Brisbane forward Charlie Cameron will have a better understanding than many of his teammates when phones and drink bottles start flying around the AFL team’s coaching box this year.
Cameron’s 2018 campaign was cut short after rupturing a foot ligament but, in order to stay involved in the game, the 24-year-old helped out with coaching duties for the Lions’ reserves team in the NEAFL.
The speedster was mainly a runner from the bench but said he now appreciates where his coaches are coming from when they lose their cool.
“It’s a bit frustrating I guess when you see simple errors happen,” Cameron said.
“I felt their pain a couple of times when stuff happened.
“Why they go off at you, I understand now.”
Cameron made a successful return to action last weekend in a scratch match against Gold Coast that resulted in a 33-point defeat.
He now has his sights set on a strong pre-season competition with the Lions, starting with Sunday’s game against Hawthorn in Brisbane.
Last year the Lions suffered two defeats in their pre-season fixtures, form that Cameron admits hampered the club’s momentum.
“Last year we had a couple of rain games so this year hopefully it stays a bit dry so we can play our footy that will set us up for round one,” he said.
“These games are important to build that synergy and chemistry.”