Gold Coast Titans star Jayden Campbell has secured his NRL future with a new two-year deal

The 23-year-old was already secured to the Glitter Strip for next season, however has opted against going to market from November 1 as he strives to find his long-term place in the jersey his father Preston made famous.

Reports emerged earlier this year linking Campbell to a shock move to Parramatta, as the livewire fullback expressed some initial frustrations at being left on the bench.

While he will take the number one jumper in the injury absence of AJ Brimson, he has been training and used at centre and five eighth in a bid to determine where his best fit is for coach Justin Holbrook’s side.

However Campbell said while he was still unaware of where his future on the field lay he was steadfast in finding that out in Titans’ colours.

He said he had drawn on inspiration from the likes of Valentine Holmes, Jack Wighton and Latrell Mitchell as a gauge of just how fruitful a positional switch can be for an NRL career.

“I still don’t know what my best position is yet. At the moment I think fullback is but in saying that I’m open to learning new positions and all that, just wherever I get my hands on the ball as much as possible,” Campbell said.

“This year is floating around and learning every position that I can, and then hopefully by the next pre-season there’ll be a position set in stone. We don’t know what it is yet but at the moment it hasn’t been on my mind, I try stay in the moment and whatever happens, happens.

“Val has gone from being a good winger and fullback to now one of the strike centres, Jack Wighton was a fullback and now is one of the best five eighths. Same with Latrell Mitchell, he was playing everywhere when he was at the Roosters.

“I guess you could say I’m just learning wherever I can and seeing how well I go and time will tell.”

Campbell declared that when the links to the Eels first surfaced he took little notice; adamant he wanted to help spearhead an era of dominance on the Gold Coast.

Each time he has been afforded the chance to start as opposed to taking the utility role he has thrived; averaging 133m and nearly five tackle busts a game from those outings.

While his market value could well have skyrocketed had he waited for a time in which he could field offers from rival clubs, Campbell said he never entertained that thought.

As the Gold Coast sit seventh on the NRL ladder — equal with the third placed Panthers for competition points — he said he sensed the club was on the brink of a successful period.

“I saw there were reports of me heading down south but my mindset is with the Titans. I wanted to stay with the Titans,” Campbell said.

“They’ve done so much for me and my family and at no point was I going to another club just to play a position that I wanted — I would rather stay somewhere I’m happy.

“I know how stressful negotiating and trying to find out what your future will be can get, but for me with the Titans as soon as they offered it I wanted to make sure I could do the best of myself and family here and stay here.

“We’ve been building towards something in the last few years. It’s a different feel around the club at the moment, and the Gold Coast is my home. I wanted to stay and bring success here.”

Campbell is the seventh Titan to commit to the club until the end of 2026; joining Brimson, captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, David Fifita, Brimson, Beau Fermor, Keano Kini and Alofiana Khan-Pereira.

nick.wright@news.com.au

Originally published as Gold Coast Titans star Jayden Campbell has secured his NRL future with a new two-year deal