Stingrays co-captain Campbell Hustwaite ends season with premiership and a Rookie Me combine call-up

DANDENONG Stingrays co-captain Campbell Hustwaite knew some tough times this season but it ended in triumph for the tough left-footer.

Disappointed?

It was more than that. Campbell Hustwaite said he was distraught.

When the Dandenong Stingrays co-captain arrived at Shepley Oval for training a few weeks ago, coach Craig Black called him in for a talk.

“Got some bad news,’’ he began.

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The Stingrays had received a list of their players asked to the AFL draft state combine and Hustwaite was not on it.

He had earlier missed out on an invitation to the national combine.

In all 17 Stingrays — one short of a starting 18 — would be attending. But not their dedicated, determined and admired skipper, despite the outstanding season he was putting together.

Hustwaite took it hard after Black informed him of his absence.

Campbell Hustwaite scraps it out with an Oakleigh Charger in the TAC Cup grand final.

Still, he made a point of congratulating the Stingrays who had been invited, a classy act that Black and assistant coach Nick Cox noticed. They thought it was typical of the exemplary leadership he had displayed at the club. They regard him as a fine young man.

“Yeah, I was hugely disappointed,’’ Hustwaite said on Tuesday.

“I thought my footy had been good enough to be recognised. Like, I thought I should have been rewarded with an invite to at least a combine. I had a pretty rough night, that night. Got home and it was the worst state I’d been in, emotionally, because I was pretty invested in the year, and then to get that news … I knew it wasn’t everything, but at the time it felt like it was. So for that next 24 hours I was pretty distraught.

“But I sort of looked at it another way after about a day and thought there’s not much I can do now, except keep playing good footy.’’

Hustwaite had already dealt with being overlooked for Vic Country selection for the Under 18 national championships.

A left-footer noted for his neat kicking, tackling and tenacity, the Rosebud product set himself to have a strong finals series after Black told him good showings in finals would mean just as much to his draft prospects as a state combine invitation.

September started well for Hustwaite. During the warm-up for the elimination final against the Greater Western Victorian Rebels Stingrays talent ID manager Mark Wheeler told him he had been invited to the “Rookie Me’’ combine.

Mitch Riordan (L) and Campbell Hustwaite hold the premiership cup, flanked by Craig Black.

Wheeler had sent Hustwaite an email a couple of days earlier, but he did not see it.

“Wheels’ said, ‘Have you got the good news yet?’’’ he said. “I didn’t know what he was talking about. So I actually found out an hour before the game started.’’

In the first half of the match Hustwaite felt like he was more floating than running across the ground.

“I did have a pep in my step!’’ he said.

The Stingrays listed him as their sixth-best player against the Rebels. And they named him their best player in the preliminary final against the Sandringham Dragons and again in the grand final against the Oakleigh Chargers.

Hustwaite had 19 disposals and laid 10 tackles as the Stingrays triumphantly and thrillingly won their first TAC Cup premiership.

“He’s got the ability to find the football in areas where others can’t,’’ Cox noted.

“He brings other players into it. He actually gives the ball to players in better places than him, if that makes sense. Doesn’t waste it. I think his clearance work is second to none and he’s one of the better decision-makers I’ve seen.’’

In the rooms after the grand final Hustwaite’s smile was as wide as the Westgate Bridge as he and co-captain Mitch Riordan held the premiership cup. Around him club stalwarts like Ian Owen broke up with emotion.

Campbell is the son of Pines Football Club great Mark Hustwaite, pictured here with wife Karen and sons (L-R) Henry, Campbell and Fletcher.

As the Chargers rattled home, Hustwaite spent the last few minutes of the match on interchange.

“I came off at about the 18-minute mark so I could get back on for the last bit,’’ he said.

“But because the intensity went up we couldn’t get anyone off. Everyone was freaking out. Once we got a stoppage on our back flank with 20 seconds to go … yeah, it was mayhem on the bench. Ridiculous.’’

He and Zac Foot were the first players to reach their jubilant teammates after the six-point victory.

It was a happy week for Hustwaite as he reflected on the premiership and his role in it. His season is likely to be rewarded with the best and fairest, to go with his equal-third finish in the Morrish Medal.

“Pretty pleased with how it worked out,’’ he said.

“I didn’t start the year as well as I was hoping but I did as much as I could do in the second half. I hope it will be enough. But the way other people look at it is another story.’’