AFL 2024: Jeremy Cameron on life post-football and why Geelong has stayed in the flag hunt

Jeremy Cameron will pack up and go once he kicks his last goal. But before then he is certain the Cats will keep defying football gravity, despite what some doubters have told him.

When Jeremy Cameron has kicked his last goal, he will pack up the caravan and go.

But it won’t be the last you see of him.

The superstar Geelong goalkicker has long marched to his own beat and has steadily built his YouTube channel in the past 18 months, taking in hits of golf, cooking a lemon slice, travel and tours of his farm.

Jeremy Cameron loves footy. But he will be gone once it’s over. Picture: Daniel Pockett

Unlike some champions, who build up a media presence as retirement edges closer in a bid to break into footy radio or TV, Cameron will not be seen in a suit calling games.

He will instead take his camera on the road and across this sunburnt land.

“It’s really good fun (the YouTube channel), it’s something that I want to do after football and travel in the caravan and spend a year or two travelling around Australia,” he said.

“I’m building a following now which is nice. Doing a few different things, trying to get a bit more relaxed in front of the camera.

“I am getting a little bit more serious with it. I have a cameraman and an editor so I don’t have to do that (editing) after.

“You never know what doors it might open. It would be something in the outdoor space, so I’ll keep it going.”

Cameron would be just fine living in a caravan, even if he is not sure his family – partner Indi and daughter Macey – would agree.

The champion Cat will not have to look far for inspiration on making life work on the road.

His old Giants teammate Ryan Griffen – who is married to Indi’s sister Jasmine – has been rattling around in a caravan since November, 2022.

“(Caravan life) sounds like me,” Cameron said.

“Hopefully a few years left in the system yet. Still enjoying my football, which is the most important thing.”

The man universally known as ‘Jezza’ is still loving the game.

He admits that he would rather be on the road than stuck in the pre-season grind in December and January, but when he is in at Kardinia Park during the season, he is in a happy place.

That’s why the 31-year-old is keen to play beyond his contract, which ends next year, and ensure he remains in the Geelong player group chats.

Jezza still enjoys training and the fans. Picture: Brad Fleet

“When I stop playing or I’m sick of training I will miss being out there on the field, whether that is kicking great goals for your team or celebrating with the crowd and bringing them into the game,” he said.

“I will miss that. But deep down it is probably the people I will miss more than anything.

“There is lots happening behind the scenes and there is so much banter, whether that’s in group chats and all that stuff. I remember when Isaac (Smith) retired last year and it was like ‘thanks for everything guys’ and you leave the WhatsApp group and that’s the end.

“Back to the real world.”

DEFYING GRAVITY

When Cameron began debating his future with GWS in 2020, he was given a stark warning about Geelong.

The Cats were about to lose a grand final that year and had missed finals once in their previous 13 seasons.

The equalisation of the AFL and natural football gravity would mean they had to slide at some point – at least that’s what Cameron was told.

“When I made a decision to come to the club a lot of people were telling me to be careful because it is an old list and you might be battling away, playing bottom-four football for the rest of your career and you will be kicking yourself that you left,” he said.

“When I spoke to the club they reassured me that this is what basically everyone thinks every year and we keep on showing up.”

Since Cameron made the move from Sydney to Geelong, the Giants have played five finals to the Cats’ six, with Cameron winning a premiership medal in 2022.

In that time, the Cats have won 58 of 89 games and the Giants 42 of 88.

And they’re both likely to be there again this September.

A win over Collingwood on Friday night would put Cameron’s Cats in prime position to push for a top-four finish.

It took some time but Cameron kicked his boots in. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

The forward will have a big say in the blockbuster against an undermanned Pies.

He has played out of full-forward in the last three weeks and kicked 9.10 from 20 shots.

His average of 6.7 shots on goal would blow current season leader Charlie Curnow (4.9 shots per game) out of the water.

Wearing new, fluoro boots last week against Hawthorn, Cameron kicked three behinds in the opening three minutes of the contest but quipped to runner Shannon Byrnes that he had worn in his new boots and would finish the game with 4.4 and a perfect 10 coaches votes.

Cameron and his captain, Patrick Dangerfield, have been the two biggest additions to Geelong in the past decade that has kept the club improbably inside the flag window.

But the forward said it has been the work on the margins that has made a difference, led by recruiting doyen Stephen Wells and list manager Andrew Mackie.

Ollie Dempsey is the latest Geelong recruiting success story. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Rookie pick Ollie Dempsey is the latest recruiting success story, with Cameron nominating the youngster as his clear favourite for the rising star award.

And the 245-game forward is in love with mature two-gamer Lawson Humphries’ game and still remains a little confused about which foot he prefers to kicks with.

“It’s a credit to the club, they keep finding these players. They find amazing players every year through the draft,” Cameron said.

“It is funny how we get written off every year, every year I have been here basically. We will have lean times as well but it is about how we respond to that and how we get better.

“I reckon we are going through an important stage at the moment. We are still winning enough games and we want to make finals and get to the last day in September but at the same time we are blooding a lot of young guys and playing a lot of youth in the side, and they are playing really good football.”

Max Holmes stuck with the Cats. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Geelong has not only managed to pluck gems out of the draft, but the Cats have held on to almost every required player in recent years.

This season, Max Holmes and Tyson Stengle were both courted heavily by rivals but turned their back on better money to sign long-term in Geelong.

Cameron puts that loyalty down to the much-vaunted unique and relaxed style in Geelong’s football department, where the program is put in the hands of the players.

“We’re not tippy-toeing on eggshells. I hate that feeling, where everybody is really happy and patting each other on the back but then when we lose it turns really sour,” he said.

“I think that is a good element to it and for the younger guys it’s about, how do we improve?

“You drive your own program. That’s what we do. I think that is a massive part of it.”

While Cameron continues to love driving his own program, he will hold off driving that caravan for now.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Jeremy Cameron on life post-football and why Geelong has stayed in the flag hunt