Shaun Kenny-Dowall: Hull KR veteran focused on team success despite farewell nearing

Shaun Kenny-Dowall has won the NRL title with Sydney Roosters and the Four Nations with New Zealand during his career

Shaun Kenny-Dowall is down to single figures now on his farewell tour of rugby league.

The former New Zealand international, who has represented Sydney Roosters, Newcastle Knights and Hull KR across 405 games in both hemispheres, will bow out once his 2023 commitments are over.

Whether it is this weekend, when Leigh Leopards come to Craven Park in the Super League eliminators, or whether the journey continues perhaps as far as Old Trafford and a Grand Final, that final game is looming.

But the 35-year-old is not thinking about that. It might be his last game on home turf, but otherwise the focus is purely on the collective, not the individual.

"It's a massive honour every time you get to run out there, but I don't see it as that," Kenny-Dowall told BBC Radio Humberside when asked about it being a potential final outing.

"I see it as the journey we're taking as a club and as a team, where we are in this competition and that's been my main focus.

"It's just a blessing, I'm very grateful to get to do it at Craven Park where I spent the last four years, running out there, our fans are unbelievable and it does give you goosebumps.

"Hopefully we can use that to our advantage because it's been a long time since we played a home play-off game."

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It is not as if Kenny-Dowall is slowing down either. Back-to-back Dream Team appearances are evidence that even in his mid-30s, the National Rugby League premiership winner remains a potent weapon.

Legendary coach John Kear told the 5 Live rugby league podcast he would have wined and dined the veteran to get him to go around again, such has been the form shown.

Yet, the Brisbane-born three-quarter is adamant - this is it.

"I was fortunate I made my decision quite early on," Kenny-Dowall said.

"I haven't deviated from that, I'm still very content with the decision and I'm now putting my full focus on finishing the season as best I can."

Leaving a legacy on the Robins

Robins fans have seen some international favourites at Craven Park in years gone by, from the 1980s big-name arrivals such as Gavin Miller, Gary Prohm, Mark Broadhurst and John Dorahy, to more recent signings such as Michael Dobson, Terry Campese and Clint Newton.

However, such is the impact that Kenny-Dowall has made, head coach Willie Peters believes he is "one of, if not the best" in terms of Robins imports.

With such an asset stepping aside, it would have been understandable if Peters had tried to change his mind.

"It's one of those where, hopefully we can do something special over the next few weeks, but regardless, he's still going out at the top of his game, individually," Peters said.

Gavin Miller and Gary Prohm set a high bar for international imports at Hull KR, and Shaun Kenny-Dowall (centre) has matched it

"If you do go another pre-season, will he still be the same player next year? You don't know.

"He's setting himself up for life after rugby, he's got a really important role for us next season as a development coach, and an assistant coach as well.

"He'll help with our pathways and getting as many academy players through and also helping our fringe first-grade players to help them along as well."

Respect from the opposition

Hull KR and Leigh have become familiar foes this season, having met three times in the Super League through loop fixtures, and most famously in the Challenge Cup final.

One of Leigh's key influences has been Lachlan Lam who, like Kenny-Dowall, was also selected in the Dream Team - one of five Leopards to make the cut.

Lam, 25, was a Roosters fan growing up and like his coach and father Adrian went on to play for the club, just as Kenny-Dowall did.

"I was only a little kid then, and I was ball-boying when he was playing on the wing and centre at the Roosters," Lam told BBC Sport.

"I used to hang about training there, he was around, there was a core group of them there then - including Mitchell Pearce who is also retiring this year.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall's pinnacle at Sydney Roosters was the 2013 Grand Final success, when he scored and broke his jaw against Manly

"It's pretty cool to play against those guys, I would have loved it to be with them at some stage because they were my idols growing up, I loved the Roosters and those boys.

"What they and in particular Skids [Kenny-Dowall] have done in their career, it's very special, he's highly decorated and has been unbelievable for rugby league."

There is equal mutual admiration of Lam and his team-mates from the Rovers camp, given their frequent skirmishes in 2023.

Home advantage was only secured courtesy of a heavy win at Wakefield, while Leigh were just edged out by regular season leaders Wigan on the final weekend.

"We've played them plenty of times this year, so we know what to expect," Kenny-Dowall added. "We won't have to do so much preview, which is a positive.

"They've got some great players, there's a little bit of a rivalry there and hopefully we can right some wrongs from the Wembley disappointment.

"You have to give kudos to them, from where they've come in the Championship.

"They're a great team and every time we've played them it's been a fierce battle, I'm sure Friday will be no different."