There were better performers but few, if any, braver than Brisbane winger Denan Kemp who unknowingly played much of 2010 with broken ribs.

Until recently Kemp had been puzzled as to why he never felt pain-free after suffering horrendous injuries after an accidental knee from Warriors centre Joe Ropati during an NRL game at Suncorp Stadium last March.

Kemp spent a night in hospital before being released the next morning.

However he had to be rushed back after one of his lungs collapsed.

Subsequent scans revealed he'd suffered three broken ribs, one displaced rib and a punctured lung which had to be re-inflated.

He made an earlier then expected comeback against Newcastle in April but hurt his ribs again.

From then on he struggled to make an impact in the Queensland Cup and did not make another appearance for the Broncos.

Kemp said the mystery was finally solved just before the end of the season when he had a special 3-D scan which revealed his ribs had never healed and that he'd been playing with them busted.

"They were separated the whole time which explained why I kept saying they didn't feel right," said Kemp, ready to make a flying start for Brisbane on the left wing when the NRL begins next month.

"I was trying to play footy but my ribs were broken which was never going to work.

"It was only with a few rounds to go until the end of the season that I had a special scan which showed it was broken.

"We'd done heaps and heaps of scans that didn't show anything but I kept telling them something was still wrong and eventually they did this 3-D scan."

Kemp, who starred for the Broncos in 2008 before a season with the Warriors, has put in a big pre-season knowing the left wing position is up for grabs following the departure of Antonio Winterstein to North Queensland.

"I'm fitter, I'm about six kilos heavier and I'm the same speed ... everything is better," said the 23-year-old, who'll appreciate the extra kilos against some of the bigger wingers in the NRL.

Kemp's most memorable try - he scored four on the night - was against Parramatta more than two years ago when Darren Lockyer put him away down the left touchline for the match-winner.

"I scored off him the first game against the Cowboys last year," Kemp said.

"He reads me pretty well. It's awesome being outside players like him and Wally (Peter Wallace).

"I started well last year but the injury killed me.

"I'm feeling even better this time. I'm hoping this is the best year I've ever had with a bag of tries."

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