JUNIOR rugby star Brooklyn Kennedy last night left Sydney bound for Hawaii to play in the international 10s tournament at Honolulu.
Formerly from Moree and Warialda, Brooklyn now lives at Tamworth with mum, Codie Ryan, step-dad Mick Watton, brother Archie and step-brother Brooklyn, and shares her time with her dad, Ben Kennedy, at Inverell.
She travels to Honolulu to play with the Pacific Nomads, a club founded three years ago by sevens veterans Loveni Enari and Paddy Bowen.
The tournament brings together teams from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, with club, school and invitation-based teams competing in a fast-paced 10-a-side format.
Brooklyn, who turned 15 last week, only started playing rugby in 2024, when in Year 8 at Calrossy Anglican School at Tamworth.
She previously attended Warialda Public School, and played league tag in the Group 19 Junior Rugby League competition as well as tackle against the boys with Warialda Wombats.
She represented Central North under-13s 7s two years ago and last year was wearing the Central North 15s captain’s jersey when awarded best-and-fairest player for the tournament.
Last year, Brooklyn toured New Zealand with Calrossy but suffered serious injury in a game against St Andrew’s at Christchurch on day three of the tour.
Mum Codie said the injury ruled Brooklyn out for seven months.
“Brooklyn broke her tibia in two places and suffered a high-grade syndesmosis injury,” Codie said. “She unfortunately developed Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome from the injury which required weeks of intense physiotherapy.”
Brooklyn was selected to play with the NSW Koori team at the Pacifica Cup in October but was unable to run on because of the injury.
Brooklyn Kennedy will play with the Pacific Nomads in the International 10s tournament at Honolulu on Aril 3-4 (Image Supplied).
However, she represented the NSW Waratahs’ Northern Academy at Bathurst in January and will wear the Central North colours again with the under-16s in June.
“Bathurst was Brooklyn’s first carnival back since her injury,” Cody said.
“We are incredibly proud of her resilience to overcome adversity at such a young age.”
Brooklyn’s meteoric rise in such a short time is no great surprise.
After all, breeding and family connections suggests she’s exactly where she’s meant to be, and hard work and determination have played key roles.
Brooklyn is a member of the well-known Ryan rugby league clan, which includes brothers Mark, Matthew and Andrew, and her step-dad, Mick Watton, captain-coached Moree Boars’ first-grade rugby league team to back-to-back premiership wins in 2024 and 2025.
Her dad, Ben, played league for Warialda Wombats and Moree Boars, and her aunt Molly – Ben’s sister – plays rugby with the Queensland Reds.
“Brooklyn has some incredible people around her. She has been blessed with some pretty good genes and has been surrounded by football her entire life,” Codie said.
Brooklyn’s trip to Hawaii has been supported by generous sponsorship from business houses across the north-west region, including TMH Plumbing Moree, Warialda Pharmacy, Albion Store Inverell, B&K Wicks, Peter Watton Lawn Maintenance and Jocks Hire Moree.
Sharnie and Aaron Kent, Bec and James Reardon, Liam Donnelly, Molly Kennedy and Robyn Ticehurst have also helped Brooklyn’s dream trip become a reality.
“We are eternally grateful for these incredible sponsors who have donated financially to help Brooklyn chase her dreams,” Codie said.
“Our message to our kids has always been simple: play the game because you love it, and be the player people want to play with,” she said.
Brooklyn’s team arrives in Hawaii today, with the under-15s international 10s tournament played Friday-Saturday, April 3-4.
The squad lands back in Sydney on Tuesday, April 7.
