster" and "awesome".
As he strolled around Coogee, where his football adventure began, yesterday, he said: "I'm just looking forward to being there. I wish it was on now."
--
Go son.. this guy is 195 cm tall, quick and built like a tank. :$
SHAUN Kenny-Dowall arrived in Sydney from Auckland as a 16-year-old schoolboy with a backpack on his shoulders carrying his rugby league dreams.
This Saturday night he will cap a remarkable rise when he makes his first-grade debut for the Sydney Roosters as a winger against Souths in the opening round of the NRL premiership.
From the backpacker who lived in a Coogee hostel to a place in the Roosters' backline has been the sweetest journey of the teenager's life.
"It's so exciting to be named in the side and be part of this special club," he said yesterday.
"It's the Roosters' centenary year as well. I can't wait."
Now 19, Kenny-Dowall is the public face of 18 rookies ready to make their first grade debuts this weekend. The Roosters will also have five-eighth Mitch Aubusson making his debut.
"Shaun has really caught the eye," Roosters lock Braith Anasta said.
Kenny-Dowall arrived at Mascot from New Zealand with his father and two mates.
They stayed at a backpacker hostel in Coogee because it offered a free taxi service from the airport and seemed to be near Clovelly where he wanted to play in the juniors.
"It seemed like a good deal," Kenny-Dowall said. "We looked at the map and Coogee looked close."
Money got tight after a few weeks at the hostel and he took a temporary job with a hamburger chain.
"Eventually we all got decent jobs then and we moved into a house and my mum came over."
The original motivation for coming to Australia was simply that it offered more opportunities in rugby league than New Zealand.
Kenny-Dowall played briefly for Clovelly before being earmarked as a star by the Roosters.
But Kenny-Dowall has already committed himself to a representative career with NZ if needed by turning out for the junior Kiwis.
His only other trip to Sydney was briefly in 2000 to see his father, who lost part of his leg as a child, win gold in the javelin and silver in the shot put.
"Mum was also a sprinter. She ran for New Zealand," he said.
Kenny-Dowall says he does not know quite what to expect in his first game except that it will be "a bit faster" and "awesome".
As he strolled around Coogee, where his football adventure began, yesterday, he said: "I'm just looking forward to being there. I wish it was on now."
--
Go son.. this guy is 195 cm tall, quick and built like a tank. :$
