Kemp made his first grade debut for the Broncos in round 10 of the 2007 NRL season, against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. During the game Kemp scored an individual 75 metre try. This try was voted as the third best of the 2007 NRL season by NRL.com. In 2008, Kemp started the season strongly coming up with four tries in his first three games. He went on to play 24 games for the club in 2008. In round 12 he scored 4 tries while playing against the Parramatta Eels, equaling a club record set by Lote Tuqiri and Steve Renouf. The record came just hours after he had announced that he was joining the New Zealand Warriors for the 2009 season. When not selected for the first grade side, Kemp turned out for the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup. Kemp was Brisbane's top try-scorer in 2008 and was named the club's rookie of the year.
New Zealand Warriors
On 28 May 2008, the New Zealand Warriors announced that they had signed Kemp for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Whilst at the Warriors he took on goal-kicking responsibilities for the club for the first half of the 2009 season. In round 2 of the 2009 season, Kemp kicked the match winning conversion from the sideline to defeat the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles with 28 seconds left. However, for much of the season Kemp could not break into the first grade side, instead he was assigned to Otahuhu and played for the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Cup. Near the end of the season he asked for a release so he could return to Queensland to rebuild his National Rugby League career. Kemp played in eleven games for the Warriors, scoring 46 points.
Second stint with Brisbane
On 16 September 2009, Kemp announced that he re-signed with the Brisbane Broncos for the 2010 NRL season, after being granted an early release from the final year of his contract with the Warriors. however, injury prevented him from claiming a full-time spot in the first grade side. In round 1 2010, against the North Queensland Cowboys, he scored the final try which won the game for the Broncos 30-24. He played for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the 2011 Queensland Cup, before joining the Australian Rugby Union in April 2011.
On 20 November 2011, Kemp signed for one year with the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2012. Kemp played in the 2012 Charity Shield game for the Dragons, but never took the field in a first-grade game, as he was mainly relegated to the club's NSW Cup side, the Illawarra Cutters.
Third stint with Brisbane
On 18 January 2013, Kemp signed a one-year deal to return to the Broncos in hopes of another revival of his career. However, he failed to play a single game for the Broncos throughout the entire 2013 NRL season, and was released at the season's end. Following his release, Kemp decided to retire from rugby league.
Personal life
Denan Kemp is the founder of Bloke In A Bar and host of The Locker Room.
