Plague of pain set up future
Champion looks back on short-lived Titans career with fondness
HE’S a winner by name but former NRL veteran Beau Champion admits there was little to celebrate during his one-year stint as a Gold Coast Titan.
Trumpeted as a key piece of the Titans’ premiership puzzle after arriving from Melbourne in 2012, Champion played just nine games in an injury-disrupted campaign before returning to Sydney to join Souths.
“That was one thing I was really disappointed with – that (the Titans) had showed faith in me and I couldn’t produce because I just had too many injuries,” said the 32-year-old, a product of Kempsey on the NSW mid-north coast.
“I started off the year injured and then copped a season-ending injury halfway through the year. I just couldn’t reward the Titans for giving me an opportunity.
“That’s something I do regret but sometimes things are out of your control. I enjoyed my time at the Titans, I thought it was a great club, a great set of blokes.
“I did make some really good friends out of it. There’s not a better place to play rugby league and to live than on the Gold Coast I was very blessed.”
A natural centre, Champion was a fixture of the Bunnies’ backline from 2005-10, joining Melbourne in 2011 after being forced out of Souths to accommodate the arrival of cousin Greg Inglis.
His return to Sydney in 2013 was again plagued by injury, playing 12 games across three seasons for Souths and Parramatta before retiring at the end of 2015.
After a couple of years as an F45 franchisee, the 107gamer has now forged a career as a successful real estate agent with NG Farah in Sydney and also works as an ambassador for Aboriginal foster care agency KARI.
“Throughout my rugby league career I had sustained so many injuries it gave me a lot of time away from football. It gave me time to plan and network,” Champion said.
“Towards the end of my career I had multiple injuries back to back so I had a little bit of time to plan. I started playing NRL when I was 18 so I knew there was going to be a day I would have to retire.
“I was an ambassador at the Rabbitohs for a while and I’m still pretty heavily involved in the local community here (in Sydney). I try to get out to some junior games when I can and if anyone ever needs a hand I usually help them out.
“I’m thankful that over a short period a lot of current rugby league players and a few former NRL players have given me the opportunity to sell their homes. I’m in a market of Souths supporters so it makes it a little bit easier to get the listings.”
THERE’S NOT A BETTER PLACE TO PLAY RUGBY LEAGUE AND TO LIVE ON THE GOLD COAST I WAS VERY BLESSED.