Jeremy Cameron etched his name back into Geelong's record books with a stunning 10-goal performance against the Western Bulldogs in 2026, and coach Chris Scott was quick to acknowledge both the spearhead's brilliance and the wider context of the win.
"It's probably 30 years since someone's kicked 10," Scott confirmed. "Yeah, he was on, wasn't he? To kick seven in the first half. Every time he went near the ball, even up the ground, it looked like good things were going to happen."
Scott was guarded about getting carried away, mindful of the Bulldogs' bruising injury toll. "It's easy to not get carried away with our performance when you think about the challenges the opposition had," he said. "I mean, I can't imagine their box being any more flat than ours when Sam Darcy went down. You're not a real football person if your heart doesn't go out to individuals and the club in situations like that. Even losing Liberatore and Richards was obviously a bit sore."
Without a fully fit Tim English, the Bulldogs simply could not stem the tide. Geelong used Cameron's avalanche to put a stamp on a milestone night for a pair of long-serving Cats: Jake Kolodjashnij and Mark Blicavs.
Asked about Kolodjashnij's drought-breaking final-quarter goal, Scott chuckled. "Well, I'm sure the other boys have said it, so I don't mind repeating it, but there was a long time there where we had a lot of fun with that. I think did he hold the record, Mack, for the most games without a goal? And he was pretty close anyway. 127. Every week that continued without him kicking a goal was a bit of entertainment for the boys."
Scott was sober when reflecting on Kolodjashnij's broader story, however. "He's been a really important player for us, but it's difficult for those outside the club to understand just how challenging it's been for him over the last 12 months. There aren't many players outside of a knee reconstruction where you know it's going to be a long period of time, but it's likely you're going to come back. This was a situation where it was a bit unknown whether he was going to be able to force his way back into AFL football. He just endured the difficult times."
The Geelong coach also revealed the night had been about much more than scoreboard pressure for Cameron. "I'm sure he would even say it, he probably has in the post-match, that he's just pleased for Kolodjashnij and Mark Blicavs to enjoy their milestone nights. The most important thing is that the best way you can celebrate those guys who have been so important to us is to do what you need to do as a team."
Geelong's third-quarter dip drew a sharper note. "We didn't play as well as we would have liked," Scott said. "Even early in the second half, probably for most of the third quarter, you could see the threats that the opposition had. Given that third quarter wasn't great, the boys sort of knuckled down in that last quarter and made it a bit more of an enjoyable experience for the last probably 10 or 15 minutes."
Scott closed with a broader observation about the modern game. "I think playing's actually harder than it's ever been. They get a bit of a bum rap I think sometimes, the players, because they are well rewarded."