The former Sydney Swan represented Ireland in six IRS series from 2001-11 and was named Ireland's player of the series when the teams last met two years ago.
But having joined Swans premiership teammate Michael O'Loughlin's Australian coaching team for this year's series, Kennelly is now plotting his countrymen's downfall.
This has not gone down well with some in Ireland.
But Kennelly said his decision had been based on what was best for the future of the IRS.
"I'm very strong and I know who I am. I'm very proud of where I come from, what I stand for and who I am," Kennelly said in Dublin on Sunday.
"I love the series and I love the concept and I don't want to see it fail.
"I've felt the Irish had the upper hand in the last few series and I'm just trying to impart a small body of my knowledge onto (the Australian team).
"I obviously played Gaelic football and played AFL, so I'm probably the 'compromise' footballer – I've been able to play both games at the top level.
"I'm all in, I'm all in with the indigenous boys and the Australian team … and the criticism doesn't really bother me."
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Kennelly acknowledged the future of the IRS rivalry was now routinely questioned at the start of each series, saying it didn't help that the timing meant star Irish players were being forced to choose between playing for their club teams and their country.
Irish captain Michael Murphy looks set to bypass the first Test against Australia at Cavan's Breffni Park on Saturday to play for his club Glenswilly in its local finals, while his vice-captain Aidan Walsh could miss the second Test to play for Kanturk.
"If the series is going to be taken seriously enough you can't have a player making a decision himself on (whether to play for) his club or his country," Kennelly said.
Kennelly said the GAA should take that tough decision out of the Irish players' hands by delaying its local club finals until after the IRS series.
"Players are always going to be under more pressure to play for their clubs because that's where they're from," Kennelly said.
"They see these people all day, every day. There's not going to be as much pressure from the GAA because they don't see them."
The all-Indigenous Australian team arrived in Dublin on Sunday morning and Kennelly said much of their training in the lead-up to the first Test would focus on using of the round ball and applying pressure on the narrow confines of IRS-size grounds.
Kennelly said Australia had underestimated Ireland's fitness in recent series, with Irish players having taken a far more professional approach to their physical conditioning in the past five years.
The decision on who plays the vital role of Australian goalkeeper will not be made until after training on Tuesday, Kennelly said.
Australia will play a practice match against Dublin University on Wednesday.
Twitter: @AFL_Nick
Kennelly acknowledged the future of the IRS rivalry was now routinely questioned at the start of each series, saying it didn't help that the timing meant star Irish players were being forced to choose between playing for their club teams and their country.
Irish captain Michael Murphy looks set to bypass the first Test against Australia at Cavan's Breffni Park on Saturday to play for his club Glenswilly in its local finals, while his vice-captain Aidan Walsh could miss the second Test to play for Kanturk.
"If the series is going to be taken seriously enough you can't have a player making a decision himself on (whether to play for) his club or his country," Kennelly said.
Kennelly said the GAA should take that tough decision out of the Irish players' hands by delaying its local club finals until after the IRS series.
"Players are always going to be under more pressure to play for their clubs because that's where they're from," Kennelly said.
"They see these people all day, every day. There's not going to be as much pressure from the GAA because they don't see them."
The all-Indigenous Australian team arrived in Dublin on Sunday morning and Kennelly said much of their training in the lead-up to the first Test would focus on using of the round ball and applying pressure on the narrow confines of IRS-size grounds.
Kennelly said Australia had underestimated Ireland's fitness in recent series, with Irish players having taken a far more professional approach to their physical conditioning in the past five years.
The decision on who plays the vital role of Australian goalkeeper will not be made until after training on Tuesday, Kennelly said.
Australia will play a practice match against Dublin University on Wednesday.
Twitter: @AFL_Nick
