Playing career
Campbell joined Richmond via the 1989 National Draft being the club's fifth pick (No. 29 overall). He previously played with his best mate Tony Maguire at Golden Square juniors. [2] In a 15-season career from 1991 until 2005, Campbell played 297 games, three games short of the coveted 300-game milestone and the fourth-most in club history. [3] He was club captain from 2001 to 2004 and was succeeded by Kane Johnson. Campbell was regarded as a very consistent player who played in the forward line, the backline and on the wing, before becoming the prime mover in the Richmond midfield during the mid-to-late 1990s with a reputation as a first-class decision maker. [2]
Campbell won the Jack Dyer Medal (the award for the Best and Fairest player at the Richmond Football Club) four times, in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2002. He was also runner-up in 1992, 1993 and 2001. He placed third for the award in 1998.
Campbell also received two All-Australian guernseys (awarded to players adjudged the best in their positions in the AFL competition) in 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 other media awards, but he polled poorly.
In June 2013, Campbell was inducted into the Richmond Hall of Fame. [3] [2]
Coaching and administration career
Campbell had a five-year stint in non-playing roles at Richmond, his last being Manager of VFL Strategy. Richmond's General Manager of Football, Dan Richardson, praised Campbell's work with the club saying, "Most recently, he has done an outstanding job in developing and implementing the strategy aligned to the establishment of the Club’s new VFL team.". [4]
Campbell was an assistant coach at the Western Bulldogs for two years (2007 and 2008), under Rodney Eade. He then returned to Richmond in an administrative role. [5]
In 2013 Campbell was appointed the AFL's national umpiring director, responsible for the development of the AFL's senior umpiring panel and the overall strategy for umpiring at all levels of the game [6] ..
Campbell left the umpiring job to become the football manager for the GWS Giants from 2016 to 2019, during which period the Giants reached the AFL finals every year including the grand final in 2019.
In 2021 Campbell took up the football manager role at the Gold Coast Suns. [7] Campbell survived in the role after the Suns changed coaches at the end of 2023 and was manager when the Suns reached the finals for the first time in 2025. But Campbell resigned from the Gold Coast at the end of 2025 to take up a position as head of the Sydney Swans' football academy. [1]
