Preston broken cheek?

[amaline]

Heard on the radio that Preston broke his cheek last night and that'd be his season over? Not that the season would have lasted much longer anyway, but seems like a bad way to end what has been an awesome season for him.

*Actually, I think they said it was a broken jaw.

[patskE]

man i been one of those fans who dont want presto at fullback n rather see him at five-eighth
but jeez, past few weeks been thinking it wouldnt be the same. sure we have zillman n walker next year, but wow. every time presto has the ball, i dnt know about you guys but iam on the edge of my feet every time. his one of the main reason y i started to follow, i jsut love him!
gooooooooo PRESTO!

[daveyk]

man i been one of those fans who dont want presto at fullback n rather see him at five-eighth
but jeez, past few weeks been thinking it wouldnt be the same. sure we have zillman n walker next year, but wow. every time presto has the ball, i dnt know about you guys but iam on the edge of my feet every time. his one of the main reason y i started to follow, i jsut love him!
gooooooooo PRESTO!

well said... he has truly been nothing more than electric of late.... if zillman or walker go to fullback next year, they sure do have some MASSIVE shoes to fill

i just hope that the reports of presto's season being over is just rumour and there is no truth to it

[patskE]

i jsut heard of my cous who works for big league that campbell broke his jaw
his out for rest of season

[CanberraTitan]

well said... he has truly been nothing more than electric of late.... if zillman or walker go to fullback next year, they sure do have some MASSIVE shoes to fill

i just hope that the reports of presto's season being over is just rumour and there is no truth to it

Living in canberra i attend most of the raiders games, Zillmans issue from waht i have seen is his attitude in defence, doesn't seem to try hard enough when someone breaks through the line, His attack is excellent, I have watched on many occasions(normally once or twice a game where he does what presto did last night, If he can stay injury free, works on his defence, he will be a star of the future.

as for walker i don't think he has done enough this year to suggest he will be in the first grade squad next year.

[patskE]

thats wat was got gilly for!
walker prob get a shot this year with presto being out

[Paul]

Preston is and has been my favourite player since he signed for Penrith all those years ago. Last night he was simply superb and to move him from FB next season would be a huge mistake.

The bloke is a genius and every time I've met him he's been absolutely fantastic.

for me next year Rogers to centre,Zillman to 5/8th and Presto at FB

[eelectrica]

Rotten way for Presto to spend his off season with a broken jaw if the reports are true.
He would have been fun to watch against the Tigers in the final round. Ok so he's always fun to watch, but even moreso given the Tigers recent form.

[RLfan]

Preston was probably man of the match too, what a player.

[Steve]

Trevor Gillmeister | August 24, 2008 12:04am

THERE are times when you can feel a bit disappointed about rugby league, but Friday night was not one of them.
The quality of the game, and of Preston Campbell, made it easy to remember why we love footy so much.

I get sick of reading about people like Sonny Bill Williams treating the game with contempt. I get sick of people like Willie Mason shooting his mouth off.

Sometimes you wonder if the game has lost its way.

And then, on nights like Friday, blokes like Presto remind you there is a hell of a lot of good in the game that doesn't make the headlines.

Just before halftime, Preston grabbed me on the field and said his jaw was a bit sore.

When we got to the sheds at the break, he never mentioned it. John Cartwright did his halftime address, and the team was getting ready to go back out when Presto finally went and saw the doctor.

"Doc," he said, "I don't know, but I think my jaw's a bit out of line."

Sure enough, it was broken. Again, Preston said nothing but ran back out with his mates to try to win the game.

A couple of times during the second half I checked on him to see how he was going.

"It's a bit sore," he told me, "but we've got a game to win."

The thing about Preston is not just that he is a wonderful player, incredibly brave and a super bloke. Not to mention the fact that he is incredibly humble.

But the things he does that people -- not even his teammates -- would not know about, like visiting sick kids in hospital is amazing, but largely unacknowledged.

He's a player kids can relate to and mums love because it shows you don't have to be built like a giant to succeed.

If league's administrators were smart, they would be knocking on Preston's door and telling him he had a job in the game as soon as he decided to hang up the boots.

That might not be for another four years, but the NRL should be prepared to wait.

At a time when games can be decided by blokes laying down pretending to be hurt, we should be doing everything we can to make sure the NRL hangs on to blokes like Preston who never lay down, never give in and never seek the spotlight.

Young players could not just learn a lot from Preston. They could learn everything.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...016365,00.html

[Steve]

He played more than half the game with a broken jaw and still tore the Broncos apart. He really is nothing short of amazing.

[eelectrica]

Wow. Damn gutsy performance.
Wouldn't know he had a broken jaw from watching him.

[Paul]

excellent article

they were all giving him a wrap on the footy show today as well

[Steve]

Peter Badel | August 24, 2008 12:00am

TITANS dynamo Preston Campbell produced one of the most heroic displays in 40 years by playing 43 minutes with a broken jaw against the Broncos.
In a remarkable act of bravery, Campbell ignored medical advice that he sit out the second half after copping a blow to the left side of his face against the Broncos.

Desperate to help save the Titans' season, Campbell refused to tell coach John Cartwright or teammates of his plight.

The pint-sized custodian produced a magnificent second half with a series of trademark kick returns but his courage went unrewarded as the Titans went down 25-21 in extra time.

After the match Campbell indicated he had broken his jaw and scans yesterday confirmed his worst fears, wiping him out for the rest of the season.

Titans medical staff confirmed Campbell would have a plate inserted tomorrow, before a two-month recovery.

Campbell's courage evokes comparisons with legendary Souths forward John Sattler, who played 70 minutes of the 1970 grand final against Manly with a broken jaw.

"No one knew about it but myself and the doc," Campbell said. "I didn't tell anyone.

"I'm pretty down. I'm on some painkillers. I wanted to finish the season with the boys but I won't be able to do that now."

The 31-year-old said he had no recollection of the blow that prompted him to consult Titans doctor Paul Ohmsen at halftime.

"I don't know how it happened, I just copped a whack and all of a sudden my jaw locked up and wouldn't move," he said.

"I knew there was a problem there. I can't align the top of my mouth with the bottom of my jaw. It hurts to bite down and even opening my mouth. I think my jaw may have just popped out and popped back in. I saw the doctor at halftime and he didn't want me to go back on, but I didn't give him a choice.

"I was out there before he could stop me.

"I was hoping I wouldn't get another knock around the head in the second half and I didn't, so

I'm thankful it wasn't worse."

Titans coach Cartwright was in awe of Campbell's incredible contribution under duress against the Broncos.

The premiership-winning utility has been in the wars throughout the season. He has battled ankle ligament damage and in May experienced temporary memory loss after suffering concussion.

"I thought he was probably the best player on the field," Cartwright said.

"He did an enormous amount of work. It was high energy, he was brave, he's been like that all year."

Gold Coast teammate Scott Prince said Campbell was without question the toughest player in the code.

"Presto said nothing to us. He's a freak," Prince said.

"One of Presto's greatest strengths is his ability to play injured. Some people can't play through the pain barrier but Presto is one of those special blokes who can do it.

"He's been unbelievable this season. The game keeps getting faster and the young blokes coming through keep getting bigger but Presto doesn't just compete with them, he still dominates games.

"Throughout our injury crisis this year, Presto was the one bloke holding us together."

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...003409,00.html

[Paul]

I really,really hope Preston can make a "chris walker like" visit to us at the fence before the tigers game so we can all tell him how amazing he's been this season