WHEN he was on the park in season 2021, Jeremy Cameron was every bit the unstoppable, goal-kicking force that Geelong had hoped for.
The mercurial Cat’s freakish goal sense and deadly left boot made Cameron the perfect complementary piece to Tom Hawkins’ reliable goalkicking and strong marking.
Geelong's off-season recruit and Hawkins ranked inside the top six AFL goalkickers for goals per game, a formidable assignment for opposition defences.
The only hiccup in the former Giant's debut season in the hoops came in the form of a recurring right hamstring injury, restricting the dynamic forward to just 15 games.
Season Averages
Goals: 2.6 (4th in AFL)
Forward 50 Groundball Gets: 1.5 (2nd at Geelong)
Goal Assists: 0.6 (6th at Geelong)
Marks Inside 50: 2.0 (2nd at Geelong)
Marks on Lead: 1.2 (2nd at Geelong)
Score Involvements: 6.8 (2nd at Geelong)
(Rankings for players with >1 game played)
Standout Moment
Geelong fans had to wait until Round 6 for the long-awaited debut of the big name, off-season acquisition, but they didn’t have to wait long for the new fan favourite to start the fireworks show.
Cameron scooped one cleanly off his shoelaces and screwed the footy round off his trusty left boot in the second term of his debut match against the Eagles for his first goal in Cats colours.
Just two minutes later he hit the pack with speed and dribbled a tumbling goal from the boundary to the delight of his new home crowd.
The Cameron era in Geelong had begun.
Stats File
There were no signs of the rustiness Cameron showed in his last season in orange and charcoal upon his arrival at the Cattery.
Cameron’s 2020 season average of 1.40 goals per game was the lowest mark of his career.
In eight of his 10 AFL seasons the Dart has averaged more than two goals per game, and his 39 goals from 15 games in season one in Geelong was a solid start.
The good news? Despite the electrifying nature of Cameron’s first season at the Cattery, he’s had four AFL seasons with a higher goal per game average.
Jezza has an even higher gear to reach.
Game-Breaking Performance
The best performances of Geelong’s season coincided with Jeremy Cameron’s best football.
The Cats’ gusty win in enemy territory against the Power in Round 13 was a sight to behold, as Cameron kicked into gear with three final-quarter goals as Geelong stormed home to defeat the eventual preliminary finalists.
Fuelled by the power nine cups of coffee and a nap under a table as the Cats waited in Adelaide Oval quarantine, Cameron had five goals in a scintillating display of scoring prowess.
The Quote
The heart-warming boundary line moment captured by the ABC’s Tim Hodges showed just the sort of character Geelong had brought into the club.
Just moments after tearing his hamstring against the Bombers, the laidback country kid was searching the crowd for a young fan to receive his match-worn pair of boots.
Young Nathan was the lucky fan and later that week made a trip to the club for a behind-the-scenes tour.
