Dean Ritchie reveals why Brett Kenny was the best player to watch

PARRAMATTA Eels icon Brett Kenny is the most naturally gifted player Dean Ritchie has seen in 42 years of watching rugby league. It’s easy to see why.

Brett Kenny looks for support in tackle during Parramatta v St George Winfield Cup game in early 1980s in Sydney.

BRETT Kenny is the most naturally gifted player I have seen in 42 years of watching rugby league.

A graceful player with sublime skills and innate talent.

Instinctive, unassuming and spontaneous, Kenny was a genuine freak. He had speed, a beautiful body swerve and whack in defence.

FIGHTER: Eels great Brett Kenny diagnosed with cancer

LEGEND: The man they called Bert was poetry in motion

Kenny was once asked how difficult first grade was when he was young.

“I never felt it to be that hard,” he replied.

He wasn’t being arrogant or cocky. Rugby league just came easy to Brett Kenny.

Brett Kenny in action for Parramatta in 1988.

He will fight this current cancer battle with the same free-spirited lustre he played rugby league.

Kenny actually scored two tries in three successive and triumphant grand finals — 1981, 1982 and 1983. It will never be repeated.

Remarkably, he actually got over the tryline twice again in the 1986 grand final but both tries were disallowed.

Who will ever forget Kenny’s divine dummy and late long-range try in front of the SCG Members to help Parramatta to the club’s maiden title against Newtown back in 1981?

Brett Kenny was a star for New South Wales.

He played for Wigan against Hull before 99,801 fans in the 1985 Challenge Cup final at Wembley. He won the Lance Todd Trophy for being man of the match thanks to one of the greatest individual performances in British rugby league history.

As he so often did, a laid-back Kenny walked casually onto Wembley — he rarely ran onto the field — with his hands in his pockets.

“He doesn’t want to play,” yelled the Pommy commentator.

How wrong he was. Kenny was majestic that day in Wigan’s pulsating win.

Kenny came through when Wally Lewis was at his peak. Lewis knew how good Kenny was. Just ask him.

As a pure, natural footballer, I have no doubt Kenny was better.