VETERAN ruck Tom Campbell could become just the fourth player this century to play for four AFL clubs.

Campbell landed at his fourth club on Friday, signed by Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent.

Having previously played at the Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne and St Kilda, Campbell could join a rare club if he plays a senior game at the Demons in 2025.

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It will be the 14th year in a row that Campbell has been on an AFL list, but he has played just 58 games in that time.

A total of 30 players have played at four clubs in VFL/AFL history, but just 13 have played in the AFL era (since 1990) and the careers of just three have come this century.

The most recent was former Gold Coast, St Kilda, West Coast and Sydney ruck Tom Hickey, who is the only man to have played at AFL level in four different states.

The only other member of the four-club club in the past decade is Jacob Townsend, who played a total of 62 games at Greater Western Sydney, Richmond, Essendon and Gold Coast.

Another ruck, Ben Hudson, played for Adelaide, Bulldogs, Brisbane and Collingwood between 2004 and 2013.

While Campbell's journey has been a unique one, playing at four clubs is still one short of the three players who played at five clubs at VFL/AFL level.

Les Abbott played for Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond, Melbourne and South Melbourne between 1904-12, Les Hughson for Collingwood, Hawthorn, Carlton, St Kilda and Fitzroy between 1927-37, while Dale Kickett played for four clubs in five years - Fitzroy, West Coast, St Kilda and Essendon - between 1990-1994 before spending most of his career at Fremantle.

AFL era (1990-present)

Five-club club
Dale Kickett (1990-2002) - Fitz, WC, StK, Ess, Frem

Four-club club
Brian Wilson (1978-1991) - Foot, NM, Mel, StK
Richard Osborne (1982-1998) - Fitz, Syd, WB, Coll
Mark Athorn (1987-1993) - Foot, Fitz, Syd, Carl
Stuart Wigney (1988-1996) - Foot, Syd, Adel, Rich
Simon Minton-Connell (1989-1998) - Carl, Syd, Haw, WB
Adrian Fletcher (1989-2001) - Geel, StK, BB/BL, Frem
Martin Pike (1993-2005) - Mel, Fitz, NM, BL
Scott Cummings (1994-2002) - Ess, PA, WC, Coll
Justin Murphy (1994-2005) - Rich, Carl, Geel, Ess 
Ben Hudson (2004-2013) - Ade, WB, BL, Coll
Tom Hickey (2011-2023) - GC, StK, WC, Syd
Jacob Townsend (2012-2021) - GWS, Rich, Ess, GC

VFL era (1896-1989)

Five-club club
Les Abbott (1904-1912) - Coll, Carl, Rich, Melb, SM
Les Hughson (1927-1937) - Coll, Haw, Carl, StK, Fitz

Four-club club
Edward Baker (1920-1934) - Carl, Coll, Geel, Foot
Charlie Anderson (1924-1927) - Carl, SM, Rich, Foot
Lew Sharpe (1926-1934) - StK, Foot, Fitz, Ess
Norm Le Brun (1929-1935) - SM, Ess, Coll, Carl
Frank Kelly (1930-1944) - Coll, Melb, Ess, StK
Dick Chirgwin (1934-1943) - Rich, SM, Foot, NM
George Dougherty (1934-1945) - Carl, Geel, Foot, SM
Alf Clay (1937-1946) - Haw, Foot, Fitz, NM
Vic Nankervis (1941-1946) - Geel, Foot, StK, SM
Allan Davis (1966-1980) - StK, Melb, Ess, Coll
Daryl Cumming (1971-1979) - Rich, Melb, NM, SM
Craig Davis (1973-1988) - Carl, NM, Coll, Syd
Geoff Raines (1976-1989) - Rich, Coll, Ess, BB
Phil Carman (1975-1982) - Coll, Melb, Ess, NM
Peter Francis (1979-1988) - Carl, Fitz, Rich, Ess