At the start of the 2021 NRL season, Bathurst product Will Kennedy was fighting to retain the number one jersey at the Cronulla Sharks.
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Having occupied the fullback position for much of the previous season, Kennedy was up against the likes of Connor Tracey and Luke Metcalf, who both put in strong challenges in pre-season for the gig.
However, Kennedy responded and come round one was chosen to fill the fullback role
From there, the 24-year-old continued to develop, improve and shine in becoming recognised amongst some of the elite fullbacks in the NRL and for his efforts, Kennedy was named as the winner of the 2021 Porter-Gallen Medal as Cronulla's Player of the Year.
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As resilient as he has been brilliant, the former St Pat's junior appeared in all 24 of the Sharks' NRL matches in 2021, while leading the team in tries scored with 14 - equal with Tracey - line breaks with 15 and try assists with 14.
Just the second year of the award, with Shaun Johnson the inaugural recipient of the newly minted medal 12 months ago, Kennedy joins an illustrious list of former winners of the Sharks Player of the Year accolade including the likes of Paul Gallen, Andrew Ettingshausen and more recently Andrew Fifita and Wade Graham.
Recently re-signed, Kennedy's form has been such a high standard that new recruit Nicho Hynes, one of the Melbourne Storm's best this season, has been pencilled in to fill a role in the halves next year, with his combination with the current Sharks fullback something Cronulla fans can look forward to in 2022 and beyond.
In a breakthrough year for the former Bathurst native and proud Indigenous man, Kennedy scooped the pool of annual Sharks NRL team awards.
In addition to the Porter-Gallen Medal, Kennedy also claimed the Tommy Bishop Player's Player Award, in an indication his teammates appreciated his contribution equally as much as the coaching staff.
Kennedy was also named the Members' Player of the Year, as voted upon by 2021 Sharks members.
Other nominees for the Porter-Gallen Medal were Blayke Brailey, Jack Williams and Connor Tracey, with all three making outstanding contributions throughout the 2021 season.
Kennedy is the son of former Balmain Tiger and Western legend Bubba Kennedy.
The Bathurst native enjoyed plenty of success in the lower grades with the Newtown Jets before making his NRL debut for Cronulla in a 24-20 win over the Penrith Panthers in 2018.
He has since gone on to play 43 games and score 17 tries for the Sharks.
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