Bulletin rugby league writer Brent O’Neill explains why Preston Campbell doesn’t make his Titans Team of the Decade

Yesterday, I had the audacity to leave club legend Preston Campbell out of my Titans Team of the Decade. Today, I am doubling down.

YESTERDAY, I had the audacity to leave club legend Preston Campbell out of my Titans Team of the Decade.

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Today, I am doubling down.

As the torrent of online hate headed my way last night over the decision to pick AJ Brimson (fullback) and Ash Taylor (five-eighth) ahead of Campbell, I started to wonder ‘what have you done?’.

But for me, Brimson has to be fullback.

VIEW BRENT O’NEILL’S TITANS TEAM OF THE DECADE

While the 21-year-old has just 36 games under his belt, he has been a shining light in a dismal Titans side over the past two seasons and looms as the man to lead their revival.

And so it comes down to Campbell vs Taylor.

After crying myself to sleep last night, I decided – as any journalist would do – to get down to the bare facts.

Titans legend Preston Campbell. Picture: Jono Searle

With Preston Campbell’s 2010 and 2011 stats proving near impossible to find, I moved on to the much-maligned Taylor.

Yes, his 2019 season was a disaster but fans can have short memories.

In 2016, Taylor finished with five tries, 12 try assists, 26 goals and 19 forced dropouts as the Titans made the finals for the first time since 2010.

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Not bad for a 21-year-old halfback playing his first full season of NRL. But it gets better.

The following season, he amassed 19 try assists (the second-most in the competition), five tries, finished equal-fifth for 40/20s and was 10th for total kicking metres with 5405.

In 2018, Taylor finished third in the NRL for try assists (with 18), 12th for line break assists (with 12) and sixth for kicking metres (with 6673).

Maligned halfback Ash Taylor. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

Over those three seasons, he forced 46 line dropouts in 69 games.

In 39 games for the Titans across 2010-11, Campbell scored four tries, 48 points and collected a wooden spoon in his final season.

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Stats alone don’t always tell the full story but there’s no doubt Presto was in his twilight as a player.

Now 42, Campbell is arguably the greatest Titan in the club’s 13-season history, but I will argue against anyone who says he was more influential over those two years than Taylor has been.

ASH TAYLOR STATISTICS - 2016-18

■ 2016 - 5 tries, 12 try assists, 26 goals, 1067 running metres, 19 forced dropouts, 3947 kicking metres

■ 2017 - 5 tries, 19 try assists, 38 goals, 1266 running metres, 15 forced dropouts, 5405 kicking metres

■ 2018 - 3 tries, 18 try assists, 19 goals, 1266 running metres, 12 forced dropouts, 6673 kicking metres