Nick Campton
Nick Campton joined the ABC in 2021 after a stint with Sydney's The Daily Telegraph.
When he isn't writing about rugby league, MMA and boxing, he enjoys talking about the Canberra Raiders in a slightly too loud voice.
He hails from Camden and is based in Sydney.
Latest by Nick Campton
Analysis
analysis:A generation of NRL players are close to the end, so who will be the final player standing from the noughties?
With Jared Waerea-Hargreaves announcing his departure from the Roosters there's just a handful of NRL players left who debuted in the first decade of the 2000s. Who will be the last man standing?
In a post-Wighton world, can Kaeo Weekes become the next Canberra Raiders' success story?
In Canberra, where stars are made rather than bought, Kaeo Weekes is a developing player aiming to replace departed superstar Jack Wighton.
Analysis
analysis:Meet the five players set to make their mark on the NRL in 2024
Every new NRL season brings a fresh crop of rookie sensations. Nick Campton lists the five young players set to make an impact in 2024.
Almighty defensive effort delivers Indigenous victory in NRL All Stars clash
Indigenous have battened down the hatches and tackled their way to victory over the Māori in the NRL's annual All Stars showdown.
Analysis
analysis:It was only a trial, but for one scintillating moment the old Ryan Papenhuyzen roared back to life
Ryan Papenhuyzen can't remember the last time he felt this good and following the try he scored on return from injury it's been a while since he looked so fast.
Analysis
analysis:After betting it all on their past and losing, Wests Tigers are on the hunt for a new future
Last season, the Tigers reached back into their past only to find more misery. Now, with a new coach, a new board and a new roster, they're trying to make some new memories for a generation of fans who have never seen them win.
Analysis
analysis:Can Australia's two greatest UFC exports fight their way back to a return to form
Alex Volkanovski and Rob Whittaker are Australia's greatest ever UFC fighters but after brutal knockout losses in their last fights, the duo enter UFC 298 at a crossroads.
Analysis
analysis:With a new life beckoning, Nick Kyrgios faces the ultimate decision of his tennis career
The prospect of Nick Kyrgios retiring young has never felt more real. As his commentary career blossoms and his injury lay-off grows longer, Australia's most controversial player must make his final choice.
One night in Philly — how the USA Tomahawks nearly pulled off the greatest upset in rugby league history
When Australia met the USA in Philadelphia one cold night in 2004, it was supposed to be a smash-up but after 40 minutes the Tomahawks were on the verge of one of the biggest boilovers in sporting history.
Analysis
analysis:Canterbury keeps signing utility players to its roster — and it's part of a strategy to end a long finals drought
Canterbury raised some eyebrows when they signed a host of utility players but the Bulldogs are adamant the strategy can help end the club's longest finals drought in almost 70 years.
'The last hero of the American pastime': How a baseball star from Japan has captured the imagination of America
Shohei Ohtani has just signed a deal that is richer than all of LeBron James's playing contracts combined — and it's proof the baseball star is an unmatched phenomenon, writes Nick Campton.
Analysis
analysis:Why the NRL career of Super League-bound Matt Moylan is a cautionary tale
Matt Moylan heads to the Super League having had a fine career in the NRL, but the former Sharks playmaker could never shake off the impossible expectations foisted on him.
Analysis
analysis:Can new coach Benji Marshall give Wests Tigers something to believe in?
Earlier this year, Benji Marshall was bouncing around Wests Tigers like he could still play. Now, the most beloved player of his generation has taken charge of one of the league's most success-starved clubs.
'I could feel myself withdrawing': How a gruesome injury saw a rising Rabbitoh lose his obsession for the game
After five years, Trent Peoples had achieved a lifelong dream to play in the NRL. Just a few months later, he made the difficult decision to temporarily walk away from the sport that was his life.
Analysis
analysis:Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou is the beginning of the end for boxing's beautiful, dark, twisted fantasy
When world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury takes on former UFC kingpin Francis Ngannou this weekend it could mark the beginning of the end for boxing's crossover era.
Alex Volkanovski is walking the hardest path to UFC history and that's the point
Everything is against Alex Volkanovski for his short-notice rematch with Islam Makhachev, but that is exactly how the UFC featherweight champion wants it.
Analysis
analysis:The Kangaroos jersey has a glorious past but its future seems uncertain
Australian coach Mal Meninga is doing all he can to restore the prestige of the Kangaroos jersey, but the future of the green and gold is up in the air.
Analysis
analysis:Eleven days for the fight of a lifetime: Alex Volkanovski accepts short-notice rematch for UFC lightweight title
Most men spend a lifetime preparing for the chance to win a UFC title. Alex Volkanovski has just 11 days after accepting a short-notice rematch with Russia's Islam Makhachev.
Analysis
analysis:'He unlocked me': How this unlikely Panthers grand final hero set the stage for Nathan Cleary's masterclass
Nathan Cleary is rightly earning all sorts of praise for his grand final performance but the Penrith halfback couldn't have spearheaded his side's remarkable comeback without the efforts of Jack Cogger.
Analysis
analysis:Nathan Cleary's NRL grand final performance cements his place alongside modern greats
Brisbane had Penrith dead to rights with 20 minutes left in the grand final but they gave Nathan Cleary just enough time to cement his legend.
Analysis
analysis:Upton completes greatest individual season in NRLW history as Knights go back-to-back
Newcastle's charge for back-to-back NRLW premierships was looking shaky in its showdown with the Titans until Tamika Upton decided otherwise, writes Nick Campton.
Analysis
analysis:Ahead of yet another grand final, we look at the five games that defined Penrith's NRL dynasty
Over the past four seasons, the Panthers have won NRL games just about every way a team can. Nick Campton looks at the five matches that best sum up their unprecedented dominance.
Analysis
analysis:'It's more than a sport. It's more than a game': Why heaven is a country footy grand final
From winning it all without a clubhouse, to trading the Riverina for the Riviera, to a former NRL star reigniting the fire within — a country footy grand final win can have it all.
Gold Coast have made history in making the club's first ever grand final. But the job isn't done yet
Before this weekend, the Gold Coast Titans had never made a grand final in any competition, but on Sunday, with their NRLW team looking for a piece of history that would last forever, that's all about to change.
With back-to-back premierships in the offing, Newcastle could be forging the NRLW's newest dynasty
Eighteen months ago, the Knights couldn't win an NRLW match. On Sunday, they'll be pushing for back-to-back titles as they try to secure their place as the competition's greatest superpower.