Meet the young touch star hoping continue her family’s NRL legacy

The granddaughter of one of South Sydney’s most cherished players is set to use the world’s biggest touch football tournament to continue working towards her dream of emulating his feats in rugby league’s top level.

The granddaughter of one of South Sydney’s most cherished players is set to use the world’s biggest touch football tournament to continue working towards her dream of emulating his feats in rugby league’s top level.

Campbell Phillips will be one of 6000 touch footballers vying for state glory at the Gold Coast Titans All Schools tournament at Runaway Bay on Wednesday — but her dreams go beyond just this.

The four-day tournament will host the next generation of Queensland touch, rugby and sevens stars with more than 1700 games over 23 fields in the Gold Coast.

Touch football player Campbell Phillips is already dreaming of an NRLW career to match her grandfathers at the Rabbitohs. Picture Glenn Hampson

Miami High student and rising junior star Phillips will be vying for the 15s Girls title after being knocked out in the semi finals in 2021.

15-year-old Phillips is coming off an impressive campaign with the South Queensland Sharks at the National Youth Championships where they made it to the quarterfinals.

While a state premiership is at the forefront of Phillips’ mind, she said her major goal for 2022 has already been ticked off.

“My big goal at the star of the year was to make the Queensland team, and I did that,” Phillips said.

“So I’ve got Nationals in Wagga Wagga and I’m hoping to do really well there.”

For now, Phillips may be content with mastering touch but as the granddaughter of South Sydney Rabbitohs player Jeff Withers, she said a career in football was definitely on the cards.

Withers played 54 senior games for the side before retiring in 1976.

Touch football player Campbell Phillips practising at Miami High. Campbell is playing for Miami in the All Schools state tournament and will be going for gold with the 15 years girls team. Picture Glenn Hampson

“I would like to start playing 7s and the NRL women’s would be a goal,” Phillips said.

“Just something around that sporting area I’d love to make one of the big teams one day.

“I’ve always just been raised around sport, so even when I was little I’d jump in with my brothers teams.

“I did do dance, but that didn’t last very long.”

Phillips is expecting a big tournament from her Miami side, with the team training every day in the lead up.

“We should go good, we just have our big competitor PBC.

“We versed them last year in the semi finals and they beat us, but we’ll hopefully beat them this year.

“We train together every day and we’ve been doing early mornings, putting heaps of hard work into it.

“We set a goal at the start of the year to win the whole thing.”

15 Boys

The Gold Coast Titans All Schools title is a strong chance of remaining on the Gold Coast with the Keebra Park State High School 15s Boys team.

Keebra’s touch football program is headed up by Queensland and Australian touch representative Peter Norman.

Spectators should keep an eye on Carter Skinner and Qwayde Shaw.

Marsden State High School are another school that will be hot contenders for the overall All Schools title.

Young guns Adaquix Watts-Luke and Hayden Watson-Whakatihi will be looking to impress for Marsden.

15 Girls

Fresh off an impressive National Youth Championships campaign on the Sunshine Coast will be Miami High students Campbell Phillips, Grace Jacobsen and Reese Rigby.

Palm Beach Currumbin are also there in title contention, with the ‘red’s eyes firmly set on the gold.

The side is littered with South Coast representatives including Oceania Graham, Evie Clarkson, Brianna Barrett and Krystal Meehan.

Rockhampton school the Cathedral College are another red hot team that could take the chocolates.

Their 15s Girls team will fierce, bolstered by Molly Kelso and Zoe Robson.

Open Girls

St Aidan's Anglican Girls School are the team on everyone's watch list. If the trio of Rhani Hagan, Tayla Sykes and Amelia Chadburn are firing, the St Aidans team will be unstoppable.

But their gold medal dreams could be stolen if The Cathedral College are firing.

After watching her older brothers dominate at the Touch Football State of Origin earlier this year, Kailah Bob will be the one to watch.

Open Mixed

The Open Mixed division will be some of the fastest touch football going around. Miami High are hoping to be there on the finals day, and Ethan Mott will be key to their success.

For Emmaus Rockhampton the quad of Samantha Hancock, Lila Pratt, Seth Carpenter and Liam Barnes will be hoping to guide their team to a fourth consecutive Gold Coast Titans All Schools title.

Open Boys

In the Open Boys, Ormeau Woods State High School will no doubt live up to their name residing on Goldmine Road on the Northern Gold Coast.

Ormeau Woods is a goldmine of touch football players, and Jai Charlton and Raydyn Haeata will be two of the best to watch at All Schools.

When teams come up against the Sunshine Coast’s Chancellor State College, they are always going to be hard to beat.

Chancellor are a real nursery of touch football talent, with two Touch Football Australia national coaches in Phil Gyemore and Paul Cobham at the helm.

Chancellor have selected a strong team including Jordan Bell, who is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his mum and dad to play touch football for Australia, and athletics superstar Payton Craig.

Hailing from Northern Queensland, Ignatius Park are known for their cross code stars, with players making a name for themselves in both rugby league and touch football.

Having dominated at the Schoolboys rugby league State of Origin earlier in the year, Matthew Hunter will be the one to watch.

His teammates Marcus Bell and Brodie Dinneen will also be looking to fire.