JEREMY Cameron is a unique footballer in every sense of the term.
Understated, likeable and extremely humble, he is blessed with a style that Greater Western Sydney senior assistant coach Leon Cameron sums up as "that very lackadaisical, great country cool".
At a time when fashion sense is a priority to many modern-day players, Cameron happily acknowledges he is the worst dressed player at the Giants.
It's a belief backed up by the majority of his teammates.
But the man who was born on April Fool's Day almost 20 years ago is also regarded as the AFL's next superstar key forward in waiting.
Cameron's six-goal haul against Essendon a fortnight ago was a single-game record for the Giants and put him in some lofty company.
The GIANTS star added four more to his name against Hawthorn on Saturday including his 50th goal in just 24 career games.
Over the first 22 games of their careers, only Tony Lockett, Chris Grant and Gary Ablett snr had kicked more than Cameron's 44 goals.
But the teenager, who grew up in the tiny rural township of Dartmoor in south-western Victoria, was too young to watch any of them in their prime.
"Obviously they were pretty good forwards," Cameron says, with more of that laidback charm.
"I didn't get to watch much of them at all, I've only seen highlights.
"They're huge names and they still are talked about all the time in the media and they're the legends of the game.
"I guess it's a good thing being up there at the moment, but there's a long way to go in my career, and they just excelled from this spot forward."
That last comment gives an insight into the inner drive Cameron possesses to become the best footballer possible.
Don't let his demeanour fool you. Cameron has no interest in relying on his natural gifts alone, of which he has plenty.
A noted golfer and talented cricketer, the key forward is dedicating himself wholeheartedly to his chosen sport.
"Everyone sees the goals he kicks and unique ability to mark the ball and general skill of the game," Leon Cameron said.
"But we're rapt that Jeremy is making some big inroads defensively
"If you look at Buddy Franklin and Jarryd Roughead, when the ball is inside 50 for them, their tackle pressure is outstanding.
"Jeremy understands that and is starting to believe in that and starting to realise it's not about kicks, marks and handballs.
"It's about putting defensive pressure on and progressing that way.
"He's a unique talent, you can't deny that, and we're thrilled with his progress."
Held goalless as an 18-year-old in GWS' first game against the Sydney Swans in round one, 2012, Cameron quickly found his feet.
The next week, in a team beaten by 129 points by North Melbourne, Cameron announced himself with four goals and the club's first ever Rising Star nomination.
Two weeks later, he kicked five against the Western Bulldogs.
For a side that has won just two of its 29 AFL games, Cameron has kicked multiple goals in 13 of his 23 appearances, including hauls of five, four and seven bags of three.
Cameron's 44 goals through 22 games put him ahead of Wayne Carey (28), Buddy Franklin (22) and Jonathan Brown (19) at the same point.
Kevin Sheedy, who coached Matthew Lloyd, Scott Lucas, Paul Salmon, Simon Madden and Paul Vander Haar, feels blessed to be working with a player of Cameron's calibre.
"He's scary," Sheedy said.
"Jeremy, if he does everything right, will be an absolutely fantastic player.
"I've coached some of the best forwards in Essendon's history … and I think Jeremy's going to be right up there."
Sheedy has previously likened Cameron's left-foot style to his former Richmond teammate Royce Hart, the centre half-forward in the AFL Team of the Century.
Leon Cameron, who will take over the GWS reins from Sheedy at season's end, isn't too sure about comparisons. He just knows he is working with a special talent.
"I think he's unique in his own way," Cameron said.
"He's got those skinny little legs that Chris Grant started out with.
"He comes from a terrific background; his mum and dad have done a great job of bringing him up in terms of punctuality and personality and character.
"He's a left-footer, he can take some pretty spectacular high marks as well, but I think people tend to forget also he's got the ability to run.
"Some tall forwards might be very good marks but can't run or vice versa.
"Jeremy's got a bit of both. We're excited by the talent he has.
"And we're grateful he's a part of the Giants footy club."
What they say about Jeremey Cameron
"Cameron's a star. He already is. When this side gets up and running, he's going to be almost unstoppable," Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson
"They've got some incredible young talent, in particular Jeremy Cameron, who has kicked 44 goals in 22 games and that's up there. The future is bright for this club." AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou.
"Jeremy had one of the best debut seasons of any young forward I've seen in more than 40 years in the game." GWS coach Kevin Sheedy
"In the first minute the ball was kicked out of a centre clearance and Jeremy stood on three or four people's heads and took an unbelievable mark from 50m out. Then he went back and casually kicked the goal post height from 50 out. I thought 'gee, we've got something here boys'." Phil Partington, Cameron's former coach at the North Ballarat Rebels
"I believe Lance Franklin and (Travis) Cloke are the two best key forwards now. But in four years, it will be Jeremy Cameron." former Essendon full-forward Matthew Lloyd
