Wayne Campbell
Encyclopedia
Wayne Campbell is a retired Australian rules football
player for the Richmond Football Club
of the AFL
.
.
Wayne Campbell was regarded as a very consistent player, known for his ability to run all day, amass possessions and dispose of the ball accurately, especially when having a set shot for goal. He was also an intelligent player, able to read the play before most others and make calculated decisions when under pressure. After early stints up forward, in the backline and on the wing, he became the prime mover in the Richmond midfield during the mid-to-late 1990s.
Campbell had a celebrated career, winning the Jack Dyer
Medal (the award for the Best and Fairest player at the Richmond Football Club) four times, in the years 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2002. He was also runner-up for the Jack Dyer Medal three times in the years 1992, 1993 and 2001. He placed third for the award in 1998.
Wayne Campbell also received two All-Australian guernseys (awarded to players adjudged the best in their positions throughout the whole AFL competition) in the years 1995 and 1999. In addition, he represented Victoria in State of Origin matches and Australia in International Rules Series matches.
In 1995 he was favourite to win the Brownlow Medal
(awarded to the Best and Fairest player in the AFL competition), having won various media awards for his stellar year, but he polled poorly and did not receive the award most felt he deserved.
One of the reasons for supporter negativity was his perceived tendency to go missing during important matches against traditional club rivals and when the club needed to win games to make finals series. The perception was also there that he underperformed in the few finals matches that Richmond was involved in during his tenure.
Another issue was his tendency to deliver the ball into the forward line with very high (lobbed) kicks, sometimes termed "hospital passes" or "Wayne Campbell kicks."
Campbell was also criticised for his perceived lack of hard and tough play. Playing for a club with a history of gritty, fearless players, Campbell was often disparaged for his inability to win the hard ball in an 'in and under' fashion.
Off the field, many Richmond supporters also found reason to be sceptical towards Campbell, firstly for threatening to walk out on the Club in 1998 when he was unhappy with the way it was being run, and secondly for his perceived clandestine role in stripping favourite son Matthew Knights
of the club captaincy.
Furthermore, Wayne Campbell became a controversial figure outside of Richmond circles when he 'broke the code of silence', informing on Western Bulldogs player Tony Liberatore before the AFL Tribunal for a hit made on Matthew Knights.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player for the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
of the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
.
Richmond career (1991–2005)
In a career spanning 15 seasons (from 1991 until 2005), he played 297 games, just 3 short of the famed 300-game milestone. He held the captaincy of the club from 2001 to 2004, before handing the reins to Kane JohnsonKane Johnson
Kane "Johno" Johnson is a former Australian rules footballer and former captain of the Richmond Football Club and dual premiership winner with the Adelaide Crows in the Australian Football League .-Career:...
.
Wayne Campbell was regarded as a very consistent player, known for his ability to run all day, amass possessions and dispose of the ball accurately, especially when having a set shot for goal. He was also an intelligent player, able to read the play before most others and make calculated decisions when under pressure. After early stints up forward, in the backline and on the wing, he became the prime mover in the Richmond midfield during the mid-to-late 1990s.
Campbell had a celebrated career, winning the Jack Dyer
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
Medal (the award for the Best and Fairest player at the Richmond Football Club) four times, in the years 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2002. He was also runner-up for the Jack Dyer Medal three times in the years 1992, 1993 and 2001. He placed third for the award in 1998.
Wayne Campbell also received two All-Australian guernseys (awarded to players adjudged the best in their positions throughout the whole AFL competition) in the years 1995 and 1999. In addition, he represented Victoria in State of Origin matches and Australia in International Rules Series matches.
In 1995 he was favourite to win the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
(awarded to the Best and Fairest player in the AFL competition), having won various media awards for his stellar year, but he polled poorly and did not receive the award most felt he deserved.
Criticism and Controversy
Despite his great success as a player, Campbell was often maligned by Richmond supporters.One of the reasons for supporter negativity was his perceived tendency to go missing during important matches against traditional club rivals and when the club needed to win games to make finals series. The perception was also there that he underperformed in the few finals matches that Richmond was involved in during his tenure.
Another issue was his tendency to deliver the ball into the forward line with very high (lobbed) kicks, sometimes termed "hospital passes" or "Wayne Campbell kicks."
Campbell was also criticised for his perceived lack of hard and tough play. Playing for a club with a history of gritty, fearless players, Campbell was often disparaged for his inability to win the hard ball in an 'in and under' fashion.
Off the field, many Richmond supporters also found reason to be sceptical towards Campbell, firstly for threatening to walk out on the Club in 1998 when he was unhappy with the way it was being run, and secondly for his perceived clandestine role in stripping favourite son Matthew Knights
Matthew Knights
Matthew Knights is a former Australian rules football player, having played in the midfield for the Richmond Football Club from 1988 to 2002. He went on to a coaching career, most notably as head coach of the Essendon Football Club from 2008 to 2010...
of the club captaincy.
Furthermore, Wayne Campbell became a controversial figure outside of Richmond circles when he 'broke the code of silence', informing on Western Bulldogs player Tony Liberatore before the AFL Tribunal for a hit made on Matthew Knights.