Collingwood Star Darcy Cameron Dismisses ‘Age Cliff’ Concerns
Collingwood star Darcy Cameron has firmly rejected the notion that the club is approaching an “age cliff.” When asked about the topic, he expressed his disbelief at the idea.
“I think it’s silly,” Cameron said. “If you look over the last four years, we’ve played in two prelims and a grand final. We’ve still got a lot of the same personnel. I know those guys are getting a little bit older, but they’re still performing at a really high level.”
The Magpies have struggled this season, winning just two of their first five matches. They have suffered defeats against expected contenders such as Adelaide, Brisbane Lions, and Fremantle. These results have reignited discussions about the team’s list profile and whether the club is relying too heavily on players like Nick Daicos and veteran Scott Pendlebury.
Cameron, who won the Magpies’ best and fairest award last season, believes the concerns about an impending age cliff are unfounded.
Despite the challenges, Cameron remains optimistic about the team’s future. He pointed to the club’s recent performances as evidence that the current squad is still capable of competing at a high level.
“Those guys are still performing at a really high level,” he said. “I think that’s silly.”
However, the issue of scoring efficiency remains a concern for the Magpies. The team has struggled to convert their inside 50 dominance into points, particularly against Fremantle. Despite controlling the inside 50 count in that match, they failed to capitalize on their opportunities.
Coach Craig McRae made adjustments to improve the team’s scoring power in the game against GWS, but the Magpies have scored only 78, 79, 65, and 39 points in their other matches this season.
Cameron believes the team needs to find better ways to create scoring opportunities. He suggested that the midfield could play a more significant role in linking up with the forwards.
“I think we just need to create more opportunities to link up with our forwards,” he said. “They’re working really hard as a forward group to find ways around that.”
He also acknowledged that the midfielders may have been too predictable in some parts of the game.
“As mids, we probably missed a few opportunities in the first half to lower our eyes and not be so predictable,” Cameron added. “Freo flood a lot of numbers back, and we probably played into their hands at times.”
Looking ahead, Cameron said the team will review their performance and make necessary adjustments.
“Like I said, we will go back and look at the vision,” he concluded.
