Player Watch #16 Braeden Campbell

[Kennedy Parker]

Braeden Campbell
Braeden Campbell was drafted with the fifth overall pick of the 2020 AFL Draft and has enjoyed an exciting start to life as a Swan. Recruited from Pennant Hills Demons, Campbell is revered for his brilliant versatility and exceptional left-foot kick. He made his AFL debut in Round 1 of the 2021 season and was voted as the Round 2 NAB Rising Star nominee after recording 25 disposals and six marks against the Adelaide Crows. The 21-year-old has improved year on year missing just one match in 2023 and set several career-best performances in the process.
Pick 5

Braeden Campbell | AFL

Follow Braeden Campbell's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[RubbaDuck]

The development of Campbell and Florent into those wing-half-forward roles has been clever. They provide an unpredictable extra line of attack through our forward half, they're both fairly quick and their sklls and positioning during attack allows them to provide fast inside 50 kicks or handballs, or even goals from outside 50. In the event of a turnover and fast rebound they are positioned with the speed needed to blunt, slow or tackle the opposition, at least giving our defence time to reshape.

We were probably the most affected team when the AFL made the mid-season change to the HTB rule. The much faster timing severely limited our ability to re-shape our defence quickly enough. If the AFL had been looking for a way to tame our dominance they could not have done it better. Our game plan relied on fast and risky corridor movement, sharp kicking, fast runnning, handballing and total commitment to a forward half game. Our ability to maintain our shape after turnover and counter-punch was wrecked when we had no time to switch to defence.

Alongside the loss of a few key players, especially the run of McInerney, we were left vulnerable to counter-attack, which we were liable to if enough pressure was applied. Withour the willingness to risk, run and take the corridor, we tried to kick our way through defences. If forced to kick down the line we simply didn't have the contested marking strength to do it - a reason why I think Horse would have loved to get Reid back, as he was always our best contested mark.

Forced to maintain a tighter defensive structure we tried to scrape wins playing old skool Swans. Close hard footy based on kicking, scrapping, inside work and desperation. It wasn't enough.

So did we get our Mojo back against the Pies? I think at that point we decided to go back to the old habits that had worked. Insanely fast ball movement, kicking and running hard in waves. We did something more though, we changed the roles of a few players to increase our ability to defend and pressure centre-forward mediately upon our opponents gaining possession. We started seeing Campbell or Florent chasing and tackling hard across the centre of the ground as they created, joined or boosted congestion, then used their kicking and burst pace to break away in attack.

These are just some views on the changes we've made and why. Results so far suggest we've found a work around the AFL's mid-season rule change. The return of some key players will be another boost. Meanwhile we're less predictable, better rested, we have more depth and opposition teams have not had a full season to probe for any weaknesses.

I like that our team could make a substantial change to our game plan on the fly, losing a few games but maintaining the top spot, resting a few who needed it and not rushing anyone back. That the team had the faith in Campbell to perform a big chunk of that change speaks volumes for him. Opposition teams will have yet more Swans attacking options to try to counter. Maybe Campbell won't win the '24 Norm Smith but he's helped get us into a very good position for finals success.

 

[bedford]

Have you ever written a book ?

 

[bedford]

I'm confused about what people thought the mid-season interpretation change actually was, and how it's been a negative (or a positive), aside from watching a short segment from Ben Dixon on Fox last week that was too flimsy to be persuasive.

Was he talking about Braeden ?

 

[liz]

Was he talking about Braeden ?

No, the change to the rule interpretation that is the subject of the preceding couple of posts.

 

[bedford]

No, the change to the rule interpretation that is the subject of the preceding couple of posts.

Sorry i hadn't read that

 

[ashep]

Might still be just on the fringe, but anyone comparing him to Stephens has rocks in their head.

 

[bedford]

Might still be just on the fringe, but anyone comparing him to Stephens has rocks in their head.

Or fresh air

 

[caesar88]

Have just moved a few posts discussing the mid-year rule/interpretation change to the random opinions & questions thread. Feel free to continue it there folks

 

[RubbaDuck]

Have you ever written a book ?

Why? Have you ever read a book?

 

[bedford]

Why? Have you ever read a book?

No i haven't . Was a simple question

 

[caesar88]

Why? Have you ever read a book?

I read a book most weekends. Usually the cheap ones only $6 that are sold out the front of stadiums before AFL matches.

 

[Millky95]

I read a book most weekends. Usually the cheap ones only $6 that are sold out the front of stadiums before AFL matches.

Any nore than $5 for those is a rip off

 

[Punts]

Geez I have said some shit on this bloke, but he doesn’t play tonight and we don’t win

 

[TheMase]

Geez I have said some shit on this bloke, but he doesn’t play tonight and we don’t win

I think he might have finally arrived

 

[Citrus22]

Done a fantastic job changing his role mid year and owned the game tonight. Will be the making of him.

 

[grimlock]

Epic epic quarter. Played with such ferocity and intensity

 

[BarneyBent]

One of the best true sub games I've seen from a Swan. By true sub, I mean "coming on around 3/4 time", not guys coming on early for an injury.

Doing it in a final should do him a world of good, he seems like such a confidence player.

 

[KingV23]

Has there ever been a more influential sub? How good was he!

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Did himself and the club proud. I think Campbell has officially arrived.

 

[The King!]

I thought him as sub was right and even if he got dropped i would have said yeah ok, despite thinking how good he has been lately.

This was a coming of age game

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Has there ever been a more influential sub? How good was he!

Parker's first game back as sub was probably statistically better. But the fact that Campbell's was in the final puts it right up there.

 

[The King!]

ohh and late bombs it like 80 and he chases it down himself

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Should never be the sub again under extremely difficult circumstances with a family passing he was immense at the contest.

 

[SM]

Should never be the sub again under extremely difficult circumstances with a family passing he was immense at the contest.

Part of why he was so immense was he was fresh.

 

[Jack2Jack]

Hopefully the coming of age moment for him. Been better the last few weeks, but didn't see that coming from him (at least in 24). Usually our subs come on and get 2 or 3 touches, one of the only times I can remember a sub coming on and actually potentially being one of the key differences with their fresh legs (For us, I mean....seen it happen plenty for other teams).