Kennedy the fans choice

He scooped the pool, being awarded the Porter Gallen Medal, the Tommy Bishop Player’s Player and the Members Player of the Year, and it should come as no surprise that now Will Kennedy can add the Aramex Fan Vote Player of the Year to the list following his outstanding 2021 season. 

The 24-year-old Kennedy combined brilliance with exceptional consistency throughout 2021, the fullback coming of age as an NRL level number one as he became the lynchpin of the Sharks attack. 

If he wasn’t scoring tries, he crossed for 14 on the year, Kennedy was setting them up, leading the Sharks in try assists with 15 and line breaks (14), while his work in defusing kicks and cleaning up at the back was close to faultless throughout the season. 

He also ran for 3,511 metres, at an average of 146 metres per game, with Sharks fans celebrating his performances in voting Kennedy as a clear winner of the yearly poll. 

He totalled 34 points following the 3-2-1 poll conducted each week of the 2021 season. 

Connor Tracey came in second on the final tally with 20 points, the local junior playing all 24 NRL matches while impressing with his fearless charges, committed support play and his continual improvement as a centre/winger. 

Tracey matched Kennedy’s 14 tries in what was an equal team high for the 2021 season. 

Another of the young guns in Brayden Trindall impressed when given the extra responsibilities as primary playmaker during the back end of the season, with his 16 points seeing him place third, while Toby Rudolf, another to play all 24 matches during the season, rewarded for his wholehearted efforts each week with 15 fan poll points. 

In all 19 different Sharks players polled points in 2021, with the final points tally listed below.