Tony Kemp

Tony Kemp

Personal information
Full name	Anthony Edward Ellis Kemp[1]
Born	18 January 1968
Playing information
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	98 kg
Position	Fullback, Centre, Five-eighth, Lock/Loose forward
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
19??–85	Waitara Bears (TRL)
1986–87	Randwick (WRL)
1986–87	Doncaster		4	0	0	16
1988–93	Newcastle Knights	87	20	1	0	81
1994–95	Castleford Tigers		27	4	3	119
1995	Sth. Qld. Crushers	8	2	15	0	38
1995–98	Leeds Rhinos	47	10	0	2	42
1999–2000	Wakefield Trinity	22	2	0	1	9
	Total	164	65	20	6	305
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
19??–85	Taranaki
1986–87	Wellington	12	8	2	0	36
1989–95	New Zealand	25	6	0	0	36
Coaching information
Club
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
2000	Wakefield Trinity
2004–05	NZ Warriors	37	13	0	24	35
	Total	37	13	0	24	35
Source: RLP

Tony Kemp (born 18 January 1968) is a former New Zealand rugby league test representative and former coach of the New Zealand Warriors. He currently is a commentator for Māori Televisions coverage of the Auckland Rugby League competition and also serves as the Football Manager for the New Zealand Rugby League.

Early years

Kemp was born in Whangarei but raised in Waitara, and attended Waitara High School.

He played rugby league for the Randwick Kingfishers in the Wellington Rugby League competition and in 1987 made the Junior Kiwis.

Playing career

Club career

In 1986/87 he joined the Doncaster for a season before taking up a professional career full-time when he joined the Newcastle Knights in 1988. He later played for the Castleford Tigers, South Queensland Crushers, Leeds Rhinos and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (captain) (Heritage #1145).

Kemp played Stand-off, and scored a drop goal in Castleford Tigers' 33-2 victory over Wigan in the 1993–94 Regal Trophy final during the 1993–94 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 22 January 1994.^[2]

Kemp joined Leeds in 1995, appearing 47 times in four seasons at the club.^[3]

In 2000 Kemp, along with all of the other players aged over 24, had his contract with the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats terminated due to the clubs financial crisis.^[4]

Representative career

Kemp first made the New Zealand Kiwis in 1989 and went on to play twenty five games for New Zealand. He ended his international career after the 1995 World Cup.

Coaching career

While at Leeds in 1998 he coached the Alliance team to a championship win.

After two years of playing for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats he retired to take over from Andy Kelly as head coach. He helped save the club from relegation before leaving to return home to New Zealand.

In 2001 Kemp became the assistant coach behind Daniel Anderson at the New Zealand Warriors. He openly said that he wanted to be the next head coach after Anderson. Kemp got his wish, taking over from Anderson when he was sacked halfway through the 2004 season. Kemp was in charge for a season and a half before being sacked himself.

In 2010 he was appointed team manager of the New Zealand Kiwis.^[5]

Legacy

In 2008 he was named in the Taranaki Rugby League Team of the Century.^[6]

In 2012 he was named in the Wellington Rugby League's Team of the Century.

References

1. KEMP, ANTHONY EDWARD ELLIS 1989 - 93, 1995 - KIWI #607 nzleague.co.nz
2. "Wigan 2 - 33 Castleford". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
3. "Tony Kemp". Leeds Rhinos. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
4. "Goodway calls for aid package". BBC. 24 April 2001. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
5. "League: Kemp takes Kiwi role". The New Zealand Herald. 6 March 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
6. "Dream team of century is named". Taranaki Daily News. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2011.

External links

• Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
• Kiwis too strong for Kumuls
• Tony Kemp profile Leeds Rugby
• 1999 RUGBY LEAGUE: TEAM-BY-TEAM GUIDE TO SUPER LEAGUE
• Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk