Ben Kennedy on board to support Knights
BY ROBERT DILLON
30 Mar, 2012 04:00 AM
EIGHT years ago he played in the last Newcastle team to beat the Storm in Melbourne.Tonight Ben Kennedy will not lace on a boot but still plans to provide some inspiration and moral support as the Knights strive to end their long drought in the Victorian capital.
Kennedy and his premiership-winning Knights teammate Mark Hughes joined Wayne Bennetts troops at training yesterday morning and flew out with their modern-day counterparts to stay in the team hotel last night.
They are the second pair of Newcastle Old Boys to accompany their successors to an away match this year.
Tim Maddison and Bill Peden made the trip to Sydney last week and oversaw the impressive 20-6 win against Canterbury.
The concept has been so well received it is expected to become standard practice, and every time the Knights hit the road they will do so with two of their retired stars in tow.
Kennedy, whose career ended at Manly in 2006, has spent the past six years living in Brisbane but is considering a move back to Newcastle.
He felt honoured when he received the invitation to return to the fold, having played 86 games for the Knights between 2000 and 2004.
Its a great idea from the club and it was just a good feeling to be out there [training] with the boys, Kennedy said. A couple of the boys came up and asked for some advice. Im not sure if I was much help, but it makes you feel part of it.
Its just great to be involved again. It was awesome to get that phone call asking me to come down.
Kennedy spent the final two years of his career with Manly and said he had an emotional attachment to both clubs, if not his first outfit, Canberra.
As a family we cant split them [Manly and Newcastle], he said. When they play each other, we cheer for whoever needs the points the most.
Weve been involved in two fantastic clubs and we love them both.
Canberra was a long, long time ago and I think I had more involvement at this club and at Manly, so theyre certainly our two clubs.
Having spent his five years at the Knights training at a variety of substandard venues, Kennedy could not have been more impressed with their state-of-the-art base at Balance, Mayfield.
We trained on cow paddocks, but these facilities are outstanding, Kennedy said. They deserve it. This is a first-class club and deserves facilities like this.
As for exorcising their demons in Melbourne, the 38-year-old gives Newcastle a genuine chance at AAMI Park tonight.
Just going off training today and Im not just saying this but there was a lot of class out there today, he said. They looked good, sharp, no dropped balls. I think they can go down there pretty positive, although they are playing one of the worlds great teams.
Knights veteran Danny Buderus, who played dozens of games alongside Kennedy and Hughes, was delighted to have his former teammates back on deck.
Boozey turned up in his 98 jersey, which was great, and BK still looks like he could do some damage out there, Buderus said with a smile.
It was really good to see them out there training with us and the boys are buzzing off it. We had Timmy Maddison and Billy Peden come with us last week, and that was good for everyone involved.
Its a great concept . . . I cant wait to spend a weekend with BK.
