Kennedy back at home at the Roosters

Home is where the heart is and for Martin Kennedy that's at the Sydney Roosters.

Kennedy can hardly believe he's back at the Roosters after a tumultuous 18 months that led the classy prop to Brisbane and back.

After leaving the Roosters following their 2013 premiership triumph, Kennedy thought he'd finish his career in Brisbane after signing a million-dollar three-year deal with the Broncos.

But after falling out with coach Anthony Griffin and rediscovering his form during a month-long stint with the Ipswich Jets, the one-time Queensland State of Origin hopeful has arrived back at where his NRL career began in 2009.

"It is funny how things work out in footy. I thought I was going up there for basically the end of my career," Kennedy said ahead of the Roosters' season opener against North Queensland in Townsville on Saturday night.

"But to be back here, I couldn't be any happier."

The Lismore-born 26-year-old said the chance to reunite with his brother Sam, a strength and conditioning coach at the Roosters, was a "huge coup" but the main factors in his return to Bondi Junction was the club's winning culture and "competitive drive".

"It's crazy to think that the boys that got the minor premiership last year are hurting because they felt as though they didn't have a great year," Kennedy said.

"The boys did so well last year. They got the minor premiership but fell short in the finals series, but they still feel they let themselves down.

"So everyone's super motivated and really looking forward to the season.

"To be around that, you can't put a value on that."

Kennedy said he learnt some great lessons at the Broncos.

"It was good to go up there and see how the Brissy boys conduct themselves and the culture they've got up there, the way they train and the way they approach the game," he said.

"It was different seeing a one-team town and how everyone in Brisbane just idolises the Broncos, and then to come back to Sydney and be just a small fish in a big pond.

"Yeah, there's plenty be learnt up there and I'm very thankful for all those lessons but I'm still very happy to be back."

Kennedy said the Roosters were excited to open their campaign against the Cowboys.

"It's a bit of a shake-up from what we're used to, playing Souths in that opening game, which has traditionally been Friday night," he said.

"So it'll be a bit of a luxury for us to be able to watch the footy on Friday night, soak up a bit of the atmosphere and get pumped up for the game the next day."