Under-fire Cameron answers critics with finals wins Giants back coach
LEON Cameron started the finals series a man under pressure, but after two wins the GWS coach may already be on the verge of a speedy contract extension.
Executing back-to-back coaching masterclasses against the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane is certainly a good way to get any monkey off the back, but Giants players are bemused why Cameron – still uncontracted beyond next year – was facing scrutiny in the first place.
GWS will tonight contest their fourth straight finals series and third preliminary final, while superstar players like Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly continue to re-sign to play under Cameron’s coaching.
Yet in the lead-up to September, Cameron’s game plans were put under a searing microscope by critics, as Giants’ board member Jimmy Bartel raised eyebrows on the eve of the club’s first final against the Bulldogs by inferring the entire football department would be reviewed should GWS make a middleof-the-road exit.
Although chief executive Dave Matthews reportedly responded by sending an email to GWS staff stressing there would be no formal review, the untimely and premature comments from Bartel appeared to reveal a certain restlessness at the club that was bubbling beneath the surface.
Cameron comes off contract at the end of next year, but regardless of what happens against Collingwood at the MCG, Giants players have delivered a compelling case for why a new offer should be swiftly put on the table.
“Boys are re-signing with the club the way it is. We finished sixth this year and apparently Leon is under pressure,” Josh Kelly said in an interview before the first final.
“We never try and look too much into those kinds of things … I love playing for Leon. He is an outstanding coach.” If GWS beat Collingwood on the biggest stage without their two most influential players Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield, it will go down as one of the greatest finals upsets in history.
Should they fall short, Cameron arguably deserves a new contract just so he has the chance to show what he could do when he has a full complement at his disposal.
Senior figure Heath Shaw said everyone at the club from coaches to players knew they were coming into this finals series under pressure, but declared Cameron handled that heat as proficiently as anyone could.
“I think Leon has had pressure on him for a fair few years in terms of leading this team towards a premiership. With all the talent we’ve got and everything we’ve been given (people say) a premiership is the bare minimum,” said Shaw, before the finals.
“But you do forget there are 17 other teams that want to win a premiership and this is our fourth year in a row we’ve played finals, which is a pretty good feat in itself.
“He’s only got one year left on his contract so pressure comes on anyone who has only got one year left on their contract, who hasn’t reached where they want to get to.
“Leon has handled that really well.”