NRL 2020: Parramatta Eels’ Reagan Campbell-Gillard’s phenomenal GPS statistics
When Reagan Campbell-Gillard arrived at the club his career was at a crossroads. After two broken jaws some thought he was broken goods, but now RCG is doing things Brad Arthur didn’t think were possible.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Imagine running eight kilometres and getting clobbered or stopping for a wrestle every few hundred metres along the way.
In a nutshell, that was Reagan Campbell-Gillard’s phenomenal night out against Canberra last Saturday night.
When Campbell-Gillard arrived at Parramatta he was about 10kg overweight and his career was at the crossroads.
Make no mistake, there was a genuine concern the former Test prop was damaged goods after two broken jaws — and he’d never be the player he once was.
But such has been his turnaround in fitness and attitude that Brad Arthur has revealed what an astonishing ironman performance big Reg produced in the golden point win.
Incredibly, the GPS tracker showed that the 115kg front-rower travelled an unbelievable 8km during the match, more than any prop Arthur has ever coached.
It also included 25 hit ups for 233m, as well as 45 tackles during a 78-minute monster workout.
To put that in perspective, the average prop would run about 5km in a match.
Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Every game of every round Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
The club’s fittest player, Clint Gutherson, travels about 10km playing fullback, which is the most endurance based position on the field.
But for front-rowers like RCG, there job is all about high intensity and bone-crunching collisions.
It wouldn’t be unlike Campbell-Gillard running from Bankwest Stadium to ANZ Stadium at Homebush, and running into brick walls the entire way.
“He was a machine,” Arthur said.
“That is (45) times getting up and down off the ground.
“Then 25 runs, you know what I mean.
“And the amount of times you have to go forward and then travel backwards and the change of direction.”
Arthur said he’d never seen a prop cover as much ground: “Not that sort of numbers. There might be some 13s (lock forwards) in the game that do it, but not many front rowers … I haven’t seen it.”
What impressed Arthur almost as much was that “he blew up for taking him off for a quick spell”.
It’s no secret Campbell-Gillard was out of shape when he arrived from Penrith and his attitude was also up for debate.
But his form at the moment is getting back towards career best.
It’s also worth remembering, despite all he’s already achieved he’s still only 26.
Some of the runs he put in against the massive Raiders pack were like RCG at his blockbusting best, and he’s never looked fitter or appeared to be enjoying his footy more.
“I have always been a fan of Reg,” Arthur added.
“And I still think Reg can get better.”
While some thought Campbell-Gillard might have been a bad buy after the form he showed last year, Arthur was confident the change would be good for everyone.
“I just backed myself,” Arthur continued. “That if you get the right people, I can help them with the system we have here.”