FORWARD Jess Cameron says a fast start was the key to Melbourne’s 71-point win over the Brisbane Lions in Sunday’s AFL Women’s Exhibition Game.
Melbourne kicked the first seven goals of the game, including six goals to none in the first quarter, to set up a huge win at the MCG.
Cameron, who kicked three goals in the first quarter and six for the game in a best-on-ground performance, said it was pleasing for the forwards to reap the rewards of the midfield’s dominance.
“As soon as you put the pressure on the opposition, it makes it easier for you,” she told Melbourne TV.
“We knew that if Maddie [Boyd] could hit a few of those packs and a few of us crumbers could get in early, it would have an impact.
“The midfield obviously delivered it [well] today, so full credit to them.”
For her first goal, Cameron roved a marking contest, blind turned around her opponent and kicked with her left foot.
The high-marking forward said getting on the scoreboard early was important for her own confidence.
“I was just more thinking ‘don’t kick it through the point posts when you’re two metres out’,” Cameron said
“It was good to get in the game early, it shuts down any of the nerves that you have.
“One of our ruckmen went up for it so it was just good that I could get out the back.”
After injuring her hamstring in a game for VFL Women’s side Diamond Creek two weeks ago, Cameron had to prove her fitness ahead of Sunday’s game.
But the forward moved freely, taking a game-high seven marks and collecting 14 disposals to go with her six goals.
“Always in the back of your mind, you’re thinking ‘are you going to do it again, are you going to injure it’,” Cameron said.
“Two girls had to sit out today so I had to make the call on Friday night whether or not I’d be available to play.
“So I did everything right in terms of recovery, all the things the physio tells you to do and all the exercises and stuff like that [and] I was pretty confident after getting through Friday night that I’d be right for today.”
The game against the Lions was Cameron’s first at the top level, with the forward having previously focused on her cricket career.
Cameron said she was initially “shocked” to be selected by coach Michelle Cowan.
“It’s been really exciting, when Michelle gave me the call to tell me I was in, I was a little bit shocked because I haven’t been in the system too long,” she said.
“I was really excited about it and Michelle’s such a fantastic coach that I was just pumped to get involved and be a part of it.
“I knew a few girls that were going to be a part of the Demons team and I knew that we were going to give it a real crack.”
Cameron said she’d loved her first experience at Melbourne, citing the ease with which the team had gelled after just two training sessions together late in the week.
“They’ve been exceptional in terms of the preparation and the way they want to play their footy and getting the girls to gel really quickly,” she said.
“I think they’re going to be a really fantastic footy club and they’ve obviously got the heads up on everyone else so it’s going to be really hard to beat them.”
