Although there have been glimpses, like in the last game of 2010 when North played Melbourne at the MCG. The live-wire forward, also known as ‘Flash’, was injury free and as elusive as ever kicking two sensational goals and collecting 15 damaging touches.
“If you talk to the coaches, they’ll tell you it was the only game I played 100 percent fit, probably in the past two years. It shows what I can do and contribute to the team when I’m up and about,” Campbell told kangaroos.com.au.
Campbell says he’s hoping to put the hamstring trouble, calf issues and the ankle injury that caused havoc last season behind him.
“All I’m looking for is to be injury free in 2011 and I think the rest will take care of itself because I believe that I’ve done the work over the pre-season and I’ve got the confidence of the players and the coaches to cement a spot in the side.”
But there’s more spring in Campbell’s step this pre-season and added enthusiasm. He puts it down to having the opportunity to play in the midfield. While it’s something that has been spoken about for the past two years, he says there’s nothing stopping it from actually happening this season.
“Boomer’s not getting any younger or taller and I can go in there and help out. It’s probably a good move to keep me in the side I suppose because it’s pretty hard to get a spot up forward.
“The last couple of years we’ve had senior players in the midfield. When I first got here, there was Adam Simpson, Jess Sinclair…Boomer (Brent Harvey) was up and about and Wellsy (Daniel Wells) was flying, so there were just so many senior players up there. If I go into the midfield, there’ll be another guy over 50 games. We’ve got good players in Jack Ziebell and Liam Anthony and Ryan Bastinac and that but they’re all under 30 games and to have another bloke that’s played over 50 games to help Spitter (Swallow), Boomer and Wellsy out would be good.
“I’ve always been around the mark as far as time trials and running and all that but it’s just pushing a little bit harder and I think Utah really helped to get that extra fitness base. I’ve come back and felt the benefits from it; being able to push harder at training and I suppose having the confidence to take them on.”
And he has a specific role to play when he gets there.
“Just breaking the lines. With Brad Scott coming in and changing the game plan, we need players that can break the lines and can’t afford to play stagnant and kick it down the line all the time. We could easily get caught up in that way of playing having Drew back. You’d love to kick it to Drew every time but I think we have to get it deeper to him to kick the goals, so to break that 10 to 15 metre barrier with some run and carry and give it to Drew 20 or 30 metres out will make his life a whole lot easier.
“It’s a little bit selfless too…I’m not one to stand in the way of the team, or the structures of the team or the way it’s picked but I also think it’s a good challenge for me because you can get a bit stale in the one position on the field. To get another string to my bow and obviously run the times that are required to get into the midfield in the pre-season has been good.”
While a midfield role will bring a welcomed change, Campbell also hopes to spend some time in a position he is most comfortable in - and surprisingly, it’s not up forward.
“A wing role is more natural to me because I played a lot of wing in North Adelaide and when I was home in Alice (Springs). When I play in the midfield and come up against the stronger boys like Cruize Garlett and Ziebs (Ziebell), they’re not small in as far as what they do in the weights room but I can match it with most of them I believe when it comes to body work and pressure.
“When you play up forward you don’t want to stuff up, you just want to get it on your boot and kick a goal but in the midfield you can probably get a bit more space. When you play up forward your opponent is right up your arse or they’re right there next to you…in the midfield, you can lose them a little bit easier and I think we need the pace in there too.”
