PRESTO’S PICK:
TITANS GREAT’S BEST INDIGENOUS TEAM OF 2000s
PRESTON Campbell is rightly regarded as one of the most inspirational and respected Indigenous Australians to ever play in the NRL.
So having him pick his greatest team of this century for the NRL’s Indigenous Round was a pleasure.
And in a team made up of not only champions in each position – but some truly great leaders – what I found most unexpected was who Preston picked as his captain.
But it speaks of the enormous regard in which diminutive former North Queensland fullback Matty Bowen was held by his peers that he was judged to lead a team that included the likes of Greg Inglis, Laurie Daley and Johnathan Thurston.
“This might surprise some. It might even surprise Matty,” Preston said of the man he also rated as “my favourite player”.
“I’m not sure he knows how much influence he had on other people, and other players. It was enormous.
“For the many people who know him, he is not a big talker. He is quietly spoken. But he was humble and you just admired him for who he was. He impacted us all.”
So without further ado, we give you, Preston Campbell’s Indigenous team of the century:
MATT BOWEN (C)
He had skill and talent, but more than that, he was an inspiration. He wasn’t much bigger than me, not much heavier, but what he did was incredible – competitiveness and skill. And he played the game in the right spirit – he was always humble. He’s my favourite player.
WENDELL SAILOR
Predominantly for his incredible achievements. He was a great player who brought a lot to his teams – he was the first of the “giant” wingers, and used his size so well. He found a lot of success.
GREG INGLIS
He has to be there. For his size – and the way he was able to use it. Every now and then, you get that person who is naturally gifted, with athleticism. ‘Greggo’ was one of those guys – his size, how he could move and alongside Justin Hodges, how he wreaked such havoc in the centres for Queensland.
JUSTIN HODGES
Greg and Justin were both very aggressive centres. Justin was extra competitive. He was a tough player – some people loved him and some used to hate him. But he was the sort of player you’d love to have on any team.
NATHAN BLACKLOCK
An athlete and an acrobat, he was obviously a try-scoring freak. But he was also a great advertisement for the game. I’ve tried to look at players who changed the game. The game’s become better because of players like him.
LAURIE DALEY
It’s hard to go past Laurie. Put him anywhere in the team and he would be an incredible competitor. At five-eighth he is one of the greatest.
JOHNATHAN THURSTON
You can’t really go with anyone else for this position because JT was so good. I hope he doesn’t feel offended by me saying he wasn’t the most talented player ever, but what he had to offer outside of talent was ridiculous. He had everything.
RYAN JAMES
He was such a gentleman, but once he crossed that line, he was a different person. Another competitor, and another great advertisement for the game.
NATHAN PEATS
He has that competitiveness. He’s quite a different leader, very vocal. But he’s well respected because he’s so honest.
GEORGE ROSE
I know ‘Georgie’ played a lot of his time at Manly off the bench. But the skill he had for his size, as well as his willingness to win, were amazing. After an All Stars game, I always remember going around to each player to thank them for being a part of it. He said to me: ‘Thank you, I’d always hoped to play in this game.’
SAM THAIDAY
When you looked at Sammy, you might not have seen a second-rower. But his enthusiasm and energy were fantastic. Off the field, he was like a magnet. The fact that he was also a very talented player is also helpful.
GORDEN TALLIS
The Raging Bull. He just didn’t like losing. And he played with so much aggression. He was the player you most feared.
GREG BIRD
I played with Birdy when he was still young. Back then, he was very sure of himself. And that didn’t change over his whole career. When I played with him again at the Titans, he had the same mentality.
INTERCHANGE
Cody Walker: His journey is also an amazing one – he started very late, and he is a great example of never giving up.
Latrell Mitchell: He has given everyone what they expected – maybe even more. And his best is yet to come.
Tom Learoyd-Lahrs: He had such a presence on the field. He worked so hard to become a better footballer, and he was a fantastic example for any youngsters.
Wade Graham: He was quite late to identify, but once he did he has always been incredibly proud of where he’s come from.