Clem Kennedy
Encyclopedia
Clem Kennedy is an Australian former rugby league
footballer of the 1940s. He was born in Sydney, New South Wales. He played first grade Australian club football for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
along with a brief stint for the Newtown Jets
. Kennedy also played for both the New South Wales
and Australia representative sides and served Australia during the Second World War which saw him serve in the Kokoda Track campaign
.
for the start of the 1939 New South Wales Rugby League premiership
where he quickly cemented his place in the sides starting thirteen and became known as 'The Mighty Atom' or 'The Little Bully' because of his small stature, rough play and ability.
He served during the Second World War from 1941 to 1944 before returning to the Rabbitohs where his performances earned him a call up to the New South Wales
side in late 1945 and the following year earned his debut cap for the Australian side even though his club failed to earn a victory in the entire season; further international honors eluded him however due to a string of injuries.
Kennedy later moved to the country where he would go on to play for Cessnock
where his performances would warrant him selection in the Country side in 1947. He would move back to Sydney
and play a season for the Newtown Jets
before again heading back to the country and finishing his career with Grenfell
.
for several months. During his service on the Kokoda Track
he contracted a bout of malaria
and then later suffered several shoulder injuries that would hamper his return to rugby league at the conclusion of the war.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1940s. He was born in Sydney, New South Wales. He played first grade Australian club football for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
along with a brief stint for the Newtown Jets
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
. Kennedy also played for both the New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
and Australia representative sides and served Australia during the Second World War which saw him serve in the Kokoda Track campaign
Kokoda Track campaign
The Kokoda Track campaign or Kokoda Trail campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 between Japanese and Allied—primarily Australian—forces in what was then the Australian territory of Papua...
.
Rugby league career
Kennedy signed for the South Sydney RabbitohsSouth Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
for the start of the 1939 New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
where he quickly cemented his place in the sides starting thirteen and became known as 'The Mighty Atom' or 'The Little Bully' because of his small stature, rough play and ability.
He served during the Second World War from 1941 to 1944 before returning to the Rabbitohs where his performances earned him a call up to the New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
side in late 1945 and the following year earned his debut cap for the Australian side even though his club failed to earn a victory in the entire season; further international honors eluded him however due to a string of injuries.
Kennedy later moved to the country where he would go on to play for Cessnock
Cessnock, New South Wales
Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road west of Newcastle. It is the administrative centre of the Cessnock City Council LGA and was named after an 1826 grant of land called Cessnock Estate, which was owned by John Campbell...
where his performances would warrant him selection in the Country side in 1947. He would move back to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and play a season for the Newtown Jets
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
before again heading back to the country and finishing his career with Grenfell
Grenfell, New South Wales
Grenfell is a country town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia, in Weddin Shire. It is 370 kilometres west of Sydney and five hours' drive from the city. It is close to Forbes, Cowra and Young. At the 2006 census, Grenfell had a population of 1,994.-History:Prior to European...
.
Second World War
While playing rugby league for South Sydney Kennedy was called up for active duty in 1941 for the Second World War where he also served on the Kokoda Track campaignKokoda Track campaign
The Kokoda Track campaign or Kokoda Trail campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 between Japanese and Allied—primarily Australian—forces in what was then the Australian territory of Papua...
for several months. During his service on the Kokoda Track
Kokoda Track
The Kokoda Trail or Track is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs overland — in a straight line — through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea...
he contracted a bout of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and then later suffered several shoulder injuries that would hamper his return to rugby league at the conclusion of the war.