No one who has provided a more lasting impression on the culture of the Gold Coast Titans than Preston Campbell – and that impression will last after the club named the eastern stand at Cbus Super Stadium after him on Sunday.
"Presto" who moments earlier showed he still has dazzling skills and footwork at 41 years of age during an old boys' clash between the Titans and Broncos, was typically stunned and humbled by the decision.
"It's an incredible honour; rugby league has given me so much and has made a big difference in my life and many others too," he said.
"It has done far for me than what I have done for rugby league and that's why I have tried to give back to the game and the community which has given me so much.
"I'm quite stunned really. I still love the Titans and will continue to help the club whenever I can."
A banner depicting Campbell, a foundation player and the second Titan to play 100 games for the club, will adorn the stand for Titans matches at the stadium.
The Dally M Medal winner, the driving force behind the annual Indigenous All Stars clash, continues to be active in the community through the Preston Campbell Foundation which he set up after the closing of Titans 4 Tomorrow, the independent wellbeing arm of the Titans.
He has a cafe at Dreamworld that provides hospitality training for indigenous Australians and also conducts wellbeing programs. He is still giving back to league by playing reserve grade for Helensvale Hornets in the Gold Coast competition alongside his son Jayden.
The awe in which Campbell is still held at the Titans is evident in their club man of the year award being named after him and skipper Ryan James recently being almost drawn to tears when describing the role model figure of Campbell at the launch of the Gold Coast Titans Community Foundation.
"Preston had the biggest heart on the Gold Coast when a player at the Titans and he continues to show he has the biggest heart on the Gold Coast with what he continues to do in the community," said the club's executive chairman Dennis Watt.
The Tingha-raised Campbell began his career on the Gold Coast with the Chargers in 1998 and, after stints with Cronulla and Penrith where he won a premiership, ended his career on the Gold Coast too, playing the last of his 267 NRL games there.
