Titans prop suspended, Bird injured

Gold Coast Titans prop Bodene Thompson will miss three NRL games after entering an early guilty plea to a careless high tackle.

Thompson was charged with a grade five offence in Saturday night’s match against the Canberra Raiders.

His tackle broke the jaw of Canberra’s Travis Waddell.

His early guilty plea will save him a trip to the NRL judiciary in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile Titans coach John Cartwright has downplayed an injury to five-eighth Greg Bird ahead of this Saturday night’s clash against North Queensland.

The former Test player left training early this morning to receive treatment on a neck injury, but Cartwright has dismissed suggestions Bird will not be fit to play the Cowboys.

Cartwright has indicated Preston Campbell will replace injured skipper Scott Prince at half-back and William Zillman will start at full-back.

Prince has been ruled out for four to six weeks with a broken thumb.

Campbell ready for Raiders

Match winner Preston Campbell says he is hungry to make his return for the Gold Coast against Canberra at Skilled Park on Saturday after being cleared of a head injury.

It was a frustrated fullback who had to watch his side snatch a golden point win against Souths on TV on Saturday after medical advice prevented him from flying to Sydney following his concussion sustained against the Warriors in round one.

A dazed Campbell was taken from the field late in the game after copping an accidental knee to the head, leaving him in such a state that he could not remember much of the match.

But after a week out and a solid training session on Tuesday, Campbell said he felt in good shape and was named in the starting side for the weekend clash.

“I feel alright, a lot better than last week,” he said.

“I got through the session alright today, it’s just a matter of monitoring what’s going on now.

“It was really painful watching the boys play last week, even though they won, I just don’t like sitting at home watching them play on TV, so it’d be great to get back out there.”

Coach John Cartwright was pleased with Campbell’s efforts at Robina on Tuesday but would play it by ear as to whether he would turn out against the Raiders.

“He got through that session alright,” Cartwright said.

“With a head knock and a history of it, we monitor him but he’s in good hands and if he’s not right we won’t let him play.”

William Zillman, who put in a solid performance in Campbell’s number one jersey against Souths, has been named on the bench.

Even though the Titans return to their home ground this weekend Campbell said the Raiders would be tough after holding on against Brisbane for a win on Monday night.

“They can be dangerous all over the park,” he said.

“They’ve got a great centre in young (Jarrod) Croker, their five eighth (Terry Campese) is probably one of the better five eighths in the competition, and their forward pack is big so potentially they could win in any of those areas.

“The big advantage they have is that they have size and they also have some youth there.”

- AAP

Campbell forced out of Rabbitohs clash

Gold Coast Titans full-back Preston Campbell has been ruled out of Friday night’s clash with South Sydney at the Olympic stadium.

A heavy head knock forced Campbell from the field near the end of last Sunday’s game against the Warriors.

The Titans medical staff have decided it would be too risky for him to play and he will remain on the Gold Coast.

William Zillman is travelling to Sydney with the team and is likely to take Campbell’s place.