HAWTHORN Assistant Coach Luke Beveridge says it will take a defensive team effort to stop GWS forward Jeremy Cameron on Sunday.
The Hawks will again be without key personnel when they take on the Giants at the MCG, in particular Josh Gibson, Brian Lake and Ben Stratton from defence.
That means Beveridge, who is Hawthorn’s backline coach will need defender Ryan Schoenmakers, Kyle cheney and youngster Angus Litherland to step up and nullify Cameron, one of the game’s best young forwards.
Cameron has kicked 18 goals in eight games this year to take his career tally to 109 in just 45 games. He averages 2.2 goals per game.
The 21-year-old has had success against the Hawks in the past, booting four goals in last year’s Round 8 meeting between the two sides.
But Cameron isn’t just dominant in the air, the 195cm star is just as good below his knees, with the ability to kick quick goals in limited space.
That means, Beveridge says, it will be a team effort in defence to stop him.
“He played well against us last year,” Beveridge told hawthornfc.com.au
“The boys that will play on him will need help from their teammates.
“Every week we go out there, it’s a team within a team type mantra and that doesn’t change this week.
“We need to curb Cameron’s influence as well as Patton and whoever else is down there.”
Cameron isn’t the only Giants the Hawks will need to stop though, with ruckman Shame Mumford back in the side after an extended injury layoff.
The former Swan, who joined the Giants via free agency at the end of last year had an outstanding start to the year and was arguably their best player in the first three rounds.
Coincidentally, the Giants also won two of those opening three games, including the shock win over the Swans.
Mumford is averaging 42.7 hit outs per game this year, along with 12.2 disposals, 7.0 tackles and 3.5 clearances.
He is the complete ruckman and the Hawks know the Giants play better when he’s in the side.
“When they were going well earlier in the year his form was really good, there is a knock on effect to his teammates,” Beveridge said of Mumford.
“He’s one game back from injury now, so we’re expecting him to be better second up, our rucks will be on alert.”
While the Giants will be determined to restore respectability after consecutive 100-point losses, Beveridge says the Hawks will be equally unwavering in their desire to record a victory after consecutive losses.
But he says the losses to Sydney and Port Adelaide hasn’t affected the belief within the group.
“We’ve dissected those two losses and identified what the positives were, there are some areas in our game that will continue to be weapons for us but there have been some areas we haven’t been happy with and need to get better at,” he said.
“If we have a vast improvement on the deficiency front and continue on our journey with our strengths, we’ll cause GWS some headaches.
“The fact we have actually lost shouldn’t effect the belief we have in what we do.”
