NRL 2024: Reagan Campbell-Gillard reveals reasons why he decided to join Gold Coast Titans in 2025
Reagan Campbell-Gillard has been a perennial finalist during his time at Penrith and Parramatta, but now faces the new challenge of leaving a legacy at a club that has been long starved of success. Hear from the new Titans signing as he reveals his reasons for the move.
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Reagan Campbell-Gillard isn’t a fan of the beach but his move to the Gold Coast isn’t so much about the sun and the sand. Above all else, it’s about winning and leaving a legacy at a club that has been long starved of success.
The Titans have spent much of their existence on the outside looking in when it comes to the finals. Campbell-Gillard, on the other hand, has been a perennial finalist during his long and distinguished career at Penrith and Parramatta.
At the age of 31 he is closer to the end than the start of his career but the last thing he wants to do is ride out his final days holidaying in September.
He is moving to the Titans to help Des Hasler regenerate a club that has languished at the wrong end of the table for too long.
“I want to go there and win and I’ll make sure I can do everything possible to get everyone on board to play finals,” Campbell-Gillard said.
“That’s what I want to do. I know a couple of the boys and that’s it. So, you know, it’s fresh water for me.
“A different world that I’m sort of going into there and just sort of got to try to fit in and gel.”
RCG to the GCT ðŸ¤ðŸ½
— Gold Coast Titans (@GCTitans) October 4, 2024
READ MORE: https://t.co/uAScjohbgupic.twitter.com/33hAjUbrnh
THE DECISION
Campbell-Gillard had one year remaining on his contract with Parramatta but asked for and was granted permission to leave.
The Titans, who already boasted a formidable forward pack, saw the chance to swoop on a player who had represented NSW and Australia.
More importantly, he was coming off a season where he picked up the Ken Thornett player of the year award at the Eels. In other words, despite Parramatta’s difficult year, he hadn’t allowed his personal standards to slide.
Campbell-Gillard wants to look forward rather than back. He would prefer to focus on the Titans rather than reflect on his time at the Eels as he prepares to begin a new adventure with his partner Alira and their children Harvey and Navy.
His talks with the Titans were largely kept under wraps as he patiently waited for the club to finalise a deal that will see him move to the Gold Coast for the next three years.
“I met them early in the week of round 27,” Campbell-Gillard said.
“We had a couple meetings with them and then I had to bide my time. We agreed to terms on Friday last week.
“Very excited, very keen. I’m not so keen to pack up this house because I hate the boxes and all that stuff.
“But I’ve never sort of gone outside of the comfort zone in terms of moving state - I’ve never done that. So, we’re moving away from all the family, which is something different.
“But very sort of keen and excited to see what this sort of holds.”
THE ATTRACTION
Campbell-Gillard and his family fell in love with the Gold Coast when they were stationed there during the Covid competition.
They already had tentative plans in place to move to Queensland after football but they were fast-tracked when the Titans came calling.
“It’s a no brainer,” Campbell-Gillard said.
“We always said that post-football we would want to move up there. So the stars aligned there to go, just sort of the lifestyle there.
“Their roster’s very good, they’ve got speed, they’ve got experience, and the coach as well. So it’s a great club and the talent that they have there is exciting and appealing for myself with my old legs.
“When we had the covid period, that was one of the best sort of times of my life and sort of career. Winters up there were 24 degrees, and we were only 10 metres from the beach, although I don’t like the beach.
“It’s a different lifestyle and everything’s sort of 10-15 minutes to get everywhere. I want to get the kids into nippers…. something different as a kid that I never had growing up.
“I wanted to do something different.”
THE COACH
The Titans’ first year under Hasler was a difficult one, with the club getting off to a slow start and finishing the season with only eight wins in 14th spot, one win and one spot better than Parramatta.
Hasler has a reputation as rugby league’s mad professor but like Campbell-Gillard, he hails from Sydney’s west.
They talked during the process and Campbell-Gillard did some digging around what it is like to be coached by the two-time premiership winner.
“I’m a Mt Druitt boy - so if he’s weird, I’m weird,” Campbell-Gillard said.
“Two weird blokes might get along. I don’t judge and I don’t discriminate. But I’m very, very excited.
“From what I’ve heard from players that have been coached by him, they love him. So, I’m excited. I’m very, very keen to get up there and get to work.”
THE PACK
The Titans already boast a formidable forward pack and Campbell-Gillard will make them one of the most fearsome in the competition.
There’s no hiding the excitement in his voice as he talks about playing alongside the likes of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Mo Fotuaika.
Campbell-Gillard and Fa’asuamaleaui have played together with Australia and the Titans captain is expected to move to lock to accommodate Campbell-Gillard’s arrival.
“I think most of their squad and their best 17 have played nearly over 100 games,” Campbell-Gillard said.
“They have a lot of speed and a lot of talent. They have a lot of youth coming through and with Tino coming back from injury and Mo as well - Tino is nearly at 100 games and Mo is at 150 - they’re still young as well.
“So I’ll be coming there to bring the average age up with myself and Foz (Kieran Foran). It takes a bit of pressure off Tino and Mo as well.”
TITANS SEAL RCG SIGNING
-Peter Badel, Travis Meyn and Brent Read
Reagan Campbell-Gillard is on his way to Queensland with the Gold Coast Titans set to win the signature of the Parramatta enforcer.
This masthead understands the former NSW Origin enforcer has agreed terms with the Titans and plans to report for Gold Coast’s pre-season in November after being granted a released by the Eels.
Campbell-Gillard was linked with several clubs, including the Dragons, Wests Tigers and Broncos, but the Titans are closing in formalising a multi-year deal for the veteran prop.
It is understood ‘RCG’ has yet to formally sign with the Titans. But well-placed sources say Campbell-Gillard has decided on the Titans as his preferred destination for 2025 and is currently looking for property on the glitter strip following promising negotiations with Gold Coast bosses.
The impending acquisition of Campbell-Gillard would trigger a reshuffle of the Titans’ forward pack.
Coach Des Hasler would move skipper Tino Fa’asumaleaui to lock to replace Super League-bound Isaac Liu, opening the door for Campbell-Gillard to partner Mo Fotuaika in the front row.
“It’s great to have Reagan join us in 2025,” Hasler said.
“He’s a no-nonsense front rower with a high work rate and has been a mainstay in the NRL for the past decade.
“It’s not every day a 200+ game Origin and International prop like Reagan becomes available and his experience will be a welcomed addition here at the Titans.”
Titans CEO Steve Mitchell was tight-lipped about the prospect of signing Campbell-Gillard, but praised the 31-year-old’s experience and value to any NRL roster.
“Recruitment and retention is a policy we don’t talk to, the make-up of the squad is very technical,” he said.
“Reagan is experienced. He has had a good year at Parramatta.
“Arguably our middles are very strong and we have Tino coming back (from a knee reconstruction) and our spine is starting to work.
“There are areas in our existing squad that are nice and strong and have good upside under another pre-season with Des.
“Reagan would offer value to a number of clubs which is why there is so much conjecture in the market.”
Campbell-Gillard has been in talks with the Titans after being released from the final year of his Parramatta contract in 2025.
The 117kg giant was crowned Parramatta’s best player of the 2024 NRL season, but opted to seek a fresh start at a new club following five seasons with the Eels.
He was officially released by the Eels nearly a month ago despite not having another contract lined up.
That could be about to change though, with Hasler’s Titans plotting to find a way to fit Campbell-Gillard into their 2025 roster.
Having received a payout from Parramatta, the Titans would likely need to find around $500,000-a-season for the former representative prop.
Hasler could not be reached for comment.
The Titans have been relatively quiet in the player market since Hasler’s arrival, with Wallabies convert Carter Gordon the club’s only recruit heading into the 2025 pre-season.
Campbell-Gillard has amassed 221 NRL games for the Panthers and Eels since making his debut in 2015 for Penrith.
A towering prop with 11 Tests and three State of Origin appearances for NSW next to his name, he would inject some experience into Gold Coast’s blossoming forward pack.
The Titans have a damaging edge back-row combination of David Fifita and Beau Fermor, while the hardworking Chris Randall inked a three-year contract extension this week.
The acquisition of Campbell-Gillard would give Hasler the flexibility to play Fa’asuamaleaui in the No.13 jumper if required.
Rising prop Josiah Pahulu is also on the books along with the consistent Jaimin Jolliffe and Klese Haas.
The Titans started the 2024 season with six straight losses before finding some form in the middle part of the year to fight back into the top eight mix.
However five consecutive losses to finish the season consigned Gold Coast to a third straight bottom four finish in Hasler’s first year in charge of the club.
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