Preston Campbell back with Gold Coast to help spark Titans revival

https://www.couriermail.com.au/

The Titans’ first ever recruit – Dally M hero Preston Campbell – is back to help build his beloved Gold Coast into an NRL premiership force.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Campbell, one of the Gold Coast’s most revered cult figures, is in negotiations with Titans hierarchy to return in a mentoring role as coach Garth Brennan looks to deliver the club’s maiden title.

Fed up with years of mediocrity, the Titans pulled off a major coup last November, securing NRL Immortal and Test coach Mal Meninga to inject a winning edge as the head of club culture and performance.

Now the Titans are turning to the man who represents their heartbeat. Campbell gave the club instant credibility when he became their inaugural signing for their entry to the NRL in 2007.

The pint-sized dynamo was once the No.1 player in the NRL, making his Gold Coast debut in 1998 before their demise forced him to Cronulla, where he famously won the 2001 Dally M Medal with his sizzling speed and footwork.

In recent years, Campbell has stayed in touch with the Titans via ambassadorial work but he will be at the coalface this season, helping mentor the club’s emerging stars led by Ash Taylor and AJ Brimson.

The 41-year-old Campbell amassed 103 NRL games for the Titans, playing fullback in their epic charge to the grand-final qualifier in 2010, and is determined to help Brennan haul the club out of the doldrums.

“I’m coming back to the Titans,” Campbell said.

“I’m really excited, I love the club dearly and I think I have something to offer.

“There’s some great young kids coming through like Ash, AJ, Brian Kelly and Jai Arrow and I have some knowledge I can pass on.

“It’s been disappointing to see the club struggle in recent years after the success we had when we first came back into the competition.

“I’m pretty busy with the indigenous work I do, but I’ll be back around the club helping in any way I can.”

Titans football manager Anthony Laffranchi been in talks with Campbell for the past month to work out how to best use his services.

Campbell is regarded as one of the NRL’s most heroic players. Standing 167cm – just two centimetres taller than Broncos great Allan Langer – Campbell’s tiny frame survived a remarkable 14 NRL seasons.

He scored 86 tries from 267 top-grade games and was a member of Penrith’s premiership-winning team in 2003.

Brennan said Campbell, a proud Aboriginal, would offer invaluable support for the Titans’ posse of indigenous players.

“Presto will be involved in some capacity, it’s just up to him where he wants to fit in and how much he wants to do,” Brennan said.

“Anthony Laffranchi approached me recently and said would you like Preston involved and I said absolutely.

“I’ll look for Presto to work with our halves and also our indigenous boys. We have quite a few Aboriginal players here, including Ash, Tyrone Roberts and Ryan James, so having Presto around will lift the place.

“He’s a Titans legend. I told him he is always welcome at our club.”

Acknowledgement of Country
Titans.com.au
VIDEO HERE - https://www.titans.com.au/news/2019/...nt-of-country/

EIGHT years after his rugby league retirement, the inspirational Preston Campbell still has the power to make the hairs on the back of the neck stand on end.

The club’s first marquee signing, Preston will again be the centre of attention at Titans home games and official events after lending his voice to a brilliant and moving Acknowledgement of Country video created, produced and edited by the Titans Production team.

A welcoming message to be played at all designated Gold Coast Titans events, our Acknowledgement of Country video promotes the region and pays respect to indigenous owners and leaders – past, present and future.

Importantly, it represents the greater Gold Coast, and the Northern Rivers districts of NSW.

The stunning video was produced in collaboration with the Preston Campbell Foundation, Martin Ermer from Dreamworld Corroboree Centre, and Luth Cora and the Yugembeh Aboriginal Dancers.

Preston, the Titans’ spiritual leader, legend of the game and an icon of indigenous rugby league, said he was proud to lend his voice to such a powerful message of respect across all communities.

“I’m proud to be involved as a Kamilaroi man who has been welcomed by the local Yugambeh mob,” he said.

“I am proud to be involved as a former Titans player. I am also proud to be involved through working with the Titans community programs to build a better future for all our kids – indigenous and non-indigenous.

“Anything that builds better understanding between people is a great initiative. There are more things we have that bring us together than divide us.

“Raising awareness allows us to have meaningful conversations based on respect. It allows us to work together for a better future for all Australians.”

Preston said the Acknowledgement of Country video had captured the importance of the traditional welcome to visitors that carried with it an understanding of mutual respect.

“I think the video is great, but it is the main message of respect that is important,” he said.

“Historically when you were crossing into another group’s country, you requested permission to enter.

“When permission was granted, the hosting group would welcome the visitors, offering them safe passage and protection of their spiritual being during the journey.

“While visitors were provided with a safe passage, they also had to respect the protocols and rules of the land-owner group while on their Country.

“In acknowledging the traditional custodians, we are showing this respect.”

Preston said the use of Acknowledgement of Country videos and ceremonies in the NRL, like the one produced by the Titans, would help to unify indigenous and non-indigenous Australians through a shared love of rugby league

“Rugby League is a national sport and its reach is enormous,” he said.

“I know from travelling across the country how important these messages are, and how by showing this respect to mob we will receive much more in return.”

I can't think of anyone I admire more in our game. Not just the man, his courage but also his heart and concern for the community and his indigenous community.

With people like Mal and Presto on board I have faith in our club. It's very exciting to have him back.

^^^ perfectly put

How good is it to read this about Preston, another great move by the club

It's a fitting appointment. Nice one. :)

There must be a lot going right to get him back.