NRL Analysis: Will Kennedy Making His Case As A Top-Tier Fullback

In partnership with

Will Kennedy’s place as the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks fullback came under question to start 2025, but he’s since played out a career-best season.

He’s rarely mentioned among the best fullbacks in the NRL. Still, where Will Kennedy might lack in the superstar power and highlight reel moments, he makes up for it in his reliability, consistency, and ability to execute on the role given to him on the day.

I take a lot of notes over the weekend on things I want to revisit, watch again, or cover in the review of the round. Depending on where I’m watching the game, the notes and analysis can be quite detailed at the time. Other times, it’s simple:

“Kennedy tip on for Ronaldo.”

The pass stood out as it came only a week after pulling off the same action against the South Sydney Rabbitohs to put Mulitalo over in the corner.

It’s a great shape that sets Kennedy up perfectly to do what he does best. The Sharks will often run this one from the middle of the field designed to isolate the winger.

A middle first holds up the defence around the ruck and allows Braydon Trindall to take a long pass from dummy half. His intention is to get outside the four-man to engage two and three with a lead. Should the centre bite too hard on the lead, the winger has a decision to make, and if they don’t land on Kennedy, he has the hands to quickly shift the ball to an open Mulitalo off his hip.

Kennedy is particularly valuable to this side for what he doesn’t do. He doesn’t overplay his hand and look for individual glory. When the ball makes it to him on the edges as the Sharks look to the corner, he makes the right decision more often than not.

This is a great angle to get an idea of the lines Kennedy runs, and the importance of his timing out the back.

The Sharks create the extra man with a lead inside three, but Kennedy still has to execute on a difficult pass at speed. A subtle step off his right foot is enough to turn in the centre and the winger follows. Still at speed, Kennedy throws it across Jesse Ramien’s face to his opening winger in the corner.

It might look simple, but he consistently makes the right read at speed and his pass-first approach in these actions makes him even more difficult to handle.

Kennedy is what he is at this point in his career: A reliable veteran who can, and will, make the right play for his team.

He’s not going to give you monster yardage numbers. Although, he’s averaging a career-high 155 metres per game this season. His try assist numbers won’t jump off the page either. The 28-year-old has only eight this season with how often he throws the pass before the pass assigned as the try assist.

His influence might be lost on people outside the organization, but he’s recognised among the playing group as a key cog:

"No one really sees the real Will Kennedy and what he provides for this team. I can guarantee you that if he was to leave or something happen, you will have a big shift in our backline of our mentality and the team dynamic.” - Ronaldo Mulitalo

"I've now played a lot of football with Will Kennedy and he's one of the most talented players that I've been lucky enough to play with."

The commentary around Kennedy to start the season looks even worse now than it did at the time. A couple of Penrith Panthers tries in Round 1 had too many people overhauling the side, dropping Kennedy and putting Nicho Hynes at the back.

He has since been one of the more reliable fullbacks in the game and is an excellent foil to Trindall and Hynes when the Sharks are at their best.

Without a contract for next season and negotiations stalling, Kennedy is doing his talking on the field. Right now, he has an argument for being a top tier fullback in the NRL and wants to be paid like one.