John Kennedy. Around St George Illawarra, the question being asked - apart from what is his middle initial - is where will he be playing next year?

Kennedy was the Dragons' Toyota Cup halfback who scored three tries in a finals match against Parramatta just a few weeks back, but who is likely to be joining the ranks of rugby union next year.

Kennedy is ineligible for the Toyota Cup next year and can earn more playing club rugby than he can in St George Illawarra's over-age feeder side, the Shellharbour Marlins.

And so this week, his manager Steve Gillis will meet with another Marlins outfit, Manly (the club rugby side, not the NRL premiers) and the Warringah Rats. Kennedy is another young talent on the verge of a code switch. Rats to that.

"He's being forced out of the game," Gillis said. "His preference is to stay in league, to follow the career path. Is he good enough to play first grade? I couldn't give you that guarantee. But in another 12 months, we'd know. I just think the 20s is too young to be marking papers and tearing up tickets. He's still 19. He's being told at 19 he hasn't got a future."

Kennedy, who turns 20 on Thursday, is the best example of why the age bracket of the youth competition should be reconsidered, and possibly raised.

"The Toyota Cup was the best time of my life," Kennedy told the Herald. "Just going around travelling with the normal teams, to Brisbane and Melbourne, seeing how first-graders do it.

"I'd love to stay in rugby league. But I haven't made the [Dragons'] top 25. The new premier league competition is not very strong, so everyone is looking to go other places."

By the way, his middle name is James.