Chris Scott and his coaches are loathe to take credit for in-game coaching moves, but they do deserve credit for setting up a system in which the players are empowered to pull their own rip cord.

Jeremy Cameron’s move into the middle in the final quarter of Saturday’s thriller against the Tigers is a case in point. The Cats were 17 points down and seemingly on the ropes when Cameron moved himself into the middle.

It’s not an entirely unusual move for this season at least. Prior to joining the Cats, he’d attended just one centre bounce in 171 games, but this season alone he’s up to 14, including four against the Tigers.

All four were in the final term. The score at each Cameron attendance:

62-79

68-79

74-79

89-86

While he still managed to hit the scoreboard over this period it was principally his ability, at 196cm and 94 with a serious tank and athleticism to burn, to create an almost permanent mismatch and influence the play that way.

And influence he did. The 200 gamer was involved in multiple key plays during those crucial final minutes, seemingly having a hand in every Geelong thrust forward.

Generally, a big bodied midfielder like a Patrick Dangerfield can head forward and attempt to exploit the best match up. This is the opposite.

This is the upside down version, where a midfielder now has to cover a big athletic key forward with sublime foot skills. In these circumstances, the degree of difficulty is significantly greater.

This is the havoc option.

As Scott said post match, the devil is in the detail. It’s not about the Cameron’s clearance numbers, it’s more about putting him where he can influence the contest – as close to the footy as possible.

Scott explains:

“I don’t think it was necessarily the fact that he had an impact in the centre bounces but he certainly had an impact up the ground and the best way in terms of modern footy and the way the formations work together.. the best way to get guys in a certain position is their starting point at stoppages,” he said.  

“There was always the risk if he was deep forward and then when we wanted him up the ground and we lost the stoppage, he’d end up 100 metres away from the ball pretty quickly

“I think we’ve got some good between-the-arcs ball users but I haven’t seen many better than him.”

Cameron finished the game with 16 disposals at 81% efficiency, eight marks and three goals and six score involvements, and as 42 goal key forward, he may be one of the best players in the game.

But as a midfielder, he adds a whole other level of weaponry to Geelong’s arsenal.