I’ve always been a fan of Terry Campese. Even when he was struggling, I felt like he had what it takes to be a very handy player.
To go from possibly being without a club in the middle of last year to making the 2008 World Cup squad was an amazing rise.
He’s still raw though however he is in the best place to become a top class player.
Down in Canberra the expectations are not so high. The spotlight is focused elsewhere and he is able to learn how to be a star at his own pace. Compare that with say Mitchell Pearce or Feliti Mateo, they have to be perfect from day one and bring their best every week.
Campese is also in the unique position that as a young player, he is also the most senior play maker on the team. Its very rare that this happens and could be daunting for most players. The sight of Campese blowing up at a team mate in last nights loss to the Titans showed he has taken on the responsibility well.
Campese is a pretty big player for a five-eight. He is also versatile enough to play at lock and also plays a lot of first receiver, as most dominant ball players do these days.
There has been talk that Penrith are looking to make a big offer for him, but I hope he stays in Canberra honestly. Its a better environment for him, he can be a star in his own right there, and Penrith has a habit of ruining stretches of players careers with terrible performances.
Campese should be one of the first picked for New South Wales, and with Darren Lockyer looking like father time has caught up with him, Campese can’t be far off selection at number 6 for Australia.
I really enjoy watching a player over come the odds, battle back and develop into a great player, so seeing Terry Campese playing so well is fantastic. Lets hope he keeps improving and becomes one of the Raiders all time greats.
