Preston Campbell Calls it a Day
Titans veteran Preston Campbell has announced that he will retire from rugby league at the end of the 2011 season.
The 34 year old has made the decision to pull the curtain on a career that has spanned 14 years, 260 NRL matches and has seen him win a premiership and Dally M Medal for the competitions most valuable player.
“I feel like it’s time for me to start the next phase of my life,” Campbell said.
“I could have gone another year but I want to concentrate more on what I’m going to do be doing after footy here at the Titans and as a Learn Earn Legend ambassador.
“I’m still going to be employed by the club off the field and I’ll still be around to help some of the new guys settle in next year.”
Campbell started his career at the Gold Coast Chargers back in 1998 before moving to Cronulla in 1999 when the Chargers folded. Campbell played some of his best football for the Sharks and in 2001 he was ajudged the competitions best player and received the Dally M medal.
In 2003 Campbell joined Penrith instant success, winning a premiership in his first season with the club. Campbell was also a driving force behind the establishment of the NRL All Stars match in which a team of indigenous Australians take on a team of players made up of the best players in the NRL.
In November 2008, Campbell was awarded the Ken Stephen Medal by the NRL for his tireless work with indigenous communities.
Gold Coast coach John Cartwright heaped praise on Campbell not just for his work on the field, but also his work off it.
“Preston has been such an important contributor at the club since our very first game in 2007 to now,” Cartwright said.
“There’s not many players that play with the courage that he does and the fact that he’s been able to do it at an elite level for such a long time is testament to that. It’s been a pleasure to coach a player of his talent.”
The bottom placed Gold Coast meet Cronulla at Shark Park on Saturday night.
Will Campbell’s announcement spur on the Gold Coast to a much needed win? Bet now at Luxbet.
