Proprety Lessons Stand Kemble In Good Stead

Media Release
14 September 2007

Kemble Confident Property Lessons Have Prepared him for Tackling New Challenges as Kiwis Coach

Former New Zealand rugby league Test fullback Gary Kemble believes the last six years in real estate will benefit him in his new role as the Kiwis coach.

Kemble, who was named last month to replace Brian McLennan in charge of the Kiwis, will soon sit down with his fellow national selectors to pick the team to play in a one-off Test against Australia at Wellington next month, before heading off to the UK where they will play three Internationals against Great Britain and one against France.

While Kemble says the success he achieved playing rugby league at the highest level, including 19 Tests and 39 games for the Kiwis from 1980-1986, served him well when he joined Harveys Real Estate as a sales agent, the property business helped develop his people skills and teach him that patience and perseverance are a virtue

Raised and educated in the region, he spent the last four years with Harveys South Auckland, where he rose to the position of sales manager at the Papatoetoe office. Married to Stephanie, the couple has four sons.

After signing his last sales contract earlier this month, he admits he will miss the “daily fix of excitement and challenges of the property business. I have really enjoyed it, and hope to retain my links with Harveys in some way.”

He also says the property mantra of position-position-position has similar parallels with that of professional rugby league where the emphasis is on another 3 Ps – pace, power and possession. As too, does the thrill of closing a difficult deal with the exultation of winning a close game.

“Coming from a team background in league you learn to appreciate there is no ‘I’ in team. And it is the same in real estate where a number of people make a contribution to achieve the end goal,” says Kemble.

Darren Brady, who along with Colin Varney is co-owner of the South Auckland Harveys franchise and Kemble’s boss at the Papatoetoe office, has no doubt NZ Rugby League has made a wise selection with the position of Kiwis coach.

“Once Gary sets his mind to a task there are no barriers to what he can achieve. He loves a challenge and is also intensely loyal,” he says.

“Vendors appreciated his honesty and his attention to detail and we received great feedback on a regular basis. He was a very high performing, low maintenance sales person.

“We don’t see Gary’s switch of codes from real estate to rugby league as a loss. As far as we’re concerned he’s ‘on loan’ to the Kiwis and we look forward to welcoming him back.”

Kemble’s first big assignment in charge of the Kiwis is the one-off Test against Australia in Wellington on Sunday October 14.
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