Collingwood recruit Darcy Cameron is a chance to debut in Round 2 and is hungry to have a sustained run at AFL level
An injury to American giant Mason Cox has left the door ajar for Magpies recruit Darcy Cameron. And with just one senior game to his name, the ruck-forward is intent to have a sustained run at AFL level.
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Collingwood off-season recruit Darcy Cameron believes he has “put his hand up” for a Magpies debut in Round 2 through a strong pre-season and training campaign.
A knee injury to American giant Mason Cox has opened the door for the 24-year-old ruck-forward, who shone during the Marsh Series.
More recently, he has impressed coach Nathan Buckley at the Holden Centre rucking against All-Australian teammate Brodie Grundy.
Cox faces a race against the clock for Collingwood’s Round 2 blockbuster against Richmond, sitting out their intra-club match on Thursday night.
The ex-Swan, who played just one game in three seasons at his former club, is hungry to prove himself at AFL level after crossing to the Magpies on a three-year deal at the end of last season.
Drafted as a mature-ager from the WAFL at the end of 2016, Cameron prides himself on his contested marking and goalkicking presence as a ruckman, making him a like-for-like replacement for Cox.
While Cameron would prefer to break in through form alone, he expressed his desire to don the black and white guernsey and hold onto his spot.
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“Obviously you don’t want to enter a team through a teammate’s injury,” Cameron told the Herald Sun.
“You always want to force your way in, which I feel like I am also doing.”
“I’m training well, even though we had a short stint in the practice games I feel like I put my hand up in those situations.
“I would love to get a debut for the Pies early on this season and do my best to hold that spot.”
Cameron could be manning Grand Final hero Marlion Pickett in Round 2 – mooted as a potential second ruck for the Tigers - but it won’t be the first time he has rucked against him.
“You can’t underestimate Marlion – I’m pretty sure I might have played on him in the ruck while he was playing at South Fremantle and he has a pretty big leap on him,” he said.
Cameron threatened to take Cox’s spot during the Marsh Series after a stunning display, finishing with 12 disposals, 20 hit-outs, a whopping five contested marks, two goals and 127 SuperCoach points.
Funnily enough, that remarkable effort was against the Tigers.
“Being able to impact for the first game in Collingwood colours was pretty important to me,” Cameron said.
Buckley said last week Cameron had been “pushing” Grundy and their key forwards at training.
The Magpies coach revealed on Thursday that Cameron was set to replace an injured Brody Mihocek in Round 2 earlier in the year before the competition was postponed.
“Darcy has slowly worked on his forward craft and his capacity to play as a tall forward for us,” Buckley said.
“He understands he might get stuck in behind (Brodie Grundy) if he’s simply pigeonholed as a ruckman.”
The 205cm, 103kg big man has embraced the challenge of coming up against the AFL’s best ruckman and feels it has improved his game.
“It’s been good for both of us – it’s good to develop my game as someone who makes me think about what I need to do at each contest.”
“I’d like to think I’m challenging him as well with his game but it’s not like he needs much.”
Cameron has been a popular KFC SuperCoach ruck option in recent seasons and sent an apology the way of his owners.
“I’ve noticed this over the last few years actually, it’s been quite a common theme that I’ve sort of been picked as that bench ruck and I’ve been letting down a lot of players,” he quipped.
“I’d like to apologise to them, hopefully this year is the year.”
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Originally published as Collingwood recruit Darcy Cameron is a chance to debut in Round 2 and is hungry to have a sustained run at AFL level