Keebra Park coach Glen Campbell says region is ready for NRL team No.3

The Gold Coast’s largest rugby league talent factory has declared the region is “absolutely” capable of producing the players to sustain a third NRL team in southeast Queensland.

The Gold Coast’s largest rugby league talent factory has declared the region is “absolutely” capable of producing the players to sustain a third NRL team in southeast Queensland.

In recent years Keebra Park and Palm Beach-Currumbin High Schools have turned the art of player development into a science, launching talented teens into the NRL’s front lines at younger ages than ever before.

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Keebra Park coach Glen Campbell says the presence of an NRL expansion team is an exciting prospect for a new generation hunting for an opportunity to make their mark.

Keebra Park rugby league coach Glen Campbell. Picture: Jerad Williams

“Between the Gold Coast and Ipswich we’re absolutely producing enough footballers to feed a third southeast team,” Campbell said.

“We’re two of the greatest growth areas in the state, and more teams is going to equal more opportunity.

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“The boys are going to be the big winners (of NRL expansion), and particularly the boys who didn’t make it previously.

“There’s such a big pool of talent available that not everyone can make it to the NRL level.

“This will give more opportunity to the boys who deserved a shot but didn’t get one.”

Some of the Keebra Park’s team for the 2017 GIO Cup national final hoping to earn some respect. . Left to right they are Paul Karaitiana, David Fifita and Geordie Brand. Picture Glenn Hampson

Foundation Titans list manager Scott Sattler, now involved with the Brisbane Bombers bid, said the expansion club could also draw from Australian NRL players forced overseas by salary cap restrictions.

“Every season we’re seeing a gluttony of players who shouldn’t have to leave the NRL go to the Super League for a range of reasons.

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“The Super League is a good competition but Blake Austin and Jackson Hastings, why do they need to go when they can kept in the NRL?

“I think opportunity breeds opportunity, and with the expansion of the NRL we’ll always find players to fill a squad.

“We don’t want to see a situation where talent is being forced overseas.”

Brisbane Bombers NRL team bid director Nick Livermore is seen posing for a photograph at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Sunday, May 31, 2020. The NRL have announced plans to include a second Brisbane based team into the NRL competition in the 2022 season. (AAP Image/Darren England)