Suns defender primed for shut-down job on Lion Cameron

Murray Wenzel | May 16, 2023

Sean Lemmens is backing himself to keep Charlie Cameron quiet as Gold Coast eye a drought-breaking win against AFL neighbours Brisbane.

The Lions (6-2) have won the last eight games against the Suns and enter Saturday’s Gabba clash on a five-matching unbeaten streak.

But Lemmens feels as if his 4-5 side, who have beaten Geelong and lost narrowly to Melbourne already this season, have “matured” and can stop the rot.

Central to that will be restricting the damage of Brisbane’s in-form small forward.

Cameron was kept goalless when marked by Andrew McGrath on the weekend, the Bombers enjoying a halftime lead before Joe Daniher took control with a six-goal haul against his former club.

Cameron had kicked 23 goals in the five games before that though and shapes as a handful for Lemmens.

“He’s a star player and I know they bounce back pretty quick,” Lemmens said.

“It’s definitely speed and his nous, and his goal sense is really, really good.

“I’m going to back myself in and do the things I know, be physical as I know I can be.”

Brisbane has other avenues to goal, as the Bombers found, but Lemmens said the emergence of Charlie Ballard alongside Sam Collins meant they had the cattle to manage them.