Preston Campbell defied the knockers who thought he was too small for the NRL, and now he has thrown his weight behind Canberra teenager Kane Allan after he was chosen in the NSW Indigenous under-16s side.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Overlooked for the Canberra Raiders' under-16 Harold Matthews squad, five-eighth Allan and forward Liam Bashford will play the curtain-raiser to next month's NRL All Stars match on the Gold Coast, the brainchild of Campbell.
The diminutive Campbell proved size does not always matter, winning a premiership with Penrith and a Dally M medal with Cronulla in his distinguished career.
Campbell, who played with Allan's father Richie Allan at the Gold Coast Chargers, has closely watched the teenager's development.
"I've known him since he was a baby and seen him grow up. He's always had a footy in his hand," Campbell said. "I know he wanted to be a professional sportsperson from a very young age. He's very tall and athletic and trains pretty hard. He'll definitely go a fair way.
"If he sticks with it, somebody's going to see the effort he's putting in and the attitude he has. He is quite talented. Once he fills out a little bit they'll be knocking on his door."
Allan said his failure to crack the Raiders under-16s only made him more determined to work hard.
Allan, a Gungahlin Bulls junior, and Bashford, from the Queanbeyan Kangaroos, were chosen for the NSW Indigenous under-16s after a trial involving more than 70 players.
A number of NRL Indigenous greats, including former Raider Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, spoke to the side during a recent camp at Narrabeen.
"His speech was pretty motivating. He said it doesn't matter where you're from, you can make it, as long as you put in the time and effort," Allan said.
"After that [not making the Raiders], I bumped my training up a bit from three to five days a week."
Like Campbell, Allan says his strengths are his speed and spontaneous play.
"[My idol] was Preston Campbell when he first made it. I looked up to him," Allan said. "No matter what size he was, he still put in with how he played. I'm a bit taller, but I'm a bit skinny."
Richie Allan, who played 16 first-grade games for the Roosters and Gold Coast, has been training his son and Bashford. His older son, Richie jnr, will play SG Ball for St George Illawarra this season.
"They've been training with me every second day. I flog the living daylights out of them," Allan said. "They don't whinge, they put in and what they do is probably equivalent to what Harold Matts do.
"It's a pretty big deal to make the team when most of the other boys are contracted to NRL clubs."
