Reagan Campbell-Gillard fired up for monster clash with Sharks pack

PANTHERS prop Reagan Campbell Gillard’s season has been a tale of two chapters, both before and after he suffered a broken jaw.

The hulking front-rower was one of the form props in the competition and a Blues Origin star when he was ruled out for six weeks with the injury.

Now fit and firing and back to his best, the challenges don’t get any easier, as the Panthers gear up for a clash with arguably the toughest forward pack in the competition.

Despite losing Wade Graham to a season ending ACL injury, the Sharks have premiership winning experience and a rampaging Andrew Fifita waiting for a shot at the Panthers.

Despite a number of former Panthers calling Cronulla home these days, Campbell-Gillard doesn’t think the clash will be personal, but it will be intense.

“I wouldn’t say it is going to be personal, but it’s a challenge that you can’t take a backward step,” Campbell-Gillard said.

“It’s a challenge that you’ve got to take with both hands and obviously the best forwards on the night on either team will win the game.

“All us forwards have a massive job this week to get the team moving forward and do a job on the Sharks.

“They have strike power across the whole park, both starting and coming off the bench as well.

“It is going to be an interesting battle and everyone is really fired up for the challenge.”

The Sharks started the mind games early in the week, with Paul Gallen calling out former teammate James Maloney.

The Panthers have been reluctant to return serve, but there is a quiet confidence about them, that they are ready to do their talking on the field.

“You don’t want to buy into all the talk about how good a pack they are or what they can potentially throw at you,” Campbell-Gillard said.

“We need to stick to our jobs and what works for us individually as players and for the team.

“If we do that, we will go a long way towards giving our backs the chance to score some points out wide.”

It has taken Campbell-Gillard time to get back to the player he was and he revealed the full extent of his recovery in the lead up to the Panthers do or die clash with the Sharks.

“My injury was pretty shit,” Campbell-Gillard said candidly.

“It is one of those things that you don’t want and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone to break their jaw.

“The mental side of breaking a jaw is huge. People might say it is only a broken jaw, but having your mouth shut for six weeks and trying to eat through a syringe is pretty shit.

“You can only have so much pumpkin soup down the throat, so it was definitely the toughest six weeks of my career.

“It’s in the past now and hopefully I’ve grown stronger from it and can just move forward onto bigger and better things.”

Injuries have been a common theme of the Panthers’ season, which makes their run to the semi-finals all the more remarkable.

With a preliminary final against Melbourne just one win away, it is not lost on Campbell-Gillard how strong the club has been, to stick together through the tough times.

“You never want injuries at a club and you pride yourself during preseason on getting yourself ready to try stay injury free,” Campbell-Gillard said.

“You don’t plan on injuries, but things happen in games and when an injury happens everybody jumps on board to support that player.”