Baying for captain blood
By Martin Blake
April 13 2003
Fourteen games in the 1970s were enough to give big Mal Brown a place in the pantheon of Richmond Football Club legends. Go figure that 12 years, 249 games, the club captaincy, All-Australian selection and four Jack Dyer Medals still won't convince the Tiger faithful to fully embrace Wayne Campbell.
Talk to people at Tigerland and they will tell you that the tide has turned; that "Campbell the Unloved" has convinced his people by dint of hard work and longevity. But the fact it even comes up for debate is astonishing if you look at Campbell's personal record.
When he walks off the MCG this afternoon, he will have joined a list of just nine Richmond players to have reached 250 league games, men of the ilk of "Captain Blood" Jack Dyer, the indestructible Jack "Skinny" Titus and Francis Bourke.
Campbell has two years on his contract after 2003, meaning he could well hit 300 games. His four club champion trophies are bettered only by Dyer and Kevin Bartlett at Richmond, and matched among his contemporaries at other clubs by such acknow ledged champions as Wayne Carey, Nathan Buckley, Robert Harvey, Michael Voss, Glen Jakovich and Scott West.
There are two main theories as to the apparent coolness towards him. One is that his style of play - hard-running and frenetic, rather than collision-based or slick - does not fit the Richmond ethos embodied by the likes of Dyer or Bourke. The other is that his attempt to leave the club at the end of 1998 betrayed fundamental disloyalty.
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On either count, these are harsh judgements, although it has to be taken in the context that everything at Richmond happens under the microscope of 20-odd years of failure.
Consider the 1998 crisis. Campbell asked to be traded and would have gone to North Melbourne had a suitable swap been available. But the truth is that Richmond initiated the move, rather than Campbell, who was responding to what he perceived as a lack of faith in him.
"That's how it came about," he says. "I heard whispers that I was up for trade, which was fine. But I wasn't going to continue working like I was for people who didn't appreciate it. I was leaving for a reason, but as is the case in many of these things, you can't always say what those reasons are at the time."
It is a notion confirmed by Greg Miller, now football director at Richmond, but back then, North's chief executive. "He got wind that the administration was putting him out there and he responded with some pride," says Miller, who actually interviewed Campbell at the time and tried to lure him to Arden Street.
"That's affected the Richmond people's thoughts about him, but the reality is, it was initiated by the club."
Ultimately, Campbell stayed, though the situation left some scars on all concerned, not least the player himself. "I was disappointed," says the recently retired Brendon Gale, one of Campbell's teammates at the time. "I felt disappointed because to me, there was a group of guys who'd been through a bit. I was pretty positive that we could turn it around, but then he did what he did and I couldn't talk to him because he was overseas. We had a chat when he got back, he gave me his reasons and we moved on."
Indeed, Gale is annoyed that some of the harsher fans will not forgive Campbell; he says the club captain does not get "anywhere near" the credit he deserves. "What disappoints me with the Richmond supporters sometimes is that Wayne is committed to the club. He supported the club when he was young and he's very committed to restoring the club to what it should be. He does think about that a lot. It's not just a matter of turning up to training every day."
Robert Walls, a mentor and admirer of Campbell's who had been sacked as Richmond coach the previous year, admits that he urged Campbell to consider another club at the time. Walls could see Campbell's growing frustration at Richmond's inept administration and lack of success. He recalled seeing two outstanding players - Stan Alves and Greg Wells - depart a flailing Melbourne in the 1970s to play in premierships and fulfil their dreams with North Melbourne and Carlton.
"He was prepared to take a stand, whereas others might have taken their more than generous contracts, then gone and whinged and bitched about it and to the fans, they would have seemed to be loyal," says Walls.
"He wanted the place to be better. I admire those blokes. You put your neck on the block when you do it."
Both Gale and Walls believe some of the changes that occurred at Richmond after that were due to Campbell's forthright stand. Ultimately, the administration would change, Danny Frawley would be appointed coach and Campbell would replace Matthew Knights as captain. Frawley had only been at Punt Road a short time when he realised who he wanted in charge. "I could see he was a really driven person. He's a natural leader," says the coach.
But if Campbell is seen as influential at Richmond, there are those who have interpreted this as the tail wagging the dog. Miller did not believe it for a moment, but when he had a sandwich with Campbell upon arriving at the club late last year, their first conversation revealed how sensitive the topic had become. "I don't want to talk out of turn, but he was defensive," says Miller. "It was just such an interesting first conversation. He knew there was a perception that Wayne Campbell and the Richmond players had had too much to say and he wanted me to know that it wasn't right. He wanted it known that it was just frustration at how the club hadn't had success.''
Assuming the captaincy presented problems of its own. Knights could not conceal his hurt, and some fans were annoyed at the change instigated by Frawley. Plus, Campbell the ball-magnet and playmaker was nobody's idea of a Wayne Carey or a Paul Kelly, splitting open packs. When Tony Liberatore whacked Knights in that infamous match in 2001, Campbell made a beeline for "Libba", but he looked somewhat out of place in the flag-flying role.
Yet Gale, Walls and Miller all believe it is unfair to expect Campbell to be something he is not. "Cambo isn't the most rugged player, but he does put his head over the footy," says Gale. "He won't go around whacking blokes, but he will keep his eye on the footy and go hard when he has to."
And Walls: "Neither is James Hird (an enforcer) but he's a great captain. If you look at the stats for tackles and blocks and smothers, you'll find Wayne is not too far off the mark."
And Miller: "You wouldn't call him an outside player. He's more of a mix. He's not Anthony Stevens, but he's not Robert Harvey."
None of which would worry Campbell too much, if you believe his associates. "It wouldn't faze him," says Paul Broderick, the former Tiger midfielder. "He's a very strong individual."
For his part, Campbell scoffed at the question this week. "Boring question," he said. "How am I supposed to know what they (supporters) are thinking all the time?"
For the moment, he is too busy to worry about perception. Campbell is dealing in tangibles and immediate things, like getting Richmond past Fremantle today. Perhaps the rest will follow some time.
By Martin Blake
April 13 2003
Fourteen games in the 1970s were enough to give big Mal Brown a place in the pantheon of Richmond Football Club legends. Go figure that 12 years, 249 games, the club captaincy, All-Australian selection and four Jack Dyer Medals still won't convince the Tiger faithful to fully embrace Wayne Campbell.
Talk to people at Tigerland and they will tell you that the tide has turned; that "Campbell the Unloved" has convinced his people by dint of hard work and longevity. But the fact it even comes up for debate is astonishing if you look at Campbell's personal record.
When he walks off the MCG this afternoon, he will have joined a list of just nine Richmond players to have reached 250 league games, men of the ilk of "Captain Blood" Jack Dyer, the indestructible Jack "Skinny" Titus and Francis Bourke.
Campbell has two years on his contract after 2003, meaning he could well hit 300 games. His four club champion trophies are bettered only by Dyer and Kevin Bartlett at Richmond, and matched among his contemporaries at other clubs by such acknow ledged champions as Wayne Carey, Nathan Buckley, Robert Harvey, Michael Voss, Glen Jakovich and Scott West.
There are two main theories as to the apparent coolness towards him. One is that his style of play - hard-running and frenetic, rather than collision-based or slick - does not fit the Richmond ethos embodied by the likes of Dyer or Bourke. The other is that his attempt to leave the club at the end of 1998 betrayed fundamental disloyalty.
advertisement
advertisement
On either count, these are harsh judgements, although it has to be taken in the context that everything at Richmond happens under the microscope of 20-odd years of failure.
Consider the 1998 crisis. Campbell asked to be traded and would have gone to North Melbourne had a suitable swap been available. But the truth is that Richmond initiated the move, rather than Campbell, who was responding to what he perceived as a lack of faith in him.
"That's how it came about," he says. "I heard whispers that I was up for trade, which was fine. But I wasn't going to continue working like I was for people who didn't appreciate it. I was leaving for a reason, but as is the case in many of these things, you can't always say what those reasons are at the time."
It is a notion confirmed by Greg Miller, now football director at Richmond, but back then, North's chief executive. "He got wind that the administration was putting him out there and he responded with some pride," says Miller, who actually interviewed Campbell at the time and tried to lure him to Arden Street.
"That's affected the Richmond people's thoughts about him, but the reality is, it was initiated by the club."
Ultimately, Campbell stayed, though the situation left some scars on all concerned, not least the player himself. "I was disappointed," says the recently retired Brendon Gale, one of Campbell's teammates at the time. "I felt disappointed because to me, there was a group of guys who'd been through a bit. I was pretty positive that we could turn it around, but then he did what he did and I couldn't talk to him because he was overseas. We had a chat when he got back, he gave me his reasons and we moved on."
Indeed, Gale is annoyed that some of the harsher fans will not forgive Campbell; he says the club captain does not get "anywhere near" the credit he deserves. "What disappoints me with the Richmond supporters sometimes is that Wayne is committed to the club. He supported the club when he was young and he's very committed to restoring the club to what it should be. He does think about that a lot. It's not just a matter of turning up to training every day."
Robert Walls, a mentor and admirer of Campbell's who had been sacked as Richmond coach the previous year, admits that he urged Campbell to consider another club at the time. Walls could see Campbell's growing frustration at Richmond's inept administration and lack of success. He recalled seeing two outstanding players - Stan Alves and Greg Wells - depart a flailing Melbourne in the 1970s to play in premierships and fulfil their dreams with North Melbourne and Carlton.
"He was prepared to take a stand, whereas others might have taken their more than generous contracts, then gone and whinged and bitched about it and to the fans, they would have seemed to be loyal," says Walls.
"He wanted the place to be better. I admire those blokes. You put your neck on the block when you do it."
Both Gale and Walls believe some of the changes that occurred at Richmond after that were due to Campbell's forthright stand. Ultimately, the administration would change, Danny Frawley would be appointed coach and Campbell would replace Matthew Knights as captain. Frawley had only been at Punt Road a short time when he realised who he wanted in charge. "I could see he was a really driven person. He's a natural leader," says the coach.
But if Campbell is seen as influential at Richmond, there are those who have interpreted this as the tail wagging the dog. Miller did not believe it for a moment, but when he had a sandwich with Campbell upon arriving at the club late last year, their first conversation revealed how sensitive the topic had become. "I don't want to talk out of turn, but he was defensive," says Miller. "It was just such an interesting first conversation. He knew there was a perception that Wayne Campbell and the Richmond players had had too much to say and he wanted me to know that it wasn't right. He wanted it known that it was just frustration at how the club hadn't had success.''
Assuming the captaincy presented problems of its own. Knights could not conceal his hurt, and some fans were annoyed at the change instigated by Frawley. Plus, Campbell the ball-magnet and playmaker was nobody's idea of a Wayne Carey or a Paul Kelly, splitting open packs. When Tony Liberatore whacked Knights in that infamous match in 2001, Campbell made a beeline for "Libba", but he looked somewhat out of place in the flag-flying role.
Yet Gale, Walls and Miller all believe it is unfair to expect Campbell to be something he is not. "Cambo isn't the most rugged player, but he does put his head over the footy," says Gale. "He won't go around whacking blokes, but he will keep his eye on the footy and go hard when he has to."
And Walls: "Neither is James Hird (an enforcer) but he's a great captain. If you look at the stats for tackles and blocks and smothers, you'll find Wayne is not too far off the mark."
And Miller: "You wouldn't call him an outside player. He's more of a mix. He's not Anthony Stevens, but he's not Robert Harvey."
None of which would worry Campbell too much, if you believe his associates. "It wouldn't faze him," says Paul Broderick, the former Tiger midfielder. "He's a very strong individual."
For his part, Campbell scoffed at the question this week. "Boring question," he said. "How am I supposed to know what they (supporters) are thinking all the time?"
For the moment, he is too busy to worry about perception. Campbell is dealing in tangibles and immediate things, like getting Richmond past Fremantle today. Perhaps the rest will follow some time.
