Ben Kennedy shows that Winning mentality pays off

[maxta]

I have heard this story before and not from 1, but a few people involved at the Manly Seaeagles making it 100% fact.
It really shows the importance of a Winning mentality and not willing to accept excuses along the way....here it is below and would love to see a few involved in our current training staff with this effect on the players, but in fairness he had not long retired and had many hungry wolves buying into it along with some top class players to ice the cake...inspiring !!

An interesting tale about former Raiders, Knights and Sea Eagles 2nd rower Ben Kennedy.
When the Sea Eagles won the 2008 GF I I was working as a coach at the club. Talking with the senior coaches I asked him what they thought the key was to winning the comp.
The reply was “Ben Kennedy”. But he’d left the club a couple of years earlier.
Turns out BK changed the training dynamic on the peninsula. Wouldn’t accept dropped balls or lax standards on the training paddock. And he wasn’t shy about letting his team mates know.
I thought that was one of the best compliments I ever heard about a player !

 

[Technical Coach]

The club went soft and standards slipped after the last of that generation influenced by BK retired or moved on without succession plans to keep the mindset/mentality behind.

It's not about attracting random tough nuts of average or low quality to harden up the club but when you have gone soft over so long a period and forget what hard as nails is, every injection acts as a reminder of what is lacking lol....

DCE still retains a high standard mentality(even if technically he is flawed big time in his playing style approach) that i'm sure was solidified and strengthened under that great hard core group of players from the mid 2000's onwards but he lacks the personality to inject and inspire it through many others.

 

[Under the Sticks]

This new fitness bloke seems to be a hard arse which is refreshing to see.

We have been soft and faded in games for way too long now.

Let’s hope the squad responds.

Trbo seems to have a bit more angry ant about him this preseason. I reckon he and Jakey are starting to worry about their personal premiership windows. Brooks hopefully not settling just for the elusive finals appearance but something more.

 

[Wombat64]

I have heard this story before and not from 1, but a few people involved at the Manly Seaeagles making it 100% fact.
It really shows the importance of a Winning mentality and not willing to accept excuses along the way....here it is below and would love to see a few involved in our current training staff with this effect on the players, but in fairness he had not long retired and had many hungry wolves buying into it along with some top class players to ice the cake...inspiring !!

An interesting tale about former Raiders, Knights and Sea Eagles 2nd rower Ben Kennedy.
When the Sea Eagles won the 2008 GF I I was working as a coach at the club. Talking with the senior coaches I asked him what they thought the key was to winning the comp.
The reply was “Ben Kennedy”. But he’d left the club a couple of years earlier.
Turns out BK changed the training dynamic on the peninsula. Wouldn’t accept dropped balls or lax standards on the training paddock. And he wasn’t shy about letting his team mates know.
I thought that was one of the best compliments I ever heard about a player !

Just a total legend. I loved watching him. His impact was huge.

 

[maxta]

Just a total legend. I loved watching him. His impact was huge.

It's pretty amazing that while you have a player so intense and inspirational, it's not just what he brings as the ultimate competitor....it's how it rubs off on the players around him and makes them better and even against the odds, gave us fans belief and that's all we want, as it leads to the real opportunity to win big games including comps...and damn that's a good feeling I havn't had recently.....

 

[ALinda]

It's pretty amazing that while you have a player so intense and inspirational, it's not just what he brings as the ultimate competitor....it's how it rubs off on the players around him and makes them better and even against the odds, gave us fans belief

So true. When BK's name is mentioned, I always think of seeing a game at Brookie where he was doing a hitup with ball in hand, breaking tackles and urging the players to follow him downfield by leading by example. He had such an impact and was so inspirational to the team. Fond memories...

 

[Wombat64]

It's pretty amazing that while you have a player so intense and inspirational, it's not just what he brings as the ultimate competitor....it's how it rubs off on the players around him and makes them better and even against the odds, gave us fans belief and that's all we want, as it leads to the real opportunity to win big games including comps...and damn that's a good feeling I havn't had recently.....

Yep. Wasn't with us for a long time but I always have rated him as one of out best signings ever. I liked watching his passion but I also loved what he did to the players around him. I agree he had a huge impact on the club and the guys who played around him and was a a big factor in the success we had over the following years. Shame people / players like that are far and few between. Worth their weight in gold. Memories ......... jeez I'd love someone like that now.

 

[MadMarcus]

Choc should buy BK a house

 

[manly al]

Not doubting B K "s very positive influence in those 2 seasons at Manly but also can not discount that overall level of competitiveness and individual player ability of those sides around the 2007 - 2011 period and 2 premierships to boot and after he left .
Really should have nabbed that 2013 premiership without the dubious S B W situation and a couple of other highly dodgy calls against Manly but that is another story .
Just that right cap balance and largely injury free run in the finals also that contributed no end to that successful era .
B K did again leave a fairly impressive legacy but again also those formidable sides in those seasons after he left to rightly claim some serious good results and comp or near comp wins

 

[Wombat64]

Choc should buy BK a house

Exactly! He was also the first player that came to my mind that benefited from playing and being around BK.

 

[jbb/james]

Ive askedt this question many times. Its clear to me that our leadership group accept a loss too easily and are not the men to lift our standard High enough to be contenders. turbo aside
with them being so established in the group, so dominant in the game could we bring senior players in and hand them the keys, and what affect would it have on our cosy group.

bk worked so well because our team was young and yearning for guidance, our senior players are pretty set and i dont see them slipping down the pecking order

 

[MadMarcus]

Ive askedt this question many times. Its clear to me that our leadership group accept a loss too easily and are not the men to lift our standard High enough to be contenders. turbo aside
with them being so established in the group, so dominant in the game could we bring senior players in and hand them the keys, and what affect would it have on our cosy group.

bk worked so well because our team was young and yearning for guidance, our senior players are pretty set and i dont see them slipping down the pecking order

Jake seems to really hate losing. It doesn’t seem to rub off on others for some reason though, which is a bit surprising because from the outside you would think Jake is the kind of player who would inspire others to be their best.

 

[jbb/james]

Jake seems to really hate losing. It doesn’t seem to rub off on others for some reason though, which is a bit surprising because from the outside you would think Jake is the kind of player who would inspire others to be their best.

That he does. I think this is balanced by his reputation as being a big cuddly teddy bear, so i imagine he isnt a massive task master amongst his peers. Thats how it looks from my TV anyway

you need a few grizzly and prickly leaders in the alan border mould. Never satisfied

 

[Not Paul Kent]

Thought this post was ripe for another Bozo rant.

 

[Raven Mad Manly Fan]

Where is BK these days? What's he doing now? He'd be a great addition to our coaching ranks. It'd be awesome for the club to have him back here along with Tooves and Snake etc.

 

[BOZO]

Thought this post was ripe for another Bozo rant.

Thank you Feathered friend for the opportunity
Never let an opportunity pass us by
because opportunities handed to us on a Silver plater are very rare

So I take this opportunity to make this statement

Aaron Woods the feel good guy to have around
is Not the Hands On Ben Kennedy Winning Inspirational Impact that we need
Far from It !

 

[Eagle 1]

Where is BK these days? What's he doing now? He'd be a great addition to our coaching ranks. It'd be awesome for the club to have him back here along with Tooves and Snake etc.

Don't think he's even been to any of the old boys team gettogethers when they've been at Brookie on those special game day occasions. Last I heard he was operating a fruit & veg store in Brissy, but that was 10 or more years ago now ?.

 

[Rackets]

That he does. I think this is balanced by his reputation as being a big cuddly teddy bear, so i imagine he isnt a massive task master amongst his peers. Thats how it looks from my TV anyway

you need a few grizzly and prickly leaders in the alan border mould. Never satisfied

Think you're right here jbb. The players know he's a softy and as much as he hates losing they know he won't give them a spray. Tom on the other hand who also hates losing I believe is more feared by the playing group,but unfortunately he's not on the park long enough to deliver those sprays.
I do feel more confident for the team next year with the new coaching staff and their attitudes and can't wait to see them kick some butt. 🦅

 

[Ryan]

Jake is inspirational in terms of defense & leadership - so he likely comes closest. But Jake also adds literally nothing in attack - so much so, he's a liability in that area. It's like the play goes into slow-motion when it's thrown to him, and we lose any and all momentum.

Ben Kennedy was inspirational all round. We haven't had a marquee forward brought in, in many many years now. We keep calling up washed up logs, other teams don't want (Woods, Lodge, Condon, Waddell, Brown & others). I'm not sure how long this mid recruitment will last for, but it needs to change in order for us to move up the standings, and actually challenge for a finals spot.

I get every pre-season, teams fans have hope. Heck, even teams like Tigers, Dragons, Dogs and us. But as a realist, who errs on conservatism (possibly negative), I do think we'll be close to getting the wooden spoon this season.

 

[Seagles68]

That he does. I think this is balanced by his reputation as being a big cuddly teddy bear, so i imagine he isnt a massive task master amongst his peers. Thats how it looks from my TV anyway

you need a few grizzly and prickly leaders in the alan border mould. Never satisfied

Player wise I think Tom can be that man. He just needs to stay fit. He both leads by example and he doesn't mind getting up players on the field (think Paseka against Parra). But a hard nut in the forwards that can get up some laziness would also be good. What I think IS good, is that we have been gathering all these past winning players back around the Club. Snake, Orford, Choc and Toovs and the main stays - Beaver and Cliffy. The more these blokes can get in the ears of our team the better.