Mornington footballer Jimmy Cameron wins MPFNL flag with ruptured spleen

A Mornington footballer played more than half of the grand final with a serious injury, collapsing after the match. He recalls how the drama unfolded.

Mornington player Jimmy Cameron holds the premiership cup in the Alfred, with coaches Leigh McQuillen (left) and Josh Newman.

It’s almost two weeks since Mornington won the MPFNL Division 2 grand final and Jimmy Cameron is yet to have a celebratory beer.

After sparking the Bulldogs early in the game, he suffered a ruptured spleen in the second quarter.

Not knowing the severity of the injury, Cameron played out the game before being rushed to hospital.

“I still haven’t had a beer,’’ Cameron said on Thursday, 12 days since the decider.

“I’m on some decent pain killers. I’m very much looking forward to having the first beer, it’s going to go down well I think.’’

The 30-year-old has been through the ringer, in and out of hospital, since playing in the Bulldogs’ nine-point victory over Somerville at Frankston Park.

James Cameron in the grand final. Picture: Al Dillon

Cameron’s injury occurred when he ran back with the flight and copped a knee in the “guts” in the second quarter.

“My stomach went into a spasm,’’ he recalls.

“I went off and tried to catch my breath — I still am a bit.

“I got back out there, in bursts throughout the game, and was just struggling to deep breathe, so I had to keep coming on and off.

“I think Holcs (Mornington assistant coach Chris Holcombe) could tell I wasn’t a hundred percent.’’

Immediately after the game, Cameron celebrated with teammates on the ground and received his premiership medal.

Mornington lift the premiership cup. Picture: Valeriu Campan

But his condition soon worsened.

“After the game in the showers I started to feel pretty unwell and I fainted after the shower,’’ he said.

“I put it down to a bit of dehydration. I’d sort of forgotten about it during the match given the adrenalin and that sort of thing.

“I recovered from the first fainting so I thought, ‘oh yeah I’ll go to the club function’, and then I fainted again in the car on the way.

“I thought I better turn and head to hospital and get myself checked out.’’

Cameron collapsed at the entrance to Frankston hospital and was rushed into emergency.

Soon he was being transferred via ambulance to the Alfred in Melbourne.

“I rolled in and was on the operating table within an hour of arriving,’’ he said.

Cameron underwent surgery at 4am on Sunday and doctors saved the spleen.

Two days in ICU followed, during which time his spirits were lifted when Mornington coach Josh Newman and assistant Leigh McQuillen, armed with the premiership cup, visited him.

“That was very classy by them,’’ he said.

But Cameron wasn’t out of the wars yet.

“I actually picked up Covid on exit so I went down hill again with fever and chills, and had to go back in for a couple of nights,’’ he said.

“But I’m recovering well now which is good.’’

Mornington players and supporters celebrate their win. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Cameron, a school teacher, has decided to hang up his boots, retiring on the high of a premiership.

He said he’d enjoyed his football journey, from making his senior debut at Mornington as a schoolboy to playing VFL with Frankston Dolphins and ultimately a premiership with his beloved Bulldogs.

“That’s definitely me signed off and done, especially after the surgery and what not,’’ he said.

“I think (my partner) Jenny and mum and dad were pretty nervous going in for surgery so I think I’ve put them through enough.

“I’ll gladly hang them up after that.’’

Cameron went into the game pretty banged up as it was, with a wrist and knee injury.

“I literally crawled over the line,’’ he said.

Mornington coach Josh Newman said Cameron was “as tough as they get’’.

“You wouldn’t meet a guy who’s tougher on a footy field,’’ he said.

“I think he just knew it was going to be his last year and he wanted to win a flag so he did everything he could.’’

Cameron wanted to send “a massive thanks’’ to Mornington — “it’s a tight club’’ — and also to the “incredible” medical staff, doctors and nurses, at the Alfred.