Shaun Kenny-Dowall is carving out a niche in the coaching space after a 17-year playing career that encompassed premiership and international triumphs. Big League caught up with the Kiwi following his return to Newcastle.
HOW IS THE PATHWAYS ROLE WITH THE KNIGHTS GOING, SHAUN, AND HOW ARE ENJOYING BEING BACK IN AUSTRALIA AFTER FIVE YEARS IN THE UK?
It’s been awesome, being immersed in the club and understanding the inner workings of the place. It’s great to see [the Knights’ NRL team] performing so well and there’s definitely a shift in mentality. Pathways is about making a difference so we can consistently perform at the top, which is something we’re all striving for. It’s a good lifestyle change – the English weather does catch up on you after a few years. We really enjoy being back with the family and having the little one around, with cousins and our grandparents, it’s been really nice.
GOING STRAIGHT INTO AN ASSISTANT COACH ROLE AT HULL KR AFTER RETIRING IN 2023, WAS THAT ALWAYS THE POST-PLAYING PLAN?
I’ve always seen myself being involved in the game. I was very fortunate that Hull KR gave me an opportunity to go straight into coaching and working in pathways there gave me a real chance to finetune and work out what sort of coach I wanted to be. I got a greater appreciation of how much goes into that side of things that you don’t really see as a player. I love making a difference and giving back to the next generation coming through.
HULL KR’S COACH, WILLIE PETERS, HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AS THE PNG CHIEFS’ INAUGURAL COACH – WHAT DOES HE BRING?
He’s the hardest-working person in the room, he’s a very loyal, honest guy who creates such a great culture and environment that demands high standards of everyone involved. Seeing how he’s brought everyone together at Hull KR, what he’s been able to achieve in a short period of time, he deserves all these opportunities coming his way.
BORN IN BRISBANE BUT BROUGHT UP IN NEW ZEALAND – WHAT ARE YOU EARLY MEMORIES OF FOOTY AND LIFE IN AUCKLAND AND NGĀRUAWĀHIA?
It was awesome, it was all rugby league. That’s all we ever knew – watching the Kiwis play, travelling around South Auckland and playing teams across the region. Then Ngāruawāhia was just such a rugby league town. I’m grateful it provided me a platform to enjoy my rugby league; that made me want to go on to higher honours.
YOUR DAD, JOHN, WAS A PARALYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST AT SYDNEY 2000. DID THAT PROVIDE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR OWN SPORTING ENDEAVOURS?
There were never any excuses. He prepared and trained, living his life with one leg. He was a bit of a hard taskmaster given his circumstances and adversities he had to overcome. That definitely helped me have a harder edge about my life and the way that I prepared, watching how dedicated he was to his craft and his athletics. Seeing him reach the peak and win a gold medal, I knew what it took to be successful. He instilled those values and work ethic from a very young age.
AND YOU REALLY HAD TO PERSERVERE AND TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO FIND YOU PATH INTO THE NRL?
I was travelling from Waikato up to Warriors development two times a week and I was cut from that squad after a few months. Again, Dad encouraged me to follow my dream, so me and a couple of mates moved over to Australia and tried to crack the NRL. It was a bit of a risk but one that was definitely worth taking. We had to grow up quickly – we were 15- and 16-year-olds having to pay rent and pay bills. Sometimes you have to get uncomfortable to achieve your dreams and, mate, it’s worked out unbelievably well.
IT ALL PAID OFF IN 2007 WITH A NRL DEBUT FOR THE ROOSTERS, A KIWIS DEBUT AND PLAYING FOR THE ALL GOLDS AS A 19-YEAR-OLD. QUITE THE WHIRLWIND?
I have to pinch myself when I look back – we met the Queen and went to Buckingham Palace, I got to play with Stacey Jones and Ruben Wiki [in the All Golds]. I still was a teenager and I still idolised them, I had Nigel Vagana as my centre … and then to make my Kiwis debut at such a young age.
AFTER MISSING OUT ON THE KIWIS’ 2008 WORLD CUP SQUAD, YOU FEATURED IN SOME MEMORABLE WINS OVER AUSTRALIA: THE 2010 AND 2014 FOUR NATIONS, AND THE 2015 ANZAC TEST. YOU MUST BE PROUD OF THE PART YOU PLAYED IN A GOLDEN PERIOD FOR NEW ZEALAND?
It was a blessing I got to represent my Māori heritage [in the 2008 World Cup curtain-raiser] and a good learning step – it made me hungry to keep striving for that black and white jersey. There was a period of real success and consistency – the first time in 60 years that we’d beaten in Australia three times in a row and winning these trophies – it was euphoric. Every time we went away, we were like family. I reckon we’re going to win [the World Cup] this year.
IF THERE’S A SINGLE MOMENT YOU’RE REMEMBERED FOR, IT’S PROBABLY THE GOLDEN POINT INTERCEPT TRY IN THAT ROOSTERS-TIGERS FINALS EPIC IN 2010…
I get messages when they replay it just before the finals every year. It was such a huge moment for the club and such an unbelievable set of circumstances – winning the scrum against the feed, Braith’s drop goal and the game just going back and forth for 99 minutes. I’m lucky I managed to get to the tryline because if there was any more space Lote Tuqiri was going to run me down.
THE ROOSTERS’ 2013 PREMIERSHIP SEALED YOUR PLACE IN GRAND FINAL FOLKLORE, SCORING A VITAL TRY AFTER BREAKING YOUR JAW IN THE EARLY STAGES. HOW HARD WAS IT TO PLAY THROUGH?
Mate, it wasn’t hard at all. When you work so hard to get to a certain point in your career, having lost [a grand final] in 2010, that’s not a moment that you pass up. You just bite down and find that extra grit and motivation. It takes a lot to push through the pain but I didn’t really have time to think about it – all I was focused on was doing my role. It wasn’t until after the game and the celebrations were well underway I realised how bad it was and the pain started kicking in. It’s something that I’m extremely proud of.
DID IT CURB YOUR ABILITY TO CELEBRATE?
I probably went a bit too far – the celebrations carried on for a couple of days and I eventually ended up getting dragged out to go to hospital, the Kiwis had to know if I was in or out of the [World Cup] squad. My jaw was broken and I had to get surgery that night.
HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP YOUR TIME AT NEWCASTLE AS A PLAYER, A VETERAN AT A REBUILDING CLUB?
I really enjoyed it, it’s a great town, a really strong rugby league town. It was a massive period of growth for me. Coming in as a more experienced player, I had to ask for a different version of myself, stepping into a leadership role with a lot of kids coming through. They were changing the culture at the club. I had to re-establish myself and grow up a little bit – the transition to the Knights really helped accelerate that. I’m very fortunate the club has allowed me to come back in a position where I can give back to the youth and help them in another rebuilding phase.
DATE OF BIRTH
23 January, 1988
CURRENT AGE
38
BIRTHPLACE
Brisbane, Queensland
POSITIONS
Centre, wing
PLAYING HISTORY
2007-17: Sydney Roosters
2017-19: Newcastle Knights
2020-23: Hull KR
REP FOOTBALL
2007, 2010-16: New Zealand
JUNIOR CLUB
East Coast Bays (NZ)
TOTAL NRL MATCHES
277
TRIES | POINTS
139 | 562
