POWER BEHIND THE THRONE

CHELSEY Cameron is the unsung hero of the Lady Supercats brigade.

She was on board from the time Geelong entered the women’s SEABL in 2011, after the club sacrificed money from its player budget to bring in the respected strength and conditioning coach.

Inaugural coach Paul O’Brien said the value Cameron added to the team in those early years was invaluable.

“We forfeited playing talent just to have a full-time strength and conditioning coach, and I think we’re the only SEABL team outside the Institute of Sport that had that,” O’Brien said.

“While we mightn’t have gone down the player line, I believed we needed to create professional standards both on the training side but also with your strength and conditioning staff.”

Current coach Dave Herbert agreed.

“Chelsey Cameron is superb. She does a wonderful job,” he said.

“At after-game functions the girls aren’t allowed to look at the sausage rolls or doughnuts, so (assistants) Glenn Sharp, Darren Busutill and I are very happy — we can go an eat what we want, and they’re on rations.

“But she does an amazing job. She cares so much about our group.

“She’ll make the phone call to see if they’re right, she’ll talk to each player each week. She’s more than a conditioning coach. She’s been wonderful for the group.”

Superstar Alex Bunton said Cameron was essentially a teammate.

“It’s like that joke, if you’re going to grab a slice of pizza, make sure she’s not around,” Bunton laughed. “She’s that unknown teammate who sits behind the bench whether we’re home or away, but she’s also that serious team coach and overall wellbeing coach off the court for us.

“People don’t realise she actually does a lot for us.”

Cameron played down her tag as the Supercats’ secret weapon, but said it was a huge thrill to be part of last weekend’s conference title victory.

“Last weekend was a really emotional time for all of us, it’s been such a long journey to get there,” she said.

“I think it’s been so many years we’ve been absolutely close . . . they’ve been an amazing group of girls to work with.”