Cruel blow for Titans and Queensland as State of Origin hopeful ruled out
The Gold Coast Titans were reportedly left fuming on Sunday night when Jayden Campbell was ruled to have a category 1 concussion, despite passing his head injury assessment in the dressing rooms. And it could have State of Origin ramifications for Billy Slater and Queensland.
Campbell was ordered off the field in the first half of the Titans' 36-20 loss to Parramatta, after an innocuous incident in which he appeared to cop a knock from a teammate. The Titans halfback lay prone on the ground for a few seconds, which resulted in the independent doctor ruling him a category 1.
The cat-1 ruling meant Campbell was automatically ruled out for the rest of the game, and will now miss Gold Coast's Round 17 clash with the Cowboys due to the 11-day stand down protocol. But the Titans reportedly felt the independent doctor acted too hastily, especially after Campbell passed his head injury assessment in the sheds.
Jake Duke of Fox League reported the Titans were filthy that Campbell had been ruled out straight away, and couldn't come back into the action. Unless the Gold Coast can prove that Campbell didn't suffer a concussion - and that his initial symptoms were not indicative of concussion - and he passed all subsequent testing, he won't be playing next week either.
Jayden Campbell won't return today after being ordered from the field to undergo a HIA & deemed to have shown Category 1 (clear & obvious) signs of concussion.Will enter NRL's protocols with associated 11 day stand down & will miss Round 17 - unless the Titans challenge the pic.twitter.com/RzkWuIrUpa
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 22, 2025
It's set to rob him of a final audition for Slater's Queensland squad for Origin 3. Slater will pick his team for the series decider at the end of Round 17, and with Campbell not playing he won't be able to press his case for an unlikely call-up.
Many have suggested Campbell would be the perfect bench utility in Origin - or a valuable 18th man at the very least. Should the Maroons suffer an injury in the back-line between now and Origin 3, it's not inconceivable that Campbell would come into contention.
Slater picked Kurt Mann as his bench utility in Game 2, and Ezra Mam as 18th man. But Campbell actually covers more positions than Mam, and with the Titans on the bye in Round 18 (when Origin players aren't allowed to play club footy), he might have been a more desirable selection so Mam was available for the Broncos.
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The loss of Campbell on Sunday night proved costly for the Titans, who are now dead-last with four wins and 10 losses. They had the same record as the Eels heading into their Round 16 clash, but Parramatta have now jumped two points ahead.
Titans coach Des Hasler said Tom Weaver will replace Campbell at halfback next week. "He's OK," Hasler said about Campbell. "We've got young Tommy Weaver there. Tommy will come in and fill that role, at first thought anyway, if JC (Campbell), which is more than likely, is not to play (against the Cowboys)."
Campbell's absence left the goal-kicking duties to second-rower Beau Fermor, who had never kicked a goal at first-grade level before Sunday night. He managed only one from three attempts, and Hasler might be forced to make a change in that department against the Cowboys.
with AAP
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