Jeremy Cameron has, like his main rival for this year's Coleman Medal for leading AFL goalkicker Jesse Hogan, succumbed to a wear-and-tear injury picked up during a long season. For Hogan it was his back, for Jezza it's a groin problem; both tend to linger through a season and only get solved with off-season surgery. Cameron's problem is possibly more serious, as his game is built on his mobility and agility, something which a groin complaint attacks directly. He will still contribute on the scoreboard with the silver service from the Cats midfield, but his accumulation powers have waned sharply.
Jeremy Cameron has, like his main rival for this year's Coleman Medal for leading AFL goalkicker Jesse Hogan, succumbed to a wear-and-tear injury picked up during a long season. For Hogan it was his back, for Jezza it's a groin problem; both tend to linger through a season and only get solved with off-season surgery. Cameron's problem is possibly more serious, as his game is built on his mobility and agility, something which a groin complaint attacks directly. He will still contribute on the scoreboard with the silver service from the Cats midfield, but his accumulation powers have waned sharply.
Jeremy Cameron has played fifteen finals across his career at two clubs, and you could argue that it was only in his first in 2016 against Sydney when playing for GWS that he really got hold of one of them to be the difference for his club. Coleman Medals and club goalkicking awards are fine things to win, but Cameron has been a roleplayer more than a dominant force in finals - unlike Tom Hawkins, who announced himself with a grand final performance to remember and went on with it from there to be the talisman in plenty of big games. Perhaps today is Jezza's day to shine.
Jeremy Cameron has been in the news this week for some clickbait by Kane Cornes labelling him the best player in the game. It was pointed out on social media that the vast majority of his goals have come this year against teams outside the 8. Filling your boots is not a bad thing for a forward to do, of course, but he has a tendency to go missing on the scoreboard in big games, as he did famously for most of the Giants' only grand final appearance. At Geelong he concentrates on goal assists as well as his own scores, making him a dodgy fantasy starter.
Jeremy Cameron was the catalyst in last week's come-from-behind victory over Collingwood, paying back some of the big dollars he is earning for being one of the most sought-after centre half forwards in the game. He is not a big target inside 50 in the old Wayne Carey style, being more mobile and roaming up the ground. Many of his goal come from leading to the pockets and flanks, rather than seeking a contest. Like most traditional key forwards his fantasy output is heavily reliant on his scoreboard return, making him a daily fantasy play at best.
Jeremy Cameron is loving life at his new club Geelong, and he will be hoping to emulate Tom J. Lynch and his move from a struggling expansion team to a Victorian powerhouse to win a flag this year. As a fantasy asset. his quality has never translated into the quantity needed to become a premium, and that trend has not improved at the Cattery. Geelong's ball retention strategy tends to focus behind the centre line, where you will rarely find Jezza as he is very much a forward half operator. He is good for the odd startable score but he's more of a real star than a fantasy gem.
Jeremy Cameron has had his worst season since his second-year breakout in 2013, dropping his goal rate from 3.4 in his Coleman-winning previous campaign to a measly 1.5 which looks bad even considering the shorter quarters in 2020. His fantasy scoring has also cratered, dropping more than 20 points in both Dream Team and Supercoach formats. It's not as if the forward line around him has changed, and GWS has a long history of midfield injuries so that's been nothing new this year. He is carrying something, be it physical or mental, and his owners are similarly down.
Jewelry for Jezza
While being marginally shy of his best fantasy season of 2017, it was Cameron's premier season in front of goal, walking away with the Coleman Medal thanks to his 67 home & away goals. A late-season calf injury followed by a minor hamstring strain a couple weeks later disrupted the otherwise-flawless campaign. Bear in mind that he's only played all 22 games once in his career, so make sure to have bench cover just in case. With the ability to be a fantasy match winner as well as on field, Cameron becomes even more valuable. While there are more consistent fantasy forwards out there, a pick in the early-to-middle rounds is not untoward.
Quieter tune from Jezza
Significantly for the Giants' premiership hopes, Jeremy Cameron was unable to match the feats of the year before. At a rate just on three goals a game, he declined in disposals, marks and tackles during the 2018 season, though he nearly doubled his contested marking and marks inside 50 from the previous season. A five-week suspension for striking Harris Andrews brought Cameron’s total missed matches to 14 since 2015, following a succession of hamstring injuries. Cameron's best statistical production has occurred when given the freedom to roam the ground. The stat shifts imply a slight role alteration to stay deeper, perhaps limiting his fantasy output. It remains to be seen how much the exit of Rory Lobb will also affect the key forward. Treading carefully may prove to be the wiser move, especially as historically Cameron has performed worse statistically in a restricted forward 50 role. If available in the second half of the draft, he is a risk worth taking.
