Monday Buzz: Sandy Campbell story should be a game-changer for NRL
Jason Alchin’s emotional recounting of his reunion with the homeless ex-Bulldogs teammate Sandy Campbell is a wake-up call for the NRL, writes Phil Rothfield.
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Jason Alchin could barely recognise his old teammate.
Not with all the tattoos that now almost completely cover Sandy Campbell’s face.
“He noticed me first,” Alchin said.
“He was happy to see a familiar face and kept giving me hugs.”
Alchin and Campbell played footy together for the Australian schoolboys way back in 1984.
They joined the Canterbury Bulldogs the following year, Alchin at half-back, Campbell on the wing.
Now, 38 years later, they have been reunited under the most distressing circumstances.
Campbell is the homeless ex-player battling throat cancer in Tweed Heads.
When his story was revealed in The Daily Telegraph last week by colleague Dean Ritchie it sparked a huge reaction across the game. It is an important story that I’ll get to.
Alchin, who is now in Toowoomba coaching the Bulldogs’ feeder club, drove to the Gold Coast on Saturday.
He was there as a mate and on behalf of the Bulldogs.
“Anyone who has played for Canterbury is family,” Alchin said.
“And I told that to Sandy.
“That the entire club was there for him. Whatever he needs, he’ll be looked after.
“Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog.”
Alchin wouldn’t go into great detail about their conversation.
“He’s keen to keep it private,” Alchin said.
“He’s actually surprised everyone is making such a fuss.
“We had a long chat. It was good to catch up. He’s just living in his own little world.
“I told him how everyone was concerned, but he insists he’s going OK. He’s content.
“Importantly, he knows there’s a lot of people there for him who are prepared to help.”
Campbell is having treatment for his cancer in Tweed Heads Hospital every fortnight.
His costs are covered by the public health system but Canterbury has offered to chip in for anything that might help.
This has been such an important and timely story for rugby league.
It shows why the RLPA in their collective bargaining talks with the NRL have been so passionate about players’ lives after football.
The average career span of an NRL player is just four years.
So many leave the game without any long-term career prospects.
No trade, no education, no money.
I know of a recently retired former Origin and Kangaroo star. He’s blown it all on the pokies and has got nothing to show for a decade on big money.
It’s happening too regularly.
The Sandy Campbell story, as sad as it is, could be a game changer.
We need to make sure of that.
No ex-player should face the hardship that he has experienced.
In contrast, you have the story about Penrith’s Stephen Crichton over the weekend.
He’s 22 and bought his first house last week, a five-bedroom home for his family.
He’s aiming for a quick settlement to move in before Christmas.
By the time he’s retired he’ll be set up for the next phase of his life.
Like all NRL players should be.
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