Winger grows strong with Pride
ONCE a prodigy, Northern Pride winger Drew Campbell returns to the Queensland Cup this weekend against Burleigh older, wiser and, in his own estimation, a better footballer.
In 2004 Campbell went straight from Ivanhoes under-18 to the Queensland Cup with the North Queensland Young Guns.
But a knee reconstruction 10 games into that first season and a pectoral tear the next year restricted the Cairns junior to just 15 games.
Unable to break back into the top 17, Campbell had to watch from the sidelines as the Young Guns won the 2005 title.
In a case of deja vu, Campbell has had to bide his time in 2008 doing the little things well in the CDRL after missing Pride selection for round one.
While the northerners were winning their opening three games handsomely, the older and wiser Campbell refocused on a round five start, making his way back to Queensland Cup a week ahead of schedule, replacing John Williams.
"I knew I had to go back and play well because as soon as you drop your head it takes longer to get back," Campbell said.
"You need a good attitude. It is hard to get into the side when they are playing well."
The winger is looking forward to getting the ball in space outside the likes of scheming Chris Sheppard as well as playing in a winning team after two Foley Shield losses.
Campbell has added 12kg to tip the scales near 90kg and believes he now is more capable of lending a hand running the ball out of deep defence.
"It will be great to go into a winning side," Campbell said. "And it will be good to see a lot of ball.
"I was a lot smaller back then but I have put on a lot of weight which definitely helps when you are hitting it up among the forwards.
"I used to get belted."
In more evidence that the boy has become a man, Campbell believes his aspirations will be fulfilled if he can carve out a long career in the Queensland Cup.
"It would be good to get a couple of meat pies and keep my name in the program for a few weeks to come," he said.
"If I kill it and something happens then great.
"But I am content to do my best in the Queensland Cup."
The Northern Pride travels to the Gold Coast to play the unbeaten Burleigh Bears at Pizzey Park on Saturday night in a top-of-the-table clash.
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Making his run:Drew Campbell goes for a trot during training with the Northern Pride.
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