- Reagan Campbell-Gillard has penned a three-year deal to join the Gold Coast
- He was shocklingly shown the door by Parramatta despite a stand-out season
Reagan Campbell-Gillard has spoken out on his shock Parramatta Eels exit.
The 31-year-old was granted a release from the final year of his contract at Kellyville Park after the arrival of new coach Jason Ryles, who had deemed him surplus to requirements.
That came even after Campbell-Gillard had enjoyed an excellent season for the Eels’ engine room, featuring in 24 games and being crowned their Player of the Year.
While he had been linked with a move to join St George Illawarra, he has instead penned a three-year deal to join Gold Coast Titans.
Addressing the move, Campbell-Gillard gave an insight into the reasoning behind his Parramatta departure, stating ‘s*** happens’.
‘I’m not going to go into too much details, but I said to Ryles, “tell me how it is” and he felt like he wanted to go in a different direction,’ he said to reporters.
Reagan Campbell-Gillard has lifted the lid on his shock Parramatta Eels exit after joining the Gold Coast Titans
His exit came after new Eels boss Jason Ryles (pictured) took over at Parramatta, and had told the prop that the club would be going in a ‘new direction’
Campbell-Gillard has since signed a new three-year deal to join the Gold Coast Titans
‘I understand that – it’s a business and everyone needs to understand that as well.
‘I still had one more year left, but at my age to secure my future, that was sort of main thing and having that security as well. At my age, three years is a lifetime.
‘S*** happens, you know, that’s just rugby league and how the business works. They don’t want me, then that’s alright. I’m fully okay with that and I’ve landed up here.’
Campbell-Gillard, who began his NRL career with the Panthers in 2015, brings bags of experience playing at the top level.
He has 221 NRL appearances under his belt and has represented New South Wales and the Kangaroos.
It comes as the Queensland club have been working to develop their roster after slumping to 14th in the NRL ladder last season.
They are also set to welcome back Titans captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui after missing the majority of 2024 due to an ACL injury.
And Campbell-Gillard is hopeful that he can help the 24-year-old prop come return with a bang after his rehabilitation is complete.
It came after Campbell-Gillard had enjoyed a stand-out season in which he was named the Eels’ player of the year
‘I’ve come to take the pressure off Tino,’ he said.
‘Tino’s coming back from an injury and a bad one as well.
‘So with myself and Moe [Fotuaika] and the other boys on the bench with Jaimin [Jolliffe] as well, I think if we could take the pressure off Tino, then he’s not doing a lot of work to get the team forward.
‘I’m happy to do that role and I’ll do it for him.’
