Cameron Bruce

Last updated

Cameron Bruce
Cameron Bruce 2018.1.jpg
Bruce in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth (1979-09-30) 30 September 1979 (age 44)
Original team(s) MHS Old Boys (VAFA)
Draft No. 64, 1999 national draft
Debut Round 1, 2000, Melbourne  vs. Richmond, at Melbourne Cricket Ground
Height 190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 89 kg (196 lb)
Position(s) Midfield
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2000–2010 Melbourne 224 (210)
2011–2012 Hawthorn 010 00(1)
Total234 (211)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2012.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Cameron Bruce (born 30 September 1979) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is currently serving as an assistant coach for the Brisbane Lions. During his AFL career, he was known for his aerobic capacity and neat kicking skills. [1]

Contents


Early life

Bruce in 2007 Cameron bruce.jpg
Bruce in 2007

He attended Melbourne High School and played for Melbourne High School Old Boys following his schooling.[ citation needed ]

Playing career

Melbourne Football Club

It was from MHSOB that he was drafted in 1999, at the relatively old age of 20. He was Melbourne's last selection in that year's draft, taken as the club's sixth pick, and 64th overall, behind team-mates Brad Green, Paul Wheatley and Matthew Whelan. [2] At 20, and after one year in Melbourne's Junior Development Squad, he made his debut for the Demon senior side against Richmond in Round 1 of the 2000 season, kicking a goal with his first kick in AFL football. He played in Melbourne's impressive run to the Grand Final, but had to withdraw from the final match of the season due to injury. [3] Given the number 32 guernsey, he quickly adapted to AFL football, receiving a Rising Star nomination in his debut season, and finishing runner-up to David Neitz in the club's best-and-fairest in 2002. [4] He was a member of the International Rules sides of 2002 and 2004.

Developing his game

Bruce developed his game as a midfielder, but from 2005 he has been used in attack, across half-back and also as a tagger – the latter role seen notably through his tagging of high-profile players such as James Hird, Chris Judd, Adam Goodes and Nathan Buckley. [5] Because of his ability to adapt to new positions and roles within the side, versatility is often highlighted as one of his main strengths, [4] [6] and he has been regarded as the most versatile player in the league at various stages throughout his career. [5] [7] He enjoyed a solid run of form in 2004, which he managed 34 goals for the year, including a seven-goal haul against Carlton in round six. He carried the form through to the 2005 season – enjoying a particularly fruitful period early in the season – before suffering a serious shoulder injury sustained from a heavy tackle which ended his season prematurely. [8]

Established player

In 2006, he played a pivotal role in Melbourne's eight-game winning run, which came on the back of losing their first three matches of the season. He kicked the winning goal against Sydney in round 4 and received 10 Brownlow votes throughout the season, his most in a season to date. [9] He finished second in the club's best-and-fairest and had one of his more consistent seasons – he was one of only two players to average more than 22 disposals and kick more than 20 goals for the season. (The other was Chris Judd.) [10] The 2007 season was hugely disappointing for Melbourne, where they were unable to convert narrow losses into wins and being outclassed on other occasions. Bruce celebrated his 150-game milestone in Round 4, and averaged 24 possessions for the season. He achieved a career-high of 35 possessions against the Kangaroos in Round 9, but his goal tally was well down on previous seasons, kicking just nine majors for the season. [11] His preparations for the 2008 season were hampered by injuries suffered in pre-season, but he was selected in Round 1 and played in the first fourteen matches of the season for Melbourne. New Demons coach Dean Bailey used Bruce chiefly in defence in the early stages of the season, where he picked up Brad Johnson and Cameron Mooney among others. Bailey handed Bruce a more attacking role during the middle of the season, generally playing either off half-back as a rebounding defender, or on the wing. Bruce kicked two goals in all three of Melbourne's wins for the season. He played in all 22 of Melbourne's matches for the season (the only Demon player to do so) and averaged more than 24 disposals per game. [12] He won Melbourne's best-and-fairest for the season, polling 75 votes – 15 more than second-place Brock McLean. [13]

Melbourne leader

Following the retirement of David Neitz in 2008, Bruce was named co-captain of the team alongside James McDonald for the remainder of the season. This came on the back of his role in the leadership group in 2007. McDonald was named as permanent captain for 2009, with Bruce as vice-captain. Bruce resumed his place in the midfield for 2009 and rotated equally between the forward- and back-flanks. He recorded 30 disposals and nine marks against Collingwood in Round 2. He kicked the 200th goal of his career in a 22-point loss to Hawthorn in Round 9. Bruce played his 200th game in round 16, 2009.

Hawthorn

In November 2010, it was reported that Bruce had been training with the Hawthorn Football Club, after being given permission by the AFL. Bruce was subsequently drafted by the Hawks with the fifth selection in the pre-season draft. [14] A few hours after he had been drafted by the Hawks, Bruce had revealed on SEN, a Melbourne-based sports-talkback radio station, that he had already been handed the number 17 guernsey, made famous by Hawthorn legend, Michael Tuck.

Midway through the 2012 season, Bruce announced his retirement from football, citing a persistent back injury as the cause. [15] He retired having played 234 AFL games, including 10 with the Hawks, and kicked 211 goals.

Coaching career

Hawthorn Football Club

Bruce was appointed as an assistant coach in the role of development coach with the Hawthorn Football Club in 2013 under senior coach Alastair Clarkson. After impressing in his role as a development coach, he was promoted to a senior assistant coach with the Hawks in late 2013. [1] On 22 August 2017, it was announced that Bruce would leave Hawthorn at the end of the 2017 season to become a senior assistant coach at Carlton. [16]

Carlton Football Club

At the end of the 2017 season, Bruce joined the Carlton Football Club as senior assistant coach under senior coach Brendon Bolton. [17] At the end of the 2021 season, Bruce left the Carlton Football Club due to a clean-out at the club, after an extensive review of the club's football operations. [18]

Brisbane Lions

On 20 September 2021, it was announced that Bruce had joined Brisbane Lions as an assistant coach in the position of midfield coach under senior coach Chris Fagan. [19]

Statistics

Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals  
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds  
  H  
Handballs  
  M  
Marks
SeasonTeamNo.GamesTotalsAverages (per game) Votes
GBKHDMTGBKHDMT
2000 Melbourne 321922131107818854141.20.75.84.19.92.80.70
2001 Melbourne 3222311814810525381341.40.86.74.811.53.71.50
2002 Melbourne 32242011216152368121470.80.59.06.315.35.02.00
2003 Melbourne 32202518205137342101341.30.910.36.917.15.11.78
2004 Melbourne 3222342322919942899811.51.010.49.019.54.53.79
2005 Melbourne 321520141679326073271.30.911.16.217.34.91.88
2006 Melbourne 322421193032345371751000.90.812.69.822.47.34.210
2007 Melbourne 321691419418337796660.60.912.111.423.66.04.15
2008 Melbourne 32221312244287531147770.60.511.113.024.16.73.52
2009 Melbourne 321998213266479114580.50.411.214.025.26.03.10
2010 Melbourne 322167210304514116730.30.310.014.524.55.53.54
2011 Hawthorn 17914679516250280.10.47.410.618.05.63.10
2012 Hawthorn 17100448200.00.04.04.08.02.00.00
Career [20] 23421116123102137444712296390.90.79.99.119.05.32.746

Honours and achievements

Team

Individual

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne Football Club</span> Australian rules football club

The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. It is based in Melbourne, Victoria, and plays its home games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Peter John HudsonAM is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and for the New Norfolk Football Club and Glenorchy Football Club in the Tasmanian Australian National Football League (TANFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adem Yze</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1977

Adem Yze is an Australian rules football coach and former player. He played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), and is senior coach of the Richmond Football Club.

Brett Johnson is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League (AFL) for Hawthorn and Carlton. He also captained Williamstown Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Raised in Western Australia where he captained the state Under 18 team, he moved to Victoria when he got drafted into the AFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Barker (Australian footballer)</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1975

John Barker is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fitzroy Football Club, Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Darren Robert Jarman is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club and Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), and for the North Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).
Jarman is recognised, along with older brother Andrew, as one of the most skillful South Australian footballers of the late 1980s and 1990s. While Andrew was renowned for his constructive handball skills, Darren was regarded as one of the finest kicks on either foot, whether passing to a leading forward or shooting for goal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Ratten</span> Australian rules footballer

Brett Ratten is an Australian rules football coach and former player in the Australian Football League (AFL). He played 255 games for the Carlton Football Club between 1990 and 2003, including the club's 1995 premiership. He then served as Carlton's senior coach from 2007 to 2012. After a seven-year stint as an assistant coach with Hawthorn and St Kilda, in 2019 he was appointed as St Kilda's senior coach, a role he held until his sacking at the end of the 2022 AFL season. Ratten was also the caretaker senior coach at North Melbourne during Alastair Clarkson's leave of absence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Hawkins (footballer, born 1988)</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1988

Thomas Jack Hawkins is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). At 198 cm tall and weighing 110 kg (240 lb), Hawkins has the ability to play as either a full-forward or centre half-forward. He grew up in New South Wales before moving to Victoria to attend Melbourne Grammar School, where his football abilities earned him a spot in the first XVIII in year ten. He played top-level football with the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup and Vic Metro in the AFL Under-18 Championships. His accolades as a junior include national and state representation, the Larke Medal as the AFL Under-18 Championships most valuable player, and All-Australian selection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Mitchell (footballer)</span> Australian rules footballer

Samuel Mitchell is an Australian rules football coach and former player who is the current coach of the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Gibson (footballer)</span> Australian rules footballer

Joshua Gibson is a former Australian rules football player who played for the North Melbourne Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League. He is a member of Hawthorn's 2013, 2014 and 2015 premiership winning teams, winning the Peter Crimmins Medal in both 2013 and 2015 premiership seasons. Gibson was known for his spoiling prowess down back and holds the record for most one percenters in AFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Ladson</span> Australian rules footballer

Rick Ladson is a former Australian Rules Football player who played with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 AFL season</span> 111th season of the Australian Football League (AFL)

The 2007 AFL season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League (AFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Australia, which was known as the Victorian Football League until 1989. The season featured sixteen clubs, ran from 30 March until 29 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top eight clubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Simpson</span> Australian Rules footballer and coach

Adam Simpson is a former Australian rules footballer who is the current coach of the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL), having led them to the 2018 premiership. A left-footed midfielder, his playing career for North Melbourne spanned from 1995 to 2009, where he played 306 games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Newton (footballer)</span> Australian rules footballer

Michael Newton is an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Australian Football League (AFL) and the Norwood Football Club in the SANFL.

Luke McCabe is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Australian Football League (AFL) and Central District in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).

The 2008 AFL season was the 112th season of the Australian Football League (AFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Australia, which was known as the Victorian Football League until 1989. The season featured sixteen clubs, ran from 20 March until 27 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top eight clubs. A significant feature of the season was the celebration of the 150th anniversary since the sport of Australian rules football was first established in 1858.

The 2008 Carlton Football Club season was the Carlton Football Club's 145th season, and 112th as a member of the Australian Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Melbourne Football Club season</span>

The 2008 Melbourne Football Club season was the club's 109th year in the VFL/AFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Melbourne Football Club season</span>

The 2009 Melbourne Football Club season was the club's 110th year in the VFL/AFL since it began in 1897.

The 2016 season was the Hawthorn Football Club's 92nd season in the Australian Football League and 115th overall, the 17th season playing home games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 16th season playing home games at Aurora Stadium, the 12th season under head coach Alastair Clarkson, and the 6th season with Luke Hodge as club captain. Hawthorn entered the season as the three-time defending AFL premiers, having won back-to-back-to-back AFL premierships.

References

  1. 1 2 "Coaches - hawthornfc.com.au". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  2. "October 1999 Draft Results". Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  3. Burgan, M. David Neitz – the leader Archived 9 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine , MelbourneFC.com.au, 17 August 2007, accessed 3 September 2008.
  4. 1 2 "The Age – Team countdown – Melbourne". Archived from the original on 26 March 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
  5. 1 2 SportsAustralia.com – AFL 2007 Season Preview Archived 10 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Player Profiles – Melbourne FC – Cameron Bruce Archived 8 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. NavSports – AFL 2007 Preview Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  8. "AFL to tackle hidden joint toll – Chip le Grand". Archived from the original on 12 September 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  9. "Footy Wire: AFL Statistics – Cameron Bruce career stats". Archived from the original on 6 September 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
  10. "AFL 2007 – Cameron Burce, Yahoo!7 Sports". Archived from the original on 23 August 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
  11. "Cameron Bruce AFL Profile – Footy Wire: AFL Statistics". Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
  12. "Cameron Bruce 2008 AFL Statistics – FinalSiren.com". Archived from the original on 18 August 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
  13. Holmesby, L. Bruce wins best and fairest Archived 20 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine , MelbourneFC.com.au, 2 October 2008, accessed 3 October 2008.
  14. The Learned One (7 December 2010). "2011 AFL Pre-Season Draft". Triple M. Archived from the original on 8 January 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  15. Macgugan, Mark (16 July 2012). "Broken Hawk retires". Australian Football League. Archived from the original on 19 August 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  16. Sam, Edmund (22 August 2017). "Hawk Bruce to join Bolton at Blues". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  17. "Cameron Bruce to join Carlton Blues as right-hand man". 22 August 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  18. "Carlton cleanout continues, highly rated assistant heads north". 20 September 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  19. "Cameron Bruce Joins the Ranks". 20 September 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  20. "Cameron Bruce". AFLTables. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.