Former Canberra Raiders' star halfback Terry Campese will come out of retirement in 2023 to join Adrian Purtell at the Eden Tigers in Group 16 rugby league on the New South Wales south coast.
Purtell is already the captain-coach of the club, but Campese will now be back in action for 2023 having retired at the end of the 2022 season with the Queanbeyan Blues in the Canberra Raiders first grade premiership.
The 2022 season saw Campese crowned as the competition's best player.
Campese briefly turned his attention to politics ahead of the state election during March, standing for the Labor party in the seat of Monaro, but he ultimately pulled out prior to election day.
Taking to their Facebook page, the Eden Tigers announced Campese's signing on Wednesday morning.
The former Raiders' half, who struggled with injury throughout his career, played 139 games for the green machine between 2004 and 2014 and was the sole captain of the club following Alan Tongue's retirement.
He would play for the Hull Kingston Rovers in England during 2015 and 2016 before formally hanging up the boots, but has been part of the Queanbeyan side in recent seasons.
Purtell played for the Raiders between 2006 and 2009, with the centre and winger also spending time at the Penrith Panthers, Bradford Bulls and London Broncos before hanging up the boots at the end of 2017 with over 200 professional games under his belt.
The Eden Tigers last won the Group 16 premiership in 2016, but made the finals under Purtell last year and will be now looking to go up a gear with Campese's arrival.
Group 16 takes in teams from southern New South Wales, with Eden to play their opening game away from home on Sunday, April 16 against the Narooma Devils. Other teams in the competition are the Batemans Bay Tigers, Tathra Sea Eagles, Moruya Sharks, Bega Roosters, Cooma Stallions, Snowy River Bears, Bombala Blueheelers and Merimbula Pambula Bulldogs.
Bega ultimately knocked over Tathra in the final last season.
