Player Kevin Campion

Kevin Campion (born 18 September 1971) is a former Ireland international rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he also played for Ireland in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. Campion played his club football in Australia for Gold Coast Seagulls, St. George Dragons, Adelaide Rams, Brisbane Broncos, New Zealand Warriors and North Queensland Cowboys.

Campion was born in Sarina, Queensland, Australila.

Kevin is the younger brother of Australian radio personality Paul Campion. His younger brother Neil Campion was a coach at Aspley Junior Rugby League club.

Campion is one of three State of Origin representative products from Sarina State High School (along with Dale Shearer and Wendell Sailor), and one of four from the Sarina Crocodiles (along with Shearer, Sailor and Martin Bella).

Campion made his début for the Gold Coast Seagulls in 1993, and went on to play 44 games for the club before signing with St. George for the 1996 season. He played in the second-row in the Dragons' 8–20 loss to Manly in the Grand Final at the Sydney Football Stadium. It would be his last game for St. George as he had signed to play for the Adelaide Rams in the new Super League competition in 1997.

After joining the Rams, Campion was one of the team's stand-out players in the club's first season. He would make his representative début for Queensland during the 1997 Super League Tri-series that year but sensationally was told by Rams coach Rod Reddy that he was not part of his plans for the club in 1998.

After leaving Adelaide, Kevin Campion was snapped up by Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett, and went on to play 80 games for the club between 1998 and 2000, including the 1998 and 2000 NRL Grand Finals. He scored a try for Brisbane in their 38–12 win over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the 1998 decider.

Campion then signed with the New Zealand Warriors in 2001 and went on to play at lock forward in their 2002 NRL Grand Final loss to the Sydney Roosters. At half-time in that match, coach Daniel Anderson (rugby league) attempted to inspire the team by playing a mock commentary track of the Warriors scoring "the greatest try ever scored". Campion picked up the tape recorder, smashed it on the ground and gave the team an inspired speech instead.

This appearance made Campion one of only five players who have played in Grand Finals for three clubs during his career.

Campion also represented Queensland on six occasions: four times in the annual State of Origin series, and twice in the Super League Tri-series. He also helped Ireland to the quarter-finals in the 2000 World Cup. Whilst at the New Zealand Warriors, Campion was co-captain with New Zealand international halfback Stacey Jones.

Campion retired at the end of National Rugby League season 2004 with 241 first grade games. During the 2005 season he was involved in coaching with the New Zealand Warriors but has since returned to Gold Coast.


Veteran Queensland forward, originally from Sarina, started his career with the cash-strapped G’Coast club in 1992. After four years with the Seagulls, Campion moved to St George where he was a member of the Dragons’ team that went down to Manly in the 1996 grand final. The ARL originally blocked his move to Super League, but after a season with the Adelaide Rams (in which he came under the eye of Wayne Bennett when he represented Queensland in Super League’s Tri-series competition) he secured a release from the final year of his contract to play with Brisbane. An interchange player in the club’s 1998 grand final win over Canterbury, Campion’s work ethic and dedication in doing the hard yards helped him to secure the lock forward role in the Broncos’ grand final team that beat the Roosters in 2000. After representing Ireland in the 2000 World Cup, Campion turned his back on an offer to play with Warrington and joined the Warriors. The move paid off, with Campion making his belated State of Origin debut in Queensland’s stunning series win under former mentor Wayne Bennett in 2001. His experience and leadership when the Warriors made the 2002 grand final can not be under-estimated, but salary cap restrictions saw him leave the club to see out his career with the North Queensland North Queensland. He has since returned to the Warriors as an assistant coach for 2005. .

What I would give for another Campion in our team. Barnett is pretty close though.

Hard bloke. Very much a good presence. Punching Webcke was awesome. Don't remember actual ball running catching passing tackling things. Just that bleeding Bronco which was enough for me. A keeper

Kevin owns commercial cleaning business Identified Services based in the Gold Coast, Australia...

Where are they now? Former Warriors hard man Kevin Campion​

Brendon Egan
May 25, 2025

What keeps you busy these days?

I’m still on the Gold Coast. I’ve been here since I left New Zealand in 2005, so it’s been great. I’ve got a commercial cleaning business [Identified Services]. We’ve got two parts to the business. I’ve got an industrial waterproofing business as well. Pubs, clubs, gyms and schools and we work in the mining industry as well with our protective coating products. It keeps me off the street. I started the business 10 years ago, the cleaning business and got sidetracked into the waterproofing business as well. I’m really happy with how the business is going.




At Identified Services, principles of honesty, quality, and dependability underpin every project we tackle.

Founded by Kevin Campion, former Queensland State of Origin representative, Brisbane Bronco, and New Zealand Warrior, Identified Services was built on the same values needed on the pitch - integrity and hard work.

Kevin and his team are committed to building long-term professional relationships with the companies they partner with, and their client support is second to none.

Whether you're seeking comprehensive commercial cleaning, waterproofing and protective coatings, or labour-hire services, the experienced team delivers superior results every time.

Based on the Gold Coast and proudly serving clients across Queensland, including Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, Identified Services consistently goes the extra mile to exceed expectations. Discover the difference they can make for your business.

Where are they now? Former Warriors hard man Kevin Campion​

Brendon Egan
May 25, 2025
Warriors lock Kevin Campion eyes a gap against the Bulldogs in Wellington in 2002.Photosport

Queensland hard man Kevin Campion spent just two seasons at the Warriors, but had quite the impact.

The uncompromising lock helped the Warriors qualify for the finals for the first time in 2001, co-captaining the team with Stacey Jones.

The next season, the Warriors captured the minor premiership and made it all the way to the grand final, losing 30-8 to the Roosters.

Campion won two NRL titles with the star-studded Brisbane Broncos in 1998 and 2000 and played in four grand finals with three teams, also featuring for St George in 1996 in a defeat to Manly.

The 53-year-old never took a backward step on the field and was renowned as one of the toughest players in Australian rugby league.

A bloodied Kevin Campion pictured with his sons after the Warriors’ 2002 grand final loss to the Roosters.Photosport

What keeps you busy these days?

I’m still on the Gold Coast. I’ve been here since I left New Zealand in 2005, so it’s been great. I’ve got a commercial cleaning business [Identified Services]. We’ve got two parts to the business. I’ve got an industrial waterproofing business as well. Pubs, clubs, gyms and schools and we work in the mining industry as well with our protective coating products. It keeps me off the street. I started the business 10 years ago, the cleaning business and got sidetracked into the waterproofing business as well. I’m really happy with how the business is going.

You were set to join your Bronco mates Allan Langer and Andrew Gee at Warrington, but signed with the Warriors in 2001. What happened?
It was strange. I was over representing Ireland in the 2000 World Cup and I had a chance to go over there [to England] for a month and a half that we played footy for. While I was there it was really cold and wet and my young fella had bad croup at the time, my last year at the Broncos 2000. He spent a lot of time in hospital. We just decided it probably wasn’t for us to go to England and luckily enough the Warriors were just going through a transition stage. They had new owners, a new coach, new management. I was lucky enough to get a contract.

Wairangi Koopu and Kevin Campion celebrate the Warriors' 36-20 qualifying final win over Canberra in 2002.Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

How do you reflect on your two years at the Warriors?

I loved my time there. To the club’s credit we had some really good success. It was the first year we made the finals in 2001 and then we went on to play in the grand final in 2002. The success was a lot to do with it. I’d come from the Broncos system and just some tough work ethic from what I’d learned there over to the Warriors and the boys loved it.

We had such a great group of men and we all got on well. We had some tremendous players –Stacey Jones, Ali Lauitiiti, Clinton Toopi, those guys, and in the forward pack, Awen Guttenbeil. It was a good Aussie mix there as well. It wasn’t just me. We had some really good players. Ivan Clearly was at fullback playing some tremendous football and PJ Marsh came into the squad in 2002 and changed our whole playing style. We had some really wonderful players at that time.

How tough was the adjustment going from Queensland to Auckland?

It was great. We’re only three hours away, so we had family coming over all the time. There was a bit of support there as well for my young family. I loved it. I had an amazing time those two years playing there. I would love to go back one day and probably live there. We’ll see what happens.

You were renowned as a hard man on the rugby league field. Where did that toughness come from?

Dad played a lot of rugby league in North Queensland and represented Mackay and played in the Foley Shield up that way. I never saw him play, but from the word around town he was a tough hombre. I think I was a bit more skilful than the old man, but it was a great nursery in North Queensland. Coming though the grades I played with some very good players that could have probably went on and played in the NRL. I got a chance to play for Mackay in the Foley Shield when I was an 18-year-old kid and played with some wonderful players up there. It was a tough grounding for me and set the standard for how I played footy.

Kevin Campion scores a try for the Warriors against the Rabbitohs at Mt Smart Stadium in 2002.Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

People still talk about your great dust-up with Broncos prop Shane Webcke for the Warriors in 2002. Who started that scrap?

It was just one of those things on the field. It probably should have stayed on the field. We’d been mates at the Broncos and it’s nothing between us at all. I just caught him in a really good tackle and like Webby he was a very stubborn man and took offence to it and threw a bit of a punch. The rest is pretty comical to tell you the truth. Every time we catch up he reminds me of it.

Was that the best punch-up of your career?

I didn’t have too many fights on the field to tell you the truth. It was generally in the closed area of the scrum where I was throwing punches. No-one saw some of the dust-ups I had on the field.

Your face always seemed to be cut up and bleeding in games. How many stitches would you have got over your career?

I played for 12 seasons and probably averaged 100 plus stitches a year, so there’s a few there. I had some memorable ones at the Warriors. Thank God for the doctor [Chris Hanna] we had at that time. He used to stitch me up a lot and did a pretty good job. I remember [Warriors CEO] Mick Watson, I invited him into the dressing room where the doctor was one day to stitch me up, so he had a fair crack as well.

I had a really good one in my last year at the Warriors. I got that in the semifinal against Cronulla. It was generally against the opposition player, but I clashed heads with Jerry Seuseu and he split me open like a watermelon. I think the doctor put 50 stitches in that one.

Do any players in the NRL today remind you of your playing style?

I love watching [Warriors co-captain] Mitch Barnett, he’s a great leader. He doesn’t say much, but his actions speak for how he plays. He’s just got a big motor on him. I love when Fish [James Fisher-Harris] plays. I love what he brings to the team as well. Someone who would remind me of me? Not really. They’re all retired now. I like the lock forward for the Roosters [Victor Radley]. He’s a wonderful player. He plays tough and plays well above his weight and puts his head in the wrong spot most of the time.

Kevin Campion cuts a dejected figure after the Warriors lost to the Roosters in the 2002 NRL grand final.Photosport

Looking back on the 2002 grand final loss to the Roosters, what could the Warriors have done differently?

Grand finals go so quickly. You don’t realise how fast a grand final goes. A lot of the players who played on that particular day probably can’t remember it. It’s a big week leading into it. If we had played the football that got us to that grand final – we were a tough, grinding team and we just didn’t play that type of football on the day. The Roosters got a couple of quick early tries in the second half and we just fell apart.

What opposition forwards did you most relish going up against?

The big guys back in the day, Paul Harragon, Gary Larson, Billy Moore, those types of guys were very formidable forward packs, Newcastle and Norths. Down in Canberra, Johnny Lomax and Quentin Pongia, those guys were very hard boys and very successful as well. If I look at our forward pack [at the Broncos] we played with players like Shane Webcke, Brad Thorn, Petero Civoniceva. They were all wonderful players and all had amazing careers. One of the hard nuts I can’t leave out is Jerry Seuseu. He had a heart like a diamond ring. That’s how hard it was.

Former Warriors Kevin Campion and Richard Villasanti acknowledge the crowd at a 2022 home game against Gold Coast.Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

You ended your career with North Queensland in 2004. Did you look at finishing up in England?

I didn’t. My bicep was busted. I tore my bicep with about 10 games remaining in the season. I worked hard enough to get back for one last game, which was very special. The Cowboys named me in the side and I led the team out which was great and did a lap of honour with my two boys, which was fantastic. It was a great send-off for me in North Queensland, being a North Queenslander. I didn’t look to go to England. It was the last place I was looking to go.

What do you cherish most about winning two grand finals with the Broncos?

It was an amazing side, that 1998 side. Probably the best side I played in. We had plenty of great players. We had a really good solid forward pack. Everyone got on. Probably nearly exactly like the Warriors when I first got there. It was an amazing side. How can you not win grand finals with Kevvy Walters and Alfie Langer and Darren Lockyer in your side? Then you’ve got Gorden Tallis, Brad Thorn, Shane Webcke, Andrew Gee, Michael Hancock just to name a few. Such wonderful players. It was a great experience for me.

Mark Tookey, Kevin Campion, and Stacey Jones line up for the national anthem before the 2002 grand final against the Roosters in Sydney.Martin Hunter/Photosport

You played State of Origin for Queensland, winning the series in 2001. What did it mean to wear the maroon jersey?

I grew up in North Queensland and it was a dream of mine to play NRL, but one of the goals was to go to that next level and play Origin. I was very lucky I got that opportunity. It’s an amazing event and it was really emotional being selected in that Queensland side. I’ll cherish that one.

What has changed with the Warriors this season in your eyes and been the key to their great start?

I think every player in that squad knows their job. That’s one of the things the coaches installed in them. No-one second guesses each other. Going on last year, we haven’t had too many injuries this year which has been great. We had Fish [Fisher-Harris] out for a number of weeks, but we’ve been able to hold off teams.

We’re winning close games, which we didn’t do last year. We had a few injuries, a few setbacks last year. In those first 10 rounds last year we were losing those games by one or two points, but now we’re winning them, which is a great sign. It’s up to them this year. They’ve just got to believe in themselves and keep playing good footy.