Jets set to soar after picking up ex-Maroon

BILAMBIL have snared the services of Kevin Campion to head up their 2019 Rugby League Gold Coast campaign.

The Jets are coming off a dire A-grade season in which they beat no team other than cellar dwellers Ormeau, but Campion’s signing is hoped to reinvigorate the club after the former Origin star coached Tweed Heads to their maiden RLGC decider this year.

The 47-year-old’s coaching future became a hot topic after the Seagulls announced they would be exiting the A-grade competition to focus on being a representative club.

Runaway Bay were among the clubs linked to him but Bilambil have won the race.

“We were in talks with him pretty much not long after the grand final because we knew that Seagulls were not putting in an A-grade team,” new Jets president Ben Rigney said.

“So straightaway we were onto him and yeah he wanted to stay local.

“Obviously he knows our reputation and he wanted to be a part of it.”

Campion’s own reputation and profile has already reaped rewards, with players coming “out of the woodwork” and several 2018 Tweed squad members tipped to follow him.

“Our first training session last Thursday, we had 45 players,” said Rigney, a long-time Bilambil player whose father Peter is an ex-president.

“In November that’s insane so it has done wonders already and is only going to get stronger, which is good.”

Having won the 2011 premiership and made finals two years ago, the Jets are desperate to be a contender once more, with Rigney quashing rumours of a move to the Northern Rivers league.

“We want to keep Bilambil playing in the strong Gold Coast competition. We have won it once and we want to win it again,” he said.

Campion and Rigney have replaced Craig Rowles and Ryan Helton, respectively.