Jayden Campbell's message to Des Hasler amid AJ Brimson dilemma at Titans

Gold Coast utility Jayden Campbell has put his hand up for the fullback position at the Titans for 2024, insisting he is the right man for the job. The 23-year-old is recovering from knee surgery and is yet to start running at training but has declared to new coach Des Hasler it is the position he sees himself playing in the NRL moving forward.

Campbell was deployed as a fullback, five-eighth and as a utility off the bench in his 22 games in 2023 and always looked at home when he pulled on the No.1 jersey. The youngster faces stiff competition for that jersey from AJ Brimson and Keano Kini, however, says he will be out to prove it is his spot in the side when he returns to training.

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"I've got to come to training and do my best to prove to the coach that I'd love to play fullback," Campbell said. "That is the position I grew up playing and where I play my best so I'd like to lock that spot down. I feel like competing with teammates and mates makes you a better footy player. I'll have to let my training do the talking."

Campbell, the son of Titans fullback Preston Campbell, says he has become a better player by playing other positions and ultimately would step into any role his coach asked. The Titans star dislocated his patella and shattered the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), which stabilises the patella, in the 40-14 loss to Penrith in round 25.

After sustaining the injury Campbell said he had to look up what he had done as it wasn't an injury he had heard of. He's since gone under the knife and has been back in the gym while he awaits clearance to start running.

"I am walking now. I have to see the surgeon in December to see when I can start running," Campbell said. "At times it can be frustrating but it is coming along good. I am hoping to be right for round one.

"I miss training. Sitting at home doing nothing you get a bit bored so I am glad training has come back around."

Hasler believes he can bring Titans maiden premiership

Hasler is confident the Titans have the nucleus at the club already to bring the Titans their first premiership. The Gold Coast coach says he is excited about the upcoming season and the challenge ahead and pointed to the Broncos as an example of how quickly fortunes can turn.

“You've only got to look at one of the grand finalists from the last game; where they were a couple of years ago and where they are now,” Hasler said as he was unveiled as the Titans new coach. “So it all turns; it turns on a coin almost. You've only got to look at the Newcastle Knights and the way their season they went (as well); Kalyn Ponga was retiring, they were in the bottom six after Round 11; so that's what that window is and it's a great opportunity to seize it.

“(For us), it's around performing capability-wise and playing that consistency of games across the season. To put it simply, it's about raising the expectations and raising the capabilities … (and with) experience, now that they've played a number of seasons, (that experience) should start to kick in, that's how you gain that consistency.”

- with AAP

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