NRL 2023: Thinking more about Jayden Campbell as a bench utility

The Gold Coast Titans have set their spine for the 2023 NRL season, and it’s not one many predicted heading into camp.

News has started to trickle out of Gold Coast Titans that Jayden Campbell will fill the #14 jersey to start the 2023 NRL season.

“The fullback battle has been won by former Queensland Origin representative AJ Brimson, which will send emerging star Jayden Campbell to the bench in a super sub role.” – Travis Meyn, Courier Mail

I’ve thought a lot about the Titans spine since late last season. Before Christmas, I landed on the spine I thought Justin Holbrook might go with:

1. Campbell
6. Brimson
7. Foran
9. Verrills
14. Boyd

I’d considered a few different combinations over the last few rounds of 2022. Not one had Campbell at 14…

In hindsight, it makes sense for Campbell to come off the bench.

AJ Brimson is at his best as a fullback, Kieran Foran is the veteran five-eighth the Titans desperately lacked last season, Sam Verrills is quite clearly the first-choice hooker, and Tanah Boyd deserves the first crack at halfback following a promising finish to the 2022 season.

That leaves Campbell, who most believe needs to be in the 17 somewhere, to come off the bench.

On first thought, carrying an undersized fullback as a utility is a strange approach. Thinking about it more, there are plenty of reasons to see why it might work:

1. Erin Clark is expected to play big minutes at lock. While the utility is often expected to pick up a shift at dummy half throughout a game or at least be a serviceable replacement for an in-game injury to the #9, Clark has those minutes covered.

2. Campbell is small compared with the majority of outside backs in the NRL. I wouldn’t expect him to take many minutes covering an injured centre. He can, however, push the winger in and take their spot. He will become a target on the last for any opposition kickers putting boot to ball inside the Gold Coast half, but if they get it wrong and the kick-chase isn’t there to meet him, Campbell’s speed, evasion and tackle-breaking ability adds some danger to the Titans set-starts in yardage.

3. Campbell isn’t the “throw him in the middle and let him play” sort of bench utility either. There isn’t a middle in the NRL that wouldn’t pick him out in the defensive line at least twice in a set. It will be interesting to see where he defends, but his ability as a ball player can work nicely.

This try last season captures exactly what Campbell can offer in good ball. With Isaac Liu tying up the inside defender (circled below) just enough for Campbell to skip to the outside and engage the three-in defender, David Fifita can burst onto the ball and through a one-man legs tackle.

Campbell linked up well with his halves at times throughout the 2022 season by filling in five-eighth shapes from fullback. He has the ball skills to be a threat out the back of shape and running game to beat defenders and cause havoc out wide.

The Titans will be able to play with incredible width in attack with both Brimson and Campbell on the field together.

It’s an important year for Holbrook. The Titans disappointed in 2022 and he can’t afford to start 2023 slowly. Playing Brimson, in particular, at his best position will help the Titans fire early in the year. Whether or not he stays there all season and Campbell, who is off-contract after the 2024 NRL season, is happy to come off the bench remains to be seen.