Gold Coast Titans legend Preston Campbell says any attempts to lure Harry Grant to the Glitter Strip would be on the condition the Kangaroos superstar would be joining for the betterment of the club, rather than simply a lucrative lifestyle change.
Grant’s decision not to activate a 2028 player option in his contract with the Melbourne Storm has made the NRL’s leading hooker a free agent. That has since linked the Queensland Maroons dummy-half to the Titans.
“There are probably 17 clubs who are going ‘is it worth having a chat to Harry?’ I’d probably put us in the same boat: contemplating,” Titans chief executive Steve Mitchell said.
“It goes back to the composition of your squad over a period of time, and what you look like in ’29 and ’30, so we need to make sure we’ve got those pathways right and kids who are developing and coming through, and we know in 2029, 2030, we’re not going to be lopsided.”
Funds should not be an obstacle for the Titans to afford Grant, given they are poised to release Cooper Bai and AJ Brimson. But Campbell was adamant money could not dictate his signing, and recruitment must not be at the expense of internal player development.
There have been some reports which have hinted Grant could seek a lifestyle change, given his love of surfing, which would put the Gold Coast in prime position to make a compelling play.
Speaking as the Titans unveiled their 2027 jersey to celebrate the side’s 20th year in the NRL, Campbell told this masthead that as much of a standout talent as Grant was, a move needed to be driven by his desires on the field.
Alluding to the form of late-blooming rookie Oliver Pascoe, the club’s founding fullback said a vision to deliver premiership glory to the region must be the priority motivator should Grant arrive.
“To understand why he wants to come here – if he wants to come here – is really important because you’ve got players here right now who want to be here,” Campbell said.
“They’ll work really hard and put their body on the line for the club. Harry is an elite athlete, he’s one of the best – if not, the best – hookers in the competition, but you have clubs who have made the mistake in the past of thinking we can just buy a great team instead of developing a great team.
“They have a really good opportunity to develop a team, and should look at the stocks they have. To have him here is great, but I’ve played at clubs and seen other clubs take on players who have no interest in coming to benefit the club, they come for the lifestyle and the money.
“That’s being honest and that’s being real, and you want players at the club who … want to succeed and grow as a player and person, but want to see the club succeed as well.”
Grant’s acquisition would, however, provide the Titans with the perfect spine leader to guide the outfit’s blossoming playmakers.
New Zealand No.1 Keano Kini (2030), halfback Zane Harrison (2029) and Campbell’s son, five-eighth Jayden (2031), are all secured on long-term deals and a player of Grant’s calibre has the potential to unlock the trio’s capabilities.
The retention of Harrison has been crucial, given the Gold Coast’s inability to cement a No.7 since inaugural maestro Scott Prince donned the colours.
The 20-year-old was caught in a public contract saga, in which figures as high as $900,000 were reported for his services despite playing just 11 games. Debate on whether he was worth such funds ensued, as did links to the Papua New Guinea Chiefs for 2028.
But Harrison – who burst onto the scene with three try assists and a match-winning field goal against the Penrith Panthers – said the chatter did not faze him.
Nor, the homegrown product said, did the tax-free incentives of the Chiefs.
“We’re not allowed to speak to other clubs because we hadn’t hit November 1, so I didn’t have my eyes anywhere else. My love for the Gold Coast is unmatched, so my decision was easy,” Harrison said, whose maiden campaign was ended by a hamstring injury.
“It was frustrating at the time, the disrespectful comments coming from other people, but I try to ignore that – I knew my love for the Titans, and that’s all that matters. It just flew over my head.
“My goal is to bring success to this club. I was always going to stay loyal.”
Harrison revealed he was in regular contact with Titans minority co-owner Matthew Johns, and had been discussing his game with the Newcastle champion and his brother Andrew Johns “week to week” in a bid to take his craft further.
Campbell – who won the Dally M Medal as a No.7 with Cronulla in 2001 – believed Harrison could bring silverware to the city in a way that even Prince, who inspired consecutive top four finishes in 2009 and 2010, could not.
“Zane is a real halfback, that’s where he’s played all of his career, and it is a specialised position. You could have all the skill and ability physicality, but it’s the footy ability and mentality, and Zane has that,” Campbell said.
“Just because he’s young, doesn’t mean he’s not mature. He’s a great footballer, I think a lot of people were worried about his physicality, but he had no problems with that.
“The Gold Coast Titans have been struggling for a game manager for a long time, and now they’ve got one. In this era, and at his age, to do what he’s been able to do, I’m excited about where it’s going to head for him.”
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