Background
Kemp was born in Whangarei but raised in Waitara, and attended Waitara High School.
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Tony Kemp
Edit ProfileCareer
He played rugby league for the Randwick Kingfishers in the Wellington Rugby League competition and in 1987 made the Junior Kiwis. 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 1993-1994 Regal Trophy final during the 1993-1994 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 22 January 1994.
Kemp joined Leeds in 1995, appearing 47 times in four seasons at the club 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.
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.
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.
In 2008 he was named in the Taranaki Rugby League Team of the Century. In 2012 he was named in the Wellington Rugby League"s Team of the Century.
