Mate, the topic of this thread is that we ovverate our players. For me, Campbell is maybe not the best, but certainly a good example of how we overrate our players. He wouldnt be in the top 10 players of any of the top 4 sides.
Clearances? Dont make me laugh. Kicks straight up in the air. Inventor of the quick throw of the ball on the boot, because he's always been poo scared of being tackled. If he was Sri Lankan, he's be called a chucker.
Campbell in his prime would easily make the top ten if not top 5 players of any top 4 side. Didn't Matthews rate him as the best onballer in the comp about a decade ago? (That's what I call overrating!) Look at his credentials outside of the Richmond team, he has got 2 All-Australian guernseys, has played the cross-breed game with the Irish on numerous occasions and has represented Victoria. Looks like Richmond aren't the only ones that rate him.
Not to mention that he is one of the top 5 posession winners over the last decade!!! And before you say his disposals are all crap, go take a look at some stats on the amount of clangers he has. Lower than the likes of Buckley, Hird, Voss, Ricciuto etc.
As to your point about the clearances, it always makes me laugh when people talk about Campbell's quick kicks out of the packs in a derogative way. You should be praising him on having the reflexes to clear the ball so quickly!!! If you've ever cared to notice, pack situations aren't exactly the places where you are free to take your time. Moving the ball forward in any way possible is a victory.
If you want to talk about overrating, go and have a look at some of the money the players at our club have earned and the results they have brought. Campbell for nearly a decade has finished inside the top 3 at the Richmond B&F. For results like that he should be getting paid twice what the likes of Richo, Nottens, Knights, Daffy are/were.
