Quote: Muggins "Was fun reading this old thread.
Why did Brett Kenny stop playing for Australia at such a relatively young age (26 ish)? Did he retire from internationals or was he just not selected?'"
a combination of some niggley injuries, and the no nonsense from is everything approach of Aussie selectors. Players like Peter Jackson emerged as firstly a centre then even usurped wally at 6, pluslikes of mcgaw Et kept kenny out of a centre spot, meninga re emergence as a test centre and captain after a couple of lean years. laurie daley breaking through.
The Australian selectors were pretty ruthless back then and still are to some extent its one of the reasons they are so good they don't d**k about like we do, none of this "he aint international class" if some ones playing well they get a shirt and get given a go. we suffer badly at not having the guts to drop players and pick new players.
slightly off topic but its a shame more stand offs don't start out at centre so many great players started their trade at centre before moving to 6 after a few years learning the game there and gradually expanding there skill set. hopefully Sutcliffe at Leeds will start this way out, too many young halves either struggle to guide a team around or get shunted out to full back.
Daley, Fittler, schofield, jackson, and severel others started at centre,