AFL UMPIRES boss Wayne Campbell has joined Greater Western Sydney to head up the club's new-look football department.
Campbell resigned from his role with the whistle-blowers on Wednesday and has been appointed the Giants' general manager football operations, replacing Graeme Allan.
The 43-year-old spent 15 seasons with Richmond from 1991-2005 and was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2013, after a career that saw him play 297 games and win four best and fairest awards.
Allan, who has took on the role of list manager as well as being head of football at GWS when Stephen Silvagni left to join Carlton at the end of 2014, quit the Giants last month.
The recruiting guru, who has been with GWS since before the club entered the AFL in 2012, cited a need to return to Melbourne to be with his family as the reason behind his decision.
GWS chief executive David Matthews said that the addition of Campbell would be invaluable to the club.
“Wayne is highly regarded person in the football industry and brings a vast range of experience to this role,” Matthews said.
“We’re delighted that Wayne can see the exciting opportunities this role brings as we continue to build the AFL’s newest club in Western Sydney and Canberra.
“Wayne steps into this role at a really exciting time for the Giants with a talented playing list, rapidly growing fan base and strong corporate support from a range of local and international partners.
Campbell, who has had off-field roles with the Tigers and Western Bulldogs since his playing retirement, said he was looking forward to getting to work in Sydney.
“I’ve been really impressed with the Giants over recent years and I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping the club continue to grow,” Campbell said.
“With state of the art facilities and a driven young team playing an exciting brand of football under Leon Cameron, I believe the Giants are well positioned to flourish both on and off the field.”
Campbell will start with the Giants on Thursday and spend the next few weeks working closely with Allan, who officially finishes his time at GWS at the end of April.
