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<\/p>\nJUNIOR rugby star Brooklyn Kennedy last night left Sydney bound for Hawaii to play in the international 10s tournament at Honolulu.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
She travels to Honolulu to play with the Pacific Nomads, a club founded three years ago by sevens veterans Loveni Enari and Paddy Bowen.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Brooklyn, who turned 15 last week, only started playing rugby in 2024, when in Year 8 at Calrossy Anglican School at Tamworth.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
She represented Central North under-13s 7s two years ago and last year was wearing the Central North 15s captain\u2019s jersey when awarded best-and-fairest player for the tournament.<\/p>\n
Last year, Brooklyn toured New Zealand with Calrossy but suffered serious injury in a game against St Andrew\u2019s at Christchurch on day three of the tour.<\/p>\n
Mum Codie said the injury ruled Brooklyn out for seven months.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrooklyn broke her tibia in two places and suffered a high-grade syndesmosis injury,\u201d Codie said. \u201cShe unfortunately developed Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome from the injury which required weeks of intense physiotherapy.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Brooklyn Kennedy will play with the Pacific Nomads in the International 10s tournament at Honolulu on Aril 3-4 (Image Supplied).<\/p>\n
However, she represented the NSW Waratahs\u2019 Northern Academy at Bathurst in January and will wear the Central North colours again with the under-16s in June.<\/p>\n
\u201cBathurst was Brooklyn\u2019s first carnival back since her injury,\u201d Cody said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are incredibly proud of her resilience to overcome adversity at such a young age.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooklyn\u2019s meteoric rise in such a short time is no great surprise.<\/p>\n
After all, breeding and family connections suggests she\u2019s exactly where she\u2019s meant to be, and hard work and determination have played key roles.<\/p>\n
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\u2019 first-grade rugby league team to back-to-back premiership wins in 2024 and 2025.<\/p>\n
Her dad, Ben, played league for Warialda Wombats and Moree Boars, and her aunt Molly \u2013 Ben\u2019s sister \u2013 plays rugby with the Queensland Reds.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrooklyn has some incredible people around her. She has been blessed with some pretty good genes and has been surrounded by football her entire life,\u201d Codie said.<\/p>\n
Brooklyn\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Sharnie and Aaron Kent, Bec and James Reardon, Liam Donnelly, Molly Kennedy and Robyn Ticehurst have also helped Brooklyn\u2019s dream trip become a reality.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are eternally grateful for these incredible sponsors who have donated financially to help Brooklyn chase her dreams,\u201d Codie said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur message to our kids has always been simple: play the game because you love it, and be the player people want to play with,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Brooklyn\u2019s team arrives in Hawaii today, with the under-15s international 10s tournament played Friday-Saturday, April 3-4.<\/p>\n
The squad lands back in Sydney on Tuesday, April 7.<\/p>\n
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