Sunday Session: Crash Craddock sits down with former Dally M Medal winner Preston Campbell

In his latest edition of Sunday Session Crash Craddock sits down with Penrith, Cronulla and Gold Coast legend Preston Campbell who speaks about his 62kg frame, suicide attempt and the current NRL landscape.

Former NRL player Preston Campbell talks to Crash Craddock for Sunday Mail's Sunday Session. Picture: Adam Head

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In his latest edition of Sunday Session Crash Craddock sits down with Penrith, Cronulla and Gold Coast legend Preston Campbell.

Who was you favourite player of all time?

Matt Bowen. I admired him so much there were times I just got lost in the moment when I played him. I’d think “he’s awesome’’ and then I realised I had to tackle him.

You were the first signing ever for the Gold Coast Titans. Was that a brave decision?

I remember Scott Sattler rang me and just said “the Gold Coast are in’’ and he hung up. I had to ring him back. For me I had an opportunity to come back to the Coast. I signed as soon as I knew they were in. Penrith signed me up for one year to fill the gap between going them and I am always appreciative of that.

Former NRL player Preston Campbell talks to Crash Craddock for Sunday Mail's Sunday Session. Picture: Adam Head

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Y ou somehow survived as a small man in the land of the giants. How heavy were you?

When I finished I was 74kgs but when I started I was 62kgs and it took me 14 years to get up to 74kgs.

At 62kgs you were like a hurdles jockey?

Yes. I struggled to put weight on and keep it on. But it wasn’t something I thought about. I trusted my training, played on the wing early and stayed away from the middle. Size is not a problem. Attitude towards size is the big thing ... you are either too small, too fat or too skinny. Its not just the small people that cop it.

Do you think rugby league has become too obsessed about going for athletes rather than footballers?

There has been a feeling you need a certain look. It used to be very obsessive but I think they realise now great footballers come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. Look at Jake Trbojevic and you would not pick him as an athlete but he’s unbelievable. He has an engine, great skills.

Campbell was the Gold Coast Titans first ever signing.

Billy Slater once said the big guys were far more scared of him than they were of you. Can you see his point?

There is an advantage to being small. The big guys are not as agile and the majority of times the tackles they miss are on smaller blokes and they don’t want to be in the video room on Monday watching themselves missing a tackle on someone 20kgs lighter.

Players just seem to be getting bigger by the year. Do you sense that?

I sat beside Steve Renouf at the Broncos game the other night and I said “how the hell did we do that?’’ Maybe it was because we were sitting on the sideline but they really looked that big. And the big men like Jason Taumalolo are so mobile now.

Campbell also helped start the Indigenous All Stars and NRL All Stars game.

You beat Andrew Johns by a vote to be the Dally M medal winner. That must have been a major moment?

I was actually starstruck and didn’t really know how special the Dally M was. Now I do. But at that stage I was playing rugby league to support my family. I had a daughter when I was 19 and my wife was still at school when she had our daughter. Rugby league was not something I wanted to do. I was told I was too small. Then I started to play for the community.

When you close your eyes and think of Penrith’s grand final win what do you see?

Scott Sattler’s (great cover defending) tackle (on Roosters winger Todd Byrne). It was 6-all. Satts was one man inside me. He took off just in chase when the kick went through. Smart footballer. I had my toughest year of my life at Cronulla the year before so I won that premiership a year after almost taking my life.

Campbell won the 2003 Dally M Medal ahead of Andrew Johns.

So that was the incident where you deliberately drive into a tree in the hope of ending your life?

Yes. It was two days before Christmas and it was a tough year and I sat on stuff, bottled up and did not realise I was depressed. I was angry, scared and sad and I disguised the way I felt. It effected my sleep and my eating and relationships with others and my relationship with myself.

Things became overwhelming. Not once before then had I thought about hurting myself. On impulse I drove into a tree. I wanted to end the way I was feeling.

That experience at least must have helped you relate to the struggles of many players you have mentored?

We talked about the footy players and the pressures they have on them so sometimes you need someone who can step back and relate to them. I don’t judge people because I know how they are feeling.

LISTEN! Matty reveals the biggest lie he ever told coach, the song he can’t get out of his head, an Origin rumour that won’t go away and what it’s like to have a video session under Tommy Raudonikis. Don’t miss this week’s episode of the Matty Johns podcast.

What do you make of the form of Titans star Ash Taylor?

When I see Ash playing I think he is not playing his normal game because he is scared of doing something wrong. As he is at his best when taking calculated risks. He was at the top of the try assists a couple of years in a row. It is that not he is playing badly. It is just the whole team is lacking the self belief at crucial times.

Has rugby league become too structured?

Players fear doing something wrong. My game changed through fear. I loved the chip and chase yet barely did it in my last four years. It’s now more about structure and waiting for a mistake which is why I like Cam Munster.

You must be very proud of the All Stars game which was your idea?

It was just about brining people together and learning from each other. Rugby league has a lot of people who come from very humble beginnings. A lot of footballers want to share their stories with their communities in the hope they can benefit from them. That is why I like this Magic Round because there are a lot of charities involved who will benefit from it.