'First rep footy I wanted to play': Campbell family create special history

A special piece of history has been written for this year’s men’s NRL All Star clash, with Jayden Campbell following in the footsteps of his father Preston in donning an Indigenous team jersey.

Campbell senior was the founding father of the All Stars concept, bringing it to the NRL and playing in the first edition in 2010, with son Jayden becoming the first second generation player to take to the field.

“It's fantastic, I reckon that when football's all said and done, it’s the moments that you have like that, you create memories,” Indigenous All Stars coach Ronnie Griffiths said about breaking the news to JC that he had been selected in the team.

“The way he spoke, the excitement in his voice; that's something that'll stick with me forever.”

As a debutant, Campbell was yet to save the number of his coach into his phone and “got about four or five missed calls in a row from an unknown number” before finally picking up to hear the good news.

"I decided to answer after the fifth time and it was Ronnie Griffiths, the Indigenous All Stars coach, he asked me if I would like to play and I immediately had a big smile on my face,” Campbell told Titans.com.au.

"It means so much to me and I am sure it will mean a lot to my family as well, I am super stoked.

"It means a lot. The first representative footy that I wanted to play is All Stars."

Campbell is one of four Titans players selected in the Indigenous Men’s side alongside Jacob Alick-Wiencke, Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Brian Kelly, who Griffiths was counting on to share his experience with his side.

“Importantly from our perspective, Brian Kelly's back again, he had a fantastic game last year, and when you play in the preceding years or the year before, I reckon you pick yourself in these sort of teams; the way you are in camp and the way you play on game day,” Griffiths said.

“Brian oozes the persona of All Stars; for him, the importance of and the cultural significance is not lost on him.

“The way he's around the group and he brings that experience on the field, he plays with passion.

“He'll no doubt take a lead with those young blokes that they get next first opportunity with Jacob and Jay and also Lofi, he's only played once, so Brian's got a big hand to play there.”

For Griffiths – who has recently taken on the role of NRLW head coach with the Warriors – the football was only one component of a busy All Stars week, with a huge emphasis placed on culture, creating connection and sharing that not just within the team, but with the fans of the game.

“I have no doubt the players will represent the fans really well, and I understand that what we're doing over the next week, it'll culminate in a game on Saturday night where everything is for the fans and those young players will know that and they'll play like that," Griffiths said. 

“That's the most important part of the week, to be able to engage with the fans and we get to share some of our culture and rich history with them.

“The boys can walk up and talk to someone or sign an autograph and they've got the potential to change a life.

“The importance of that to our group, it's not lost on us. We really, really take pride in that.

“I think the other thing is internally that the strong focus on culture is providing a week where the players can be really supported culturally and learn more about it.

“When we send them back to clubland; we feel that they go back stronger … they have been in camp and learned more about their culture in a real safe space for them.”

Culture is an equally important component for all the players in the Māori side, with Griffiths appreciating the deeper understanding he was developing of that culture through his new role with the Warriors.

“We got a small snippet of their culture when we were over there previously (in Rotorua in 2023), but it's been great to be able to see it in person for a longer period of time," Griffiths said.

“Both cultures are still fighting for the rights of their people, so the importance of the game and what we represent, it's certainly not lost on me and I get an inside look at it from a Māori perspective this year as well.”

The Māori team will have no shortage of experience with Kiwi captain James Fisher-Harris again to lead his side.

The new Warriors recruit will be joined by superstar Kalyn Ponga who last represented the side in 2020 where he kicked five from five conversions as the Māori side defeated the Indigenous team 30-16 on the Gold Coast and fellow Maroons back Dane Gagai, who has also formerly represented his Indigenous heritage in the fixture as well.

New faces including rising Titans young gun Keano Kini who was a finalist for the 2024 Golden Boot award and Storm’s dual international winger Will Warbrick.

Tickets for Harvey Norman All Stars 2025 are available from nrl.com/tickets, starting at $25 for adults and $75 for families (two adults and two children).