NRL star Denan Kemp says EVERY current footy player will have brain damage
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Former NRL star turned podcast sensation Denan Kemp believes current players in the game will have 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 about the issue of concussion in rugby league, the Locker room host offered a candid answer.
“Any NRL player who has played for an extended period will have some form of brain damage,” Kemp said.
“That’s the way it is, I had concussions several 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 will get hit over the head. [Head] blows are inevitable, all players know the risks.’
Kemp, who also owns a highly successful clothing brand and ‘Bloke in a Bar’ beer brand, added that his own transition from professional athlete to a ‘normal’ life was not easy.
Former NRL star turned podcast sensation Denan Kemp believes that most current players in the game will have some form of brain damage 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 throughout 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.
‘Once it was all over, I wondered what would be next.
‘The level of intensity playing NRL is unbelievable, it feels 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 football, I was working in the mines, listening to a lot of podcasts and finally 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 the players about their lives.”
The teenage sports prodigy, who was on the books for A-League club Brisbane Roar, won track and field events nationally and also had the Lions chase him for the AFL Draft before signing with the Broncos. , secured the television identity Beau Ryan as his first interview in 2015.
Fast forward to 2023 and Kemp has interviewed a galaxy of former and current stars, including Cameron Smith, Jarome Luai, Alex McKinnon, Willie Mason, Anthony Mundine, James Graham, and Paul Gallen.
Since then, ‘Beak’ has carved out a successful life for himself post-footy, 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 lacked purpose in his own eyes before launching his ‘Locker Room’ podcast two years later.
Nothing is off limits, and the former winger said finding a point of difference was key.
Its social media presence is strong, with 238,000 Facebook followers.
It’s a similar story in instagramwith 208,000 followers.
Kemp also believes that the fact that he played in the NRL from 2007 onwards helps his cause significantly.
“There’s a sense of brotherhood, the guys approve of what I’ve done, there’s mutual respect,” he said.
‘Only a few people are lucky enough to play in the NRL, so being in the system full time beforehand, that works in my favor.
“My ultimate goal is always to tell stories through the eyes of the players without a negative agenda…and if there are items that they have to think about in the post-interview, whether it’s contracts or something personal, I just don’t direct it.”