2008 Player Review - #32 Cameron Bruce

[Demonland 73,140]

32. Cameron Bruce [190cm 85kg 30.09.79 - 184 games (22 in 2008) 195 goals (13 in 2008] - the only Melbourne player to feature in all 22 games this year, Bruce had an interrupted pre-seaon due to a knee injury but came back to be the club's leading possession gatherer with 244 kicks and 287 handballs and was elected the co-leader with James McDonald after David Neitz' retirement. He also took the most marks (147) and was second behind McDonald on the club's tackle count.

Unfortunately, he drew criticism from some quarters for his disposal by foot which was at times well below the standards he set in his early days.

[waynewussell 6,237]

Cameron Bruce came to the club on Hird-like draft numbers... he developed to the point where he was being compared to the great man and was our first choice to play on Hird v Bombers. Pre-Guerra he was a hot Brownlow topic but injury and confidence issues have plagued him since. I know he still has some trade currency but I prefer him in a leadership role with MFC. We have a very young list and Cam is a genuine positive role model. He also happens to be a versatile footballer who can play anywhere...

[True Believer 1]

Cameron Bruce came to the club on Hird-like draft numbers... he developed to the point where he was being compared to the great man and was our first choice to play on Hird v Bombers. Pre-Guerra he was a hot Brownlow topic but injury and confidence issues have plagued him since. I know he still has some trade currency but I prefer him in a leadership role with MFC. We have a very young list and Cam is a genuine positive role model. He also happens to be a versatile footballer who can play anywhere...

He can HANDBALL well too !!!!

[H_T 3,049]

Required player who enjoyed a very good year personally under injury. Go close to B&F.

[titan_uranus 25,043]

Frustrates me quite a lot. His kicking mainly.

Some of those stats you've got there Demonland will be inflated by the fact that he was the only player to play all 22 games (i.e. he had more games to get more marks than everyone else). But I still like him.

[Bay Riffin 1,480]

Frustrates me quite a lot. His kicking mainly.

Some of those stats you've got there Demonland will be inflated by the fact that he was the only player to play all 22 games (i.e. he had more games to get more marks than everyone else). But I still like him.

we must have players who can kick, and bruce is one of our worst kicks. if we got a second rounder offered for him, i would take it.

all other aspects of his game are very good, good mover, reads the play very well, exceptional motor...but cannot kick !! We cannot move forward with blokes who cannot kick !!

[beelzebub 23,383]

Ok.... if there are say three aspects to a player.. his ability to get it.. his decision making.. and disposal then its the latter two that for me are always the concern for Cam...His disposal MOST of the time is deplorable.... he's a @#!*% useless handball..and often undoes much good work by placing his so called footy mated into serious danger..as they say...with friends liek that!!

He , to me , has never matched his stand out stellar year of a few back. In reality I think he simply played above himself that year and thats the cause of much constrenation as we have expected more.. He simply isnt capable of it.

Have no doubt he seriously puts in...its his output thats debatable

[Sir Why You Little 37,128]

Ok.... if there are say three aspects to a player.. his ability to get it.. his decision making.. and disposal then its the latter two that for me are always the concern for Cam...His disposal MOST of the time is deplorable.... he's a @#!*% useless handball..and often undoes much good work by placing his so called footy mated into serious danger..as they say...with friends liek that!!

He , to me , has never matched his stand out stellar year of a few back. In reality I think he simply played above himself that year and thats the cause of much constrenation as we have expected more.. He simply isnt capable of it.

Have no doubt he seriously puts in...its his output thats debatable

I don't agree that Bruce "Played above Himself" as i do not think that is humanly possible. Just says to me Bruce is now under achieving. Harsh i know but a fact. Yes i know he has played injured but Footy is a brutal Game. James Hird played injured quite a bit to & look at his carreer. Can Cameron Bruce improve? He must to stay on our list. He would agree

[Chook 15,022]

As much or as little as some on this site like it, it's pretty likely that Cam Bruce will win this year's Best and Fairest. He'll probably stay captain next year, too. The reality is that he's highly regarded at AFL-level, despite his obvious weaknesses.

I just wonder what would have happened if Brent Guerra hadn't wrecked his shoulder in '04.

[Swampfox 190]

Cameron Bruce came to the club on Hird-like draft numbers... he developed to the point where he was being compared to the great man and was our first choice to play on Hird v Bombers. Pre-Guerra he was a hot Brownlow topic but injury and confidence issues have plagued him since. I know he still has some trade currency but I prefer him in a leadership role with MFC. We have a very young list and Cam is a genuine positive role model. He also happens to be a versatile footballer who can play anywhere...

Anyone who would compare Bruce to Hird must be blind

Hird is one of the greatest players i have seen and Bruce is not even in the same suburb

Despite that Bruce is a required player at the Demons which is probably linked to the alternative of paying out his contract

A servicable player and is in our best 22 despite YM,s puzzling opposition to anything Bruce does

[Toad33 57]

Frustrates me quite a lot. His kicking mainly.

Some of those stats you've got there Demonland will be inflated by the fact that he was the only player to play all 22 games (i.e. he had more games to get more marks than everyone else). But I still like him.

OMG what a negative.

Surely we can't have players who can have an interupted pre-season and then play EVERY game throughout the season and get the lions share of the footy too....quick trade him so we can draft another highly skilled youngster with massive potential who can't get through a pre-season without breaking down, and then develop OP if he does, and then miss significant amounts of each season with soft tissue injuries as well.

Seriously though, if only half of CB kicks hit targets this year it would still be more than most of his team mates.

He might not use it to advantage all the time but his ability to get it, his application, experience and leadership at this point in the development of our young list are all required.

GO DEES - Building for the future

[Mono 455]

He's never been the same player since Guerra pinned both arms and deliberately drove him into the MCG shoulder/head first - wasn't even booked for it. :angry:

6? weeks to recover, but a shadow of his former self when he returned.

Still a (very) good player, but a sad legacy is he is being paid at marquee player rates (must be $600K-700K next year, my guess - ed.), but does not and will not now have the inpact of a marquee player.

Sad really, for him and the MFC.

[beelzebub 23,383]

I don't agree that Bruce "Played above Himself" as i do not think that is humanly possible. Just says to me Bruce is now under achieving. Harsh i know but a fact. Yes i know he has played injured but Footy is a brutal Game. James Hird played injured quite a bit to & look at his carreer. Can Cameron Bruce improve? He must to stay on our list. He would agree

OK...lets play glass half full glass half empty type semantics.. If he was playing to his ability...the ability to play to that is now not apparent. His new ability level is lower than it seemed..or was...or might have been !! Any which way...he aint doing what he did.

He's a capable player with terrible disposal. Hard to know if thats an assett or a liability...in fact thats exactly what discussions about him revolve around!!

[Yze_Magic 3]

He's never been the same player since Guerra pinned both arms and deliberately drove him into the MCG shoulder/head first - wasn't even booked for it. :angry:

6? weeks to recover, but a shadow of his former self when he returned.

Still a (very) good player, but a sad legacy is he is being paid at marquee player rates (must be $600K-700K next year), but does not and will not now have the inpact of a marquee player.

Sad really, for him and the MFC.

Was a great and fair tackle by Guerra.

[Mono 455]

Was a great and fair tackle by Guerra.

Pity it wasn't you on the receiving end. Change your meds.

[Chook 15,022]

If not fair, it was definitely great. I'd love for Cam Bruce to be able to tackle like that, that's for sure.

[Mono 455]

If not fair, it was definitely great. I'd love for Cam Bruce to be able to tackle like that, that's for sure.

Chook, pinning the arms like Guerra did, to make the tackled player helpless, has now been made illegal and reportable, with a long suspension. An ever growing number of players, like Bruce, were being crippled. I for one, don't think its great.

[Chook 15,022]

Chook, pinning the arms like Guerra did, to make the tackled player helpless, has now been made illegal and reportable, with a long suspension. An ever growing number of players, like Bruce, were being crippled. I for one, don't think its great.

Yep. Fair enough. Since I said that, I looked at the tackle again. It was worse than I remember it. While tackling is an important skill, that particular kind is not what Melbourne players should be doing. I'm all for imposing yourself on the game physically, but only according to the rules of the game. I retract my statement.

[waynewussell 6,237]

My memory of the tackle suggests it was at Telstra Dome... but then again...

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

He's never been the same player since Guerra pinned both arms and deliberately drove him into the MCG shoulder/head first - wasn't even booked for it. :angry:

6? weeks to recover, but a shadow of his former self when he returned.

Still a (very) good player, but a sad legacy is he is being paid at marquee player rates (must be $600K-700K next year), but does not and will not now have the inpact of a marquee player.

Sad really, for him and the MFC.

Mono, you write good,informative information. However, you and the rest of us are only GUESSING what Bruce is on. Even his main detractor,YM has only got him on 500k. Only Bruce , his manager and the club would know his exact income. I would be very surprised if it was 600 to700 k.

[Mono 455]

Mono, you write good,informative information. However, you and the rest of us are only GUESSING what Bruce is on. Even his main detractor,YM has only got him on 500k. Only Bruce , his manager and the club would know his exact income. I would be very surprised if it was 600 to700 k.

Bobby, you're right, it is my guess (I have edited my post accordingly). But given White & Yze combined were on $1M+ this year (from Chris Connolly), in presumably back-ended contracts, I reckon my guess is reasonable. The contract was signed when Bruce had all the signs of becoming a marquee player after a great year. Presumably it was backended as well, and next year is the 3rd year of 4, so I reckon the $'s are getting up there.

Also, we are at 100% of salary cap. Somebody must be getting marquee rates.

[kramer 0]

Ok.... if there are say three aspects to a player.. his ability to get it.. his decision making.. and disposal then its the latter two that for me are always the concern for Cam...His disposal MOST of the time is deplorable.... he's a @#!*% useless handball..and often undoes much good work by placing his so called footy mated into serious danger..as they say...with friends liek that!!

He , to me , has never matched his stand out stellar year of a few back. In reality I think he simply played above himself that year and thats the cause of much constrenation as we have expected more.. He simply isnt capable of it.

Have no doubt he seriously puts in...its his output thats debatable

ditto.......