A former Australia, Italy and New South Wales State of Origin representative five-eighth, he is also the nephew of rugby union player David Campese.

However the advice of Neil Henry helped persuade him to join the Canberra Raiders youth set-up and turn down offers from Randwick DRUFC and the Brumbies Academy.

Injury destroyed his campaign the following year and in 2007 Campese struggled to show consistent form, playing 12 games as Canberra preferred to use Todd Carney at five-eighth and Michael Dobson at halfback.

After Dobson departed two games into the 2008 season, Carney shifted to half back and Campese was given an opportunity to stake a claim at five-eighth.

[citation needed] The turning point in the career of Campese came two thirds of the way into the 2008 season when his halves partner and friend Todd Carney was released for disciplinary reasons.

Campese led the Raiders to their first semifinal victory in 10 years with a win over the Penrith Panthers, but were knocked out a week later by the Wests Tigers.

His form had dipped toward the end of the 2014 season and new coach Ricky Stuart had relegated him to playing NSW Cup football for the Mount Pritchard Mounties.

[9] In 2008 Campese earned selection in the Prime Minister's XIII[10] and was subsequently named in the Australia squad for the World Cup.

[13] In May 2009, Campese was named in the 17 man squad to represent New South Wales in the opening State of Origin match on 3 June 2009, in Melbourne.

He was named in the 24-man squad for their 2013 World Cup campaign but he later withdrew after receiving medical advice to stay in Canberra because of his knees.