Former NRL star turned podcast sensation Denan Kemp believes current players in the game will suffer some form of brain damage.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, the 35-year-old also reflected on his blossoming career path after retiring in 2013.
When asked on the subject of concussions in rugby league, the Locker room the host offers an honest response.
‘Any NRL player who has played for a long period of time will have some form of brain injury,’ Kemp said.
‘It is the way it is, I have been concussed many times during my career. There is a price to pay, it is a high-collision sport played by gladiators.
‘Ultimately, the decision to play in the NRL is made by adults…. you get hit over the head. [Head] Knocks are inevitable, players know the risks.’
Kemp, who also has a successful clothing brand and ‘Bloke in a Bar’ beer brand, has not had it easy in his transition from a professional athlete to a ‘normal’ life.
Former NRL star turned podcast sensation Denan Kemp believes most current players in the game will develop some form of brain injury due to the high contact nature of the sport
James Graham revealed last year that he has brain damage after suffering more than 100 concussions in his career
‘I needed a new focus, I felt like my life was worthless….in my eyes, my whole purpose and identity was to be an athlete,’ he said.
‘When it was all over, I thought about what was next.
‘The level of intensity playing NRL is unbelievable, it’s like the end of the world when you lose.
‘There is also nothing better than a group of men working together to achieve the same goal.
‘After footy I was working in the mines, listening to a lot of podcasts, and eventually I thought ‘hey I can do that, there’s a gap in the market when it comes to rugby league.
‘Everyone has a story to tell, so I thought why not interview players about their lives.’
The teenage sporting prodigy – who is on the books of A-League club Brisbane Roar, won athletics track events at national level and was also pursued by the Lions for the AFL Draft before signing with the Broncos – earned the TV identity of Beau Ryan as his first interview in 2015.
Fast forward to 2023 and Kemp interviews a galaxy of past and present stars, including the likes of Cameron Smith, Jarome Luai, Alex McKinnon, Willie Mason, Anthony Mundine, James Graham and Paul Gallen.
‘Beak’ has since carved out a successful post footy life, with his own weekly podcast, clothing label and branded beer (pictured, with his wife)
Kemp made his NRL debut with the Broncos in 2007 and also played for the Warriors
After retiring in 2013, Kemp had no goals in his own eyes before launching his ‘Locker Room’ podcast two years later
Nothing is off limits, and the former winger says finding the point of difference is key.
He has a strong social media presence, with 238,000 followers on Facebook.
It’s a similar story on Instagram, with 208,000 followers.
Kemp also believes the fact he played in the NRL from 2007 onwards helps his cause.
‘There is a sense of brotherhood, the guys approve of what I have done, there is mutual respect,’ he said.
‘Only a few people are lucky enough to play in the NRL, so it used to be in the system fulltime, that was in my favour.
‘My fundamental aim is always to tell stories through players eyes with no negative agenda.. and if there are elements they have thought about post interview, be it contracts or something personal, I just don’t run it.’
