Former Hull KR man Shaun Kenny-Dowall has landed a new role after making the decision to return down under at the end of the 2025 Super League season.
Kenny-Dowall spent six years in East Yorkshire with Rovers after joining as a player ahead of the 2020 season. The former New Zealand international went on to play 93 times for the Robins and captain the club.
He hung up his boots at the end of the 2023 campaign but immediately joined Willie Peters’ coaching staff and spent the final two years of his spell at Craven Park as an assistant coach. However, he left the club after last season’s treble winning success, with a return to Australia on the cards.
And, he has now secured a role in the NRL with his former club Newcastle Knights. Kenny-Dowall has been hired as a pathways development coach, with the former centre set to work with the club’s young players in the under-16 and under-18 elite development squads.
He’ll also deliver coach-the-coaches workshops, support the RISE programme, and help to support local talent in progressing them through the pathways system.
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“Shaun has a deep connection to this club and our region, and he’s passionate about giving back,” Knights director of football Chris James said on the appointment.
“Bringing him into our pathways system is a significant boost for our junior development and underlines our commitment to producing quality local players.
“He’s a terrific person and role model, and he’ll be an asset across the whole club, not just within pathways.”
Kenny-Dowall added: “I’ve always had a lot of love for this club, so to come back and help develop young players is really special,” he said.
“It’s about being present in our communities, supporting junior clubs and making sure young players across the region know the Knights are invested in them.”
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