“He’s a high-calibre player, and he puts a lot of pressure on himself to perform. He sets a high standard, and if he doesn’t get there, he gets frustrated with himself. Sometimes, that can compound, so it was just about trying to get back to doing the things he enjoys – and he did it. He was unbelievable today.”
Cameron ignited from the time he swooped on the loose Sherrin and drilled a magnificent goal from the boundary about seven minutes into the second term.
Charlie Cameron set the MCG alight in the second quarter.Credit: Channel Seven
He capped that magic moment with a planned celebration in honour of American rapper Snoop Dogg – the league’s headline entertainment act for this year’s grand final – as the John Denver song synonymous with his goals, Take Me Home, Country Roads, played in the background.
Cameron had three more opportunities to celebrate, too.
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He out-bodied Jhye Clark to mark and kick his second; received a handball off Kai Lohmann for his third; then marked low to the ground before launching Brisbane’s nine-goal final-quarter binge.
“I did hear [the critics] a bit, but I just had to get back to doing what I do best, and back myself. I knew what I was capable of and the job I could do,” Cameron told this masthead.
“I had a great chat with Phil Smyth about my game, and that was probably a turning point. He told me a story about Tim Duncan, and it was all about having more fun and enjoying yourself. There’s a fair bit of expectation [on me], but I’ve got a lot of great support around me.”
Cameron is just one redemption story in a club full of them, after a year riddled with injuries, shock losses at their Gabba fortress and a nightmare fixture.
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To him, last year’s premiership – his first – will always be the “sweetest”, but this one still holds a special place in his heart.
“It’s unreal. I didn’t know how to react afterwards because it’s the second one,” Cameron said.
“The first one is the sweetest one, and they’re different, but it’s been a tough year, with a lot of injuries, and so many players had to come in and step up. Everyone just played their role and there were no egos, and this win is all about our system and culture.”
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