Australian Football

The son of Mal Brown, Campbell Brown could be described as an 'old-fashioned' footballer who never shirked a contest on the football field in his 205-match career with Hawthorn and Gold Coast that began in 2002 and ended somewhat abruptly after the 2013 season.

Brown played chiefly in defence but was also a very capable forward and he kicked 45 goals in his 46 games at Gold Coast in the last three years of his career. At Hawthorn he debuted in round 11, 2002 and became an immediate regular member of the Hawks' back six. His form peaked in 2007 and he was rewarded with All Australian selection that season. The following year he kicked a goal in the Grand Final as Hawthorn broke a 17-year premiership drought to overcome Geelong in an upset win.

At the end of the 2010 season, Brown turned down a contract offer from Hawthorn and elected it extend his career with expansion club Gold Coast. He was a steady contributor for the Suns across three seasons although injury and suspension limited his game tally in that period. 

At the end of 2013, a post-season altercation with teammate Steven May that resulted in May sustaining a broken jaw led Brown to being suspended by the club and it was announced that his AFL career was over. Brown's straight-ahead approach landed him in trouble with the tribunal and he missed a total of 28 games through suspension. 

Notwithstanding those shortcomings, Brown's career stands up for the fine contributions he made to both clubs when his chief focus was the ball.

Author - Andrew Gigacz