Senior Charlie Cameron (2017-)

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Cameron Blazers His Way To Second All-Australian Honour

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Brisbane Lions forward Charlie Cameron has been rewarded for a standout 2023 season by being named in the AFL All-Australian team at tonight’s AFL Awards.

The electrifying goal-kicker booted an impressive 53 majors earning him his second All-Australian blazer, after first receiving the honour in 2019.

Cameron has been praised for his consistency this season after averaging 10 disposals with 64.2 per cent efficiency - as well as three marks, three tackles and two inside 50 entries per game.

His two best performances came in Round Six against the GWS GIANTS where he starred with a personal season-best seven goals, which surpassed his effort of six goals two rounds earlier against Collingwood.

Brisbane Lions General Manager Football, Danny Daly, said Cameron was very deserving of his place in the All-Australian team.

“Charlie has had a very consistent season and played a very important role in our team and in particular our forward line,” he said.

“Obviously Charlie has kicked plenty of goals which is what everyone looks at, but what has really impressed us about his game is his score involvements and his defensive pressure.

“The other area is his leadership which he has continued to build on and he really leads the way in our forward line.

“This is Charlie’s second All-Australian selection which is a fantastic achievement, and we are all very proud of.

“The Club is equally as proud of our co-captains Harris Andrews and Lachie Neale as well as Joe Daniher for being named in the initial squad.”
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'Nothing's changed' for Charlie, but his finals record says otherwise

CHARLIE Cameron says nothing changes for him come finals time, but his results show otherwise.

Brisbane's dynamic small forward has a record the envy of most in September, and once again he's rounded into form nicely as the Lions prepare to face Port Adelaide in a qualifying final at the Gabba on Saturday night.

Cameron will run out for his 200th game just a week after being named an All-Australian for the second time in his career.

But despite the home-and-away accolade, it's the finals time that he truly shines.

In 16 finals, Cameron has kicked 34 goals. The average of better than two a game outstrips his career mark of 1.78 a game.

Look a little closer, and in his nine finals since crossing to Brisbane from Adelaide, he's kicked 23 goals – a remarkable number for a part of the ground that can see so little of the ball.

Speaking prior to Brisbane's main training session of the week on Thursday morning, the 29-year-old said his focus was to stay relaxed, but he knew it was coming.

"There's just a bit more expectation and pressure," Cameron said.

"I'm always looking forward to finals ... you want to play good in big games.

"Nothing's changed, just a bit more excitement and pressure.

"You've just got to give yourself an opportunity to get involved early, that's something I try to do in finals, to try to get some confidence.

"You've got to make the most of your opportunities when they come around."

Cameron kicked two goals in an influential first finals performance for Adelaide in a win over the Western Bulldogs in 2015 and has not looked back.

He kicked five in the Crows' 2017 preliminary final win over Geelong, another five for Brisbane against Melbourne in a qualifying final loss in 2021 – his 150th game – and last year played a big role in wins over Richmond and the Demons with three goals in each game.

Cameron said he builds his game off pressure. He's ranked No.2 in the competition behind Kysaiah Pickett for tackles inside forward 50. It was a category he led in 2022.

But with another 53 goals this season, it's again his exploits around goal that have turned heads.

Four of the past five seasons he has topped the half century, with only the COVID-19 interruptions in 2020 stopping the streak.

It's been far from smooth sailing this season though, with a round 16 collision with Richmond's Trent Cotchin leaving Cameron with a broken bone under his nose and without his two front teeth.

Although he plays without the teeth at the moment and has some false ones in place to get him through the week, Cameron will require post-season surgery to reinstate them.

He has now played 115 consecutive games, the third longest active streak in the AFL, and says the month following the incident was difficult.

"I was a bit worried with the teeth missing and having, not nightmares, but just your reaction to having another contest like that," he said.

"I had a patch of six weeks where I wasn't playing up to the standard and had to set myself for the last four weeks and have a good block before finals and I thought I did that.

"I think I was worrying too much. The last four weeks I just had to keep it simple and play my role and make the most of my opportunities."

Cameron kicked nine goals in the final three matches of the season, including four in a brilliant display against Collingwood at Marvel Stadium, to set himself for another big role in September.
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Match Report: Ruthless Lions Secure Home Prelim

You can't keep Charlie down
Charlie Cameron is a player fans come to watch and the small forward likes nothing more than a big stage to ply his trade. Cameron has kicked 20 goals in his past seven finals and has only failed to hit the scoreboard in September once, and that was in an Adelaide jumper, so when he was scoreless from two possessions in the first half there was a feeling something wasn't right. And this in his 200th game! So it came as no surprise when the dynamic small forward kicked two goals in a matter of seconds in the third quarter, revving up his motorbike and the crowd to get the game back in Brisbane's command.
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Humility a common thread as Lions rise from rock bottom to AFL grand final

Assessing his brilliant career, Charlie Cameron chuckled as he juggled a coffee and ham-and-cheese toasted sandwich.

“It’s been 10 years, mate,” he said. “I’m getting old. I would not say it is getting easier.”

While Cameron is a footballer who sparks an electric response from fans given his dazzling skills, the Brisbane forward plays with an ethos that is indicative of the collective mindset across a team playing for the premiership. If a “no dickheads” recruitment policy was a factor in the Swans stunning consistency this century, Brisbane’s rise to grand finalist in part stems from a no-fuss attitude. The humble Lions, if you will. From the chair to the coach, inclusive of the co-captains, flashy forwards and dashing defenders, humility is a common thread at Brisbane.

Cameron is the premier small forward in the AFL. His deeds over the past five seasons are astonishing, with the Lion booting more than 50 goals a year in all but the Covid-ridden 2020. But during an interview at Brisbane’s Springfield base in March, he attributed his success to everyone bar himself, including those he played with at the Adelaide Crows early in his career.

It is no coincidence the chorus to John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads rings out around the Gabba every time Cameron kicks a goal. Hailing from Mornington Island, at the foot of the Gulf of Carpentaria, he retains a love of hunting and fishing, and while football stardom has brought him perks, he is a humble country kid at heart.

The same is true of many of his teammates who have driven the Lions to one win over Collingwood away from being Brisbane’s first premiership team in 20 years. After hitting rock bottom a decade ago and struggling to retain recruits, the Lions decided to prioritise recruiting young players from the bush who loved their football but not necessarily the spotlight.

Some, such as Cameron, dual-Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley and Lincoln McCarthy, started their careers elsewhere before being lured north to become part of the collective. Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry hail from western Victoria. Connor McKenna arrived from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland via a stint with Essendon and another back home.

Cam Rayner hails from the heart of Melbourne but his easy-going nature led one former staff member to identify him as a rare gem capable of breaking down barriers between all age groups. And anyone who has spent time with Lions co-captain Harris Andrews, who hails from Brisbane’s academy, could conceive of him spinning out homespun wisdom from the back of a ute.

Being a good person does not guarantee success. But it can lead to tighter bonds and enhance teamwork and a desire to drive higher standards in training and in matches, as Cameron noted when predicting in March that the Lions were ready to roar.

“When you come in through the doors, you are made to feel welcome,” he said. “I have felt that since day one. Having the opportunity to go to a different club, I have come out of myself and played some good footy and become a better person.”

Piloting the resurgence are the Brisbane coach, Chris Fagan, and the chief executive, Andrew Wellington. Fagan, who is a teacher and mentor and big on building character, was tasked with lifting the Lions from the lowest rung on the ladder. He is used to challenges. As a boy he played football in one of the toughest environments one can imagine, where calamine lotion was as important as liniment in the trainer’s kit bag. The Queenstown Football Club on Tasmania’s west coast is famed for its grey gravel ground that leaves players bloodied and bruised with cuts and scrapes.

His toughness no doubt helped him deal with the allegations of racism at Hawthorn which he was linked to a year ago, a tarring that bewildered many who had worked with Fagan or played under him. The Brisbane coach vehemently denied any wrongdoing and was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by an AFL investigation alongside Alastair Clarkson and Jason Burt this year.

Not long before the pandemic, Fagan said he wanted to help the Lions grow as people while improving them as players. Regular individual temperature checks feature in his methodology. Every couple of months he spends at least 15 minutes privately with each player chatting about football and life. It is time-consuming, particularly in the middle of a season, but there is clear evidence it is working.

Wellington, too, hails from the bush, having grown up playing football in Geraldton. A partner with PwC, he joined the Brisbane board in 2014 and became chair at the end of 2017. He has missed just three AFL and AFLW Lions games since. After steering Brisbane through the Covid-era and out to Springfield, the next challenge is fireproofing the Lions to ensure sustained support with the Gabba unavailable for a period leading into the 2032 Olympics.

The AFLW team has been a powerhouse as the Lions men’s team has grown. But similarly to Cameron, Wellington deflects to others when assessing the new strength of Brisbane. “To be a good club, you need a lot of people doing a lot of hard work together,” he said.
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Four key pillars in Brisbane's rise from the scrapheap to the GF

Charlie Cameron (2017)

Twelve months later it was the first established recruit to come on board in the Fagan-Noble and new recruiting boss Dom Ambrogio era.

Cameron had just helped Adelaide to a Grand Final, kicking five goals in a preliminary final win over Geelong, and was keen to get back to his home state.

At the time, Noble – who was close to Cameron in his time at the Crows – said he could see the speedster taking advantage of the fast Gabba deck.

He didn't know how right he'd be, with the 29-year-old kicking 270 goals from 128 matches in Lions colours and becoming arguably the most popular figure in club history.
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Brisbane Lions Announce Updated Leadership Group

The Brisbane Lions have also selected a nine-person leadership group for the 2024 season.

Rounding out the group is Charlie Cameron, Cam Rayner, Brandon Starcevich, Jarrod Berry and Oscar McInerney.
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Fages Reveals Hidden Struggle to Charlie's Slow Start

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Brisbane coach Chris Fagan believes star small forward Charlie Cameron is about to break free from his slow start to the season.

Speaking at Brisbane Airport before flying south for Thursday night's blockbuster against Melbourne at the MCG, Fagan shed some light on why he thought the two-time All-Australian might have been slightly below his usual high standards.

The coach said Cameron's head clash with Trent Cotchin in June last year that cost the Lion his front teeth had had ongoing complications.

"I haven't talked about this until this point in time, but Charlie had a really interrupted pre-season with tooth surgery," Fagan said.

"Remember when he got his teeth knocked out last year?

"He had to have a series of procedures and operations across the pre-season that saw him miss a lot of training.

"Then on the eve of the season he got the flu and missed four or five days of training."

Cameron has not been as sharp around goal as usual, kicking five goals in four games and lacking the confidence he usually exudes.

However, Fagan says he's seen some signs from the 29-year-old in the past week that give him great belief ahead of facing the Demons.

"A little bit last week and definitely this week, his buzz and energy and fitness and feel for the game is back," he said.

"The last quarter last week there was some really good signs that Charlie was on the way back and I'm expecting him to build on that."

Cameron is part of a forward line that ran itself back into form against North Melbourne last week, but Fagan concedes the Steven May and Jake Lever-led Melbourne outfit is an entirely different proposition.

"A win gives you a little bit of confidence, but we did play a very young, inexperienced North Melbourne team, so we've got to keep it in perspective, but it was a step in the right direction, and we'll find out a bit more tomorrow night to see how we're really going," he said.

"It's the quality of their backline players. They've got a tremendous midfield headed by Gawn, and then you've got Petracca, Viney, Oliver, who are all stars of the game, and if they get on top, their forward line is dangerous.

"They've got some great individual players and a good system as well that suits them.

"I think it's good for us to have that challenge. It seems like a tough one, but I believe in our group, and I think we're on the improve."

Fagan expected full matches out of co-captain Lachie Neale and dynamic half-forward Zac Bailey who have both overcome ankle niggles.
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Cameron Consecutive Games Streak Continues

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The second-longest streak of consecutive games in club history is still alive after Charlie Cameron escaped suspension at the AFL tribunal last night.

Cameron, who has played 123 games in a row since Round 1 2019, had a potential one-match ban for a sling tackle reduced to a fine on the back of an unblemished record and a heavyweight defence led by Adrian Anderson, former AFL General Manager of Football Operations

The incident involving Melbourne’s Jake Lever at the MCG last week was originally graded as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact by Match Review Officer Michael Christian.

Cameron pleaded guilty to the charge but through Anderson sought to have the force of the incident downgraded from medium to low, thereby reducing the penalty to a fine.

Anderson claimed Cameron was only 74kg – about 20kg lighter than Lever. He said Cameron was ‘fighting against the tackle’ and ‘did not have control’ as Lever went to the ground.

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He suggested Cameron needed to complete the tackle in a rotating manner to avoid Lever crushing him, and that Lever’s left arm was free in the tackle, allowing him to brace for contact with the ground. Also, he said Lever’s right arm was only partially pinned.

Anderson, noting that Lever had thrown his head up after it hit the ground, suggested Lever was looking at the umpire for a free kick and it wasn't the force of the tackle that had caused his head to bounce.

The Cameron defence stressed that the medical report on Lever, a former Adelaide teammate, was clear and that he played out the game.

Anderson also lodged a character reference for Cameron from ex-Adelaide and Carlton star Eddie Betts, who played with him at the Crows, and cited the fact that Cameron, among 665 200-game players in AFL history, was one of 355 never to be suspended.

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After a lengthy deliberation the tribunal agreed. Chairman Jeff Gleeson suggested the incident was careless but at the lower end of seriousness.

Gleeson said the tribunal found exceptional and compelling circumstances to use its discretion to turn the ban into a fine, meaning the dynamite small forward will be available for the Lions’ crunch Gabba clash with unbeaten Geelong on Saturday night.

All this meant that Cameron avoided joining a list of 13 Brisbane players suspended since coach Chris Fagan took over in 2017.

It is a list headed by Tom Cutler, who received the only two-match suspension of the Fagan era in 2018, and Mitch Robinson, Nick Robertson, Noah Answerth and Lincoln McCarthy, who have twice been suspended for one match.

Dayne Zorko, Jack Frost, Rhys Mathieson, Harris Andrews, Dan McStay, Oscar McInerney, Cam Rayner and Darcy Wilmot (before his AFL debut) each copped one-match bans.

Cameron, back to his best with three goals against the Demons last week, has been a picture of resilience in his 11 years in the AFL after being drafted by the Adelaide Crows with pick #7 in the 2013 rookie draft.

After playing seven of 14 games in his first season with Adelaide in 2014 he played 66 of a possible 72 from 2015-17 before requesting a trade to Brisbane for family reasons. He played the first 11 games of 2018 with the Lions, missed the next 11 with a bad ankle, and hasn’t missed since.

His 123-game streak is one of just five 100-game streaks in Brisbane history, behind only Marcus Ashcroft’s phenomenal 170-game run from 1992-2000, and ahead of Jack Redden’s 109 (2009-14), Simon Black’s 107 (2000-04) and Nigel Lappin’s 103 (1998-2002).

Cameron’s live streak also rates third among current AFL players, behind only the Collingwood’s ex-Lion Jack Crisp (219) and Melbourne’s Christian Petracca (138).

Crisp’s unbroken stretch, which began with his last six games with Brisbane in 2014, is third-longest in AFL history behind Jim Stynes’ 244 consecutive games with Melbourne (1987-98) the 226-game run of ex-Melbourne teammate turned Richmond coach Adem Yze (1997-2007).

Sydney’s Adam Goodes (204 – 1999-2008), Sydney’s Brett Kirk (200 – 2002-10) and Jared Crouch (194 – 1998-2006) fill three of the next four positions, split only by Richmond’s Jack Titus (202 -1933-43), with Ashcroft, 12th all-time, also behind Collingwood’s Jock McHale (191 – 1906-17), Hawthorn’s Andy Collins (189 – 1988-96), Port Adelaide’s Kane Cornes (174 – 2003-11) and Richmond’s Kevin Bartlett (173 – 1975-82).

Cameron ranks third for games played by members of the AFL Class of 2013 despite being overlooked a total of 70 times before he was taken by the Crows with the pick immediately after the Lions had taken Isaac Conway, brother of Lions AFLW star Sophie Conway.

Only 221-game Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli, drafted at pick #4, and 211-game Essendon captain Zach Merrett, who went at #26, have played more games than the 207-game Lions star. And Cameron leads the Class of 2013 goal-kicking with 363, ahead of North Melbourne turned Melbourne spearhead Ben Brown, who was another bargain pick-up at #47. He has 359 goals.
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