Sport
25 September, 2024
Third time's a charm for Charlie? Cameron eyes AFL premiership
The Mornington Island product will be a key player for the Brisbane Lions.
Mornington Island will roll out the big screens on Saturday to cheer on local product Charlie Cameron in the AFL grand final.
The Brisbane Lions forward is desperate to win his first premiership after two gut-wrenching grand final appearances.
His first was with Adelaide in 2017 as the Crows went down to Richmond by 48 points.
His second happened last year as Collingwood broke the hearts of the Lions with a four-point win.
Cameron, who was born in Mount Isa and lived in the city briefly before moving to the Gulf as a toddler, kicked three goals for Brisbane in that decider.
Mornington Island Aboriginal Shire councillor Renee Wilson said the whole community would be behind “Chuckie” on Saturday.
“I’m not sure if he likes being called that but that’s what he was known as when he was a kid,” she told North West Weekly.
“The whole island will be watching him do his thing.”
Cr Wilson saw her cousin play first-hand in May this year when the Brisbane Lions stepped out for the AFL’s Indigenous Round in a guernsey that she designed.
“I was approached by Chuckie’s mum (to do the artwork),” she said.
“We went down for the game and we had Mornington Island dancers perform at the Gabba before the game.
“It was really awesome; the atmosphere was something else.”
Cr Wilson said she was related to Cameron through their grandparents.
“My grandfather and his grandmother are siblings,” she said.
The livewire forward, who has become a fan favourite in the AFL as a result of his trademark song, John Denver’s Country Roads, which echoes through the Gabba whenever he kicks a goal, will be a key player on Saturday.
Cameron kicked two goals for the Lions in their come-from-behind win against Geelong in the preliminary final and will prove a handful against the Sydney Swans in the big dance.
The AFL grand final is scheduled to bounce down at 2.30pm on Saturday and will be shown on Channel 7.
