Career
He is currently an assistant coach for NRL club Wests Tigers. He primarily played as a second rower, though he started his career as a centre. A Hornby Panthers junior in the Canterbury Rugby League competition, in 1995 Kidwell played in the Lion Red Cup for the Canterbury Country Cardinals.
He then joined the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs in 1996 and also made the Junior Kiwis that year.
He made his First Grade Debut on 17 August 1997 in Round 17 for the Adelaide Rams against Canberra at Canberra Stadium. Kidwell was selected for the New Zealand team to compete in the end of season 1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament.
In the final against Australia he played from the interchange bench in the Kiwis" 22-20 loss. In 2006 Kidwell signed a pre-contract agreement to represent the South Sydney Rabbitohs until 2009.
He later played in Melbourne"s 2006 NRL Grand Final loss to Brisbane.
Kidwell has previously played for the Melbourne Storm, Sydney Roosters, Warrington Wolves, Parramatta Eels and the Adelaide Rams. In the 2007 pre-season, it was announced that Kidwell would be co-captain of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, along with Peter Cusack for 2007. Kidwell made his New Zealand debut in 1999.
In August 2008, Kidwell was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, and in October 2008, he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.
Controversy
After failing an alcohol test on 2 May 2008, the Rabbitohs stripped Kidwell of his captaincy and four others who failed were relegated to the bench for their Sunday match against the Cowboys. Kidwell was appointed the Rabbitohs Toyota Cup (Under 20s competition) coach for 2010.
They finished minor premiers that year and made the Grand Final, but were defeated 42-28 by the Under 20s New Zealand Warriors. He later worked as an assistant coach at the Melbourne Storm under Craig Bellamy.
On 16 September 2013 it was announced that he would be joining the Wests Tigers in 2014 as an assistant coach.
