Shattered Kemp not a Bronco Rebel
Wayne Heming AAPWed, Apr 06, 2011 - 6:42 PM
Brisbane winger Denan Kemp says he is devastated after Australian Super Rugby club Melbourne Rebels pulled a contract offer 24 hours after a glowing assessment of his potential.
The Broncos had the release papers ready for Kemp to sign on Wednesday.
He had flown to Melbourne on Tuesday for a series of secret medical tests at the Rebels' request.
After the feedback he received he expected to be playing his first game of rugby union for Parramatta Two Blues against Randwick at Granville Park on the weekend.
A shattered Kemp said the Rebels indicated to him after testing that he could even be the fastest player in the Super 15 competition.
The former junior soccer star was also complimented on his kicking skills.
"They all said the speed test and the kicking I did went really well, I thought it was a done deal," an almost inconsolable Kemp told AAP.
The 23-year-old Broncos winger was worried about being painted in a poor light after the Rebels rejected him.
"Everyone knows how much I love the club and that I wouldn't have done this had it not been a really good opportunity for me," he said.
"I'm in a really bad situation right now. I don't like looking like the guy whining and pointing fingers.
"But I'm pretty devastated to be honest because it's left me in a really poor place.
"At the end of the day it can look bad for the Rebels but I'm the player, it's my career, my life that's been tossed about."
Kemp had his house cleaned to rent, had packed his bags and had taken his pet dogs to his partner's house.
"It was basically like packing my whole life up," he said.
"I'll just have to pick myself up again.
"I've been pretty unlucky over the last year or two with injuries and stuff like this."
The Rebels recruited three rugby league players for their Super 15 debut season, including former Newcastle Knights winger Cooper Vuna who is out injured.
With their wing stocks thin and Vuna on thesidelines, they were forced to play halfback Richard Kingi on the flank in their last game which made Kemp's signing seem even more appealing.
Brisbane football operations manager Andrew Gee, who said the club wanted to do the right thing by Kemp and release him, described the Rebels' negotiations as "amateurish.
The Rebels were unable to offer a comment when contacted on Wednesday.
Kemp, who has played 32 games for the Broncos, but none this year, will return to play in the Queensland Cup as he bids to break back into Brisbane's top side.
He remains contracted to the Broncos through to the end of the year.
