HIS 2020 NRL campaign may have come to a close on Saturday night but Bathurst talent Will Kennedy has already signalled his intent to come back bigger and stronger next year.
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Cronulla Sharks fullback Kennedy and his side lost their elimination final 32-20 to hosts Canberra Raiders after surrendering their 14-10 half-time lead.
It was a largely quiet game for Kennedy who finished Saturday's match with 109 metres gained on 10 runs, 22 of those being post-contact metres, while making seven tackles.
The Bathurst league graduate will already to eyeing off the 2021 season after re-signing on a one-year contact with the Sharks back in August.
He'd battled to earn the right to the number one jumper and he's up for the battle again next year.
"I think whoever competes the hardest gets the jersey," Kennedy said.
"I've tried my hardest to do what I can to get the jersey and I'm here today."
Things were looking positive for Kennedy and his side early in Canberra as they chased an upset win.
After giving away the opening try to the Raiders the Sharks enjoyed majority of time on the ball and started to turn the tide through Ronaldo Mulitalo and Blayke Brailey tries.
Sharks threatened to put the game out of the Raiders' grasp in the run towards half-time but an intercept try from George Williams helped the green machine breathe a little easier.
The Raiders utilised the momentum shift to its full degree.
Canberra made up for their big deficit in possession during a dominant second half, running over the top of the Sharks on the back of a quick-fire Jack Wighton brace plus tries from George Williams and Elliott Whitehead.
A late intercept try from the Sharks' Sione Katoa would only serve to add some respectability to the scoreline as Cronulla made their finals exit.
Kennedy finished the 2020 season with 17 appearances and three tries, picking up 11 try assists along the way and finishing with exactly 100 tackles made.
He also racked up plenty of match time. He had a four round stretch (six to nine) where he didn't suit up for the Sharks but would then go on to play every single minute of the team's remaining games for the season.
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Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
