Quick Facts
Biography
Shaun Kenny-Dowall (born 23 January 1988) is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League. A New Zealand national representative centre, he has played his entire NRL career to date with the Roosters, winning the 2013 Premiership with them. Kenny-Dowall also played in New Zealand's 2010 Four Nations-winning side as well as the 2014 Four Nations-winning side.
Early years
Born in Woodridge, Kenny-Dowall is of Māori descent. He moved to Auckland as a three-year-old and began his rugby league career playing for the East Coast Bays Barracudas on Auckland's North Shore. Kenny-Dowall later resided in Ngaruawahia, where he attended Ngaruawahia High School and played for the Ngaruawahia Panthers. Kenny-Dowall was a New Zealand Warriors junior but was unwanted by the club before moving to Sydney in 2004. Kenny-Dowall was selected for the Junior Kiwis in 2006.
His father, John, won a gold medal in javelin and a silver medal in shot put at the 2000 Paralympic Games.
Playing career
2007
Kenny-Dowall joined the Sydney Roosters and made his National Rugby League debut in round 1 the 2007 NRL season against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, playing on the wing in the Roosters' 6–18 loss. In round 4, against the Brisbane Broncos, Kenny-Dowall scored his first NRL try in the Roosters 10–32 loss at the SFS. In round 13, Kenny-Dowall scored a hat-trick in the Roosters 64–30 victory over the North Queensland Cowboys at the SFS. Kenny-Dowall finished his debut year in the NRL with playing in 14 matches and scored 8 tries in the 2007 NRL season. At the end of the season he was selected for the New Zealand All Golds to play against the Northern Union in October as part of the 2007 All Golds Tour. He missed out on selection for the New Zealand Kiwis for the 2007 Baskerville Shield test series against the Great Britain Lions but was selected for the test against France due to the injury of Taniela Tuiaki, scoring a try on test debut in the 22–14 win.
2008
Kenny-Dowall played 19 matches and scored 15 tries for the Roosters in the 2008 NRL season. Kenny-Dowall was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 World Cup but was not selected. Instead, Kenny-Dowall played for the New Zealand Māori which met the Indigenous Dreamtime team in a curtain-raiser to the World Cup, scoring a try in the 34–26 loss.
2009
Kenny-Dowall played in all 24 matches and scored 14 tries and kicked three goals in the Roosters' Wooden Spoon 2009 NRL season.
2010
In round 20, against the Brisbane Broncos, Kenny-Dowall scored 4 tries in the 34–30 win at Suncorp Stadium, becoming the first Rooster in 35 years to score 4 tries in a single match. In the Roosters qualifying final match, against the Wests Tigers at the SFS, Kenny-Dowall scored the winning try in golden point extra time by intercepting the ball and running 70 metres downfield to win the match for the Roosters 19–15. Kenny-Dowall played at centre in the Roosters 2010 NRL Grand Final 32–8 loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons. Kenny-Dowall played in all the Roosters 28 matches and scored 21 tries being the 2010 NRL season's highest tryscorer along with Newcastle's Akuila Uate. Kenny-Dowall cemented his position in the centres for the Kiwis in the 2010 Four Nations series, scoring three tries including one in the final. Kenny-Dowall combined with Benji Marshall, Jason Nightingale and Nathan Fien to set up the series winning 79th minute try. Kenny-Dowall's form throughout 2010 saw him runner up to Marshall in the Rugby League World Golden Boot Award, where he made centre in the team of the year.
2011
On 13 February 2011, Kenny-Dowall was chosen to play for the NRL All Stars team on the interchange bench, scoring a try in the 28–12 win over the Indigenous All Stars at Cbus Super Stadium. On 10 March 2011, Kenny-Dowall agreed to a 4-year deal with the Roosters worth $1.4m. Kenny-Dowall played for the New Zealand Kiwis at centre in the 2011 Anzac Test at Cbus Super Stadium against Australia in the 20–10 defeat. In round 19, against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Kenny-Dowall played his 100th NRL career match for the Roosters, scoring a try in the 21–20 loss at ANZ Stadium. Kenny-Dowall played in 20 matches and scored 9 tries for the Roosters in the 2011 NRL season.
2012
Kenny-Dowall played in the Kiwis 2012 Anzac Test at centre in the 20–12 loss to Australia at Eden Park. Kenny-Dowall played in 17 matches and scored 8 tries for the Roosters in the 2012 NRL season.
2013
On 13 February 2013, Kenny-Dowall was chosen to play for the NRL All Stars team at centre in the 32–6 loss over the Indigenous All Stars at Suncorp Stadium. For the 2013 Anzac Test, Kenny-Dowall was selected to play for New Zealand at centre in their 32–12 loss to Australia at Canberra Stadium. Kenny-Dowall played in the Roosters 26–18 victory in the 2013 NRL Grand Final against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. scoring a try in the 60th minute of the match. After the match it was revealed that he had broken a tooth and fractured his jaw in an early encounter in the match. The injury forced him to miss the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. Kenny-Dowall played in all the Roosters 27 matches and scored 9 tries.
2014
In the 2014 NRL season round 1 season opener, against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Kenny-Dowall played his 150th career NRL match for the Roosters in the 28–8 loss at ANZ Stadium. Kenny-Dowall finished off the 2014 NRL season with him playing in all of the Roosters 27 matches and scoring 11 tries. On 7 October 2014, Kenny-Dowall was selected in the New Zealand Kiwis final 24-man squad for the 2014 Four Nations series. Kenny-Dowall played at centre in the Kiwis 22–18 Four Nations final win over Australia at Westpac Stadium.
2015
In round 8, against the St George Illawarra Dragons, Kenny-Dowall scored his 100th NRL career try in the Roosters 14-12 loss at the Sydney Football Stadium. On 3 May, Kenny-Dowall played for New Zealand against Australia in the 2015 Anzac Test, playing at centre and scoring a try in the Kiwis' 26-12 win at Suncorp Stadium. On 11 May 2015, Kenny-Dowall extended his contract with the Roosters for a further two years keeping him at the club until the end of the 2017 season. In round 15, against the St George Illawarra Dragons, Kenny-Dowall scored 2 tries in the match becoming the Roosters second highest tryscorer with 105 tries, overtaking Bill Mullins record of 104 tries during the Roosters 19-14 win at the Sydney Football Stadium. After missing nearly two months of the season due to off-field issues, Kenny-Dowall returned to the field in round 26 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Roosters 30-0 win at the Sydney Football Stadium. In the preliminary final match, against the Brisbane Broncos, Kenny-Dowall made headlines after making one of the biggest blunders of the season when he attempted throw a pass from the wing to fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck under pressure. The pass was easily intercepted by Broncos fullback Darius Boyd and Boyd ran away to score the try in the first minute of the match in the Roosters 31-12 loss at Suncorp Stadium. Kenny-Dowall finished his highly publicised 2015 NRL season with him being the Roosters highest tryscorer for the season with 17 tries in 20 matches. On 8 October 2015, Kenny-Dowall was selected in the 23-man New Zealand squad for the 2015 Tour of Great Britain. Kenny-Dowall played in all three test matches against England on the wing and scored a try in the Kiwis 2-1 Baskerville Shield series loss.
2016
On 2 February 2016, Kenny-Dowall was named in the Roosters 2016 NRL Auckland Nines squad. On 29 February 2016, Kenny-Dowall was found not guilty to all of the domestic violence charges against his ex-girlfriend, Jessica Peris. In round 4, against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Kenny-Dowall played his 200th NRL career match and scored 2 tries in the Roosters 22-20 loss at the Sydney Football Stadium. On 1 May 2016, Kenny-Dowall was named in the New Zealand Kiwis 19-man squad for the 2016 ANZAC Test but was later ruled out of the match due to a foot injury. Kenny-Dowall finished the 2016 NRL season with him playing in 19 matches and scoring 7 tries for the Roosters. On 6 September 2016, Kenny-Dowall was added to the New Zealand Kiwis train-on squad for the 2016 Four Nations.
Controversy
On 18 July 2015, Kenny-Dowall was charged with ten domestic violence offences over the alleged abuse of his former de facto partner, Jessica Peris, daughter of ex-Olympian-turned politician Nova Peris. Kenny-Dowall received charges of stalking, intimidating, destroying or damaging property, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and six counts of assault when he handed himself into police. A police statement said the incidents were believed to have taken place between October 2014 and June 2015. Jessica Peris filed for an Apprehended Violence Order against Kenny-Dowall two days before he was charged. Kenny-Dowall pleaded not guilty to the charges at a hearing in August 2015.
Kenny-Dowall's trial commenced on 24 February 2016 in Sydney. On 29 February, the magistrate found him not guilty on all 11 charges.