IT WAS in the back of Darcy Cameron's mind all week.

Three years ago, Cameron watched as his good mate from back home in Western Australia, Tom Barrass, kicked his very first goal in his 100th game. Cameron wanted to celebrate his own milestone with something just as significant. How about his first bounce?

And so, in the lead-up to his 100th AFL appearance last Friday night, Cameron had mentioned the idea to a few teammates. Maybe this would be the week, he pondered. He never thought it would actually happen.

But, as he galloped away from a centre bounce, counting his steps, he decided he'd finally give it a crack. Bending down, all 204cm of him, Cameron gently nursed the footy against the Adelaide Oval turf and was delighted the ball actually returned to his welcome grasp. After 100 games, bounce No.1 had been notched.

"I definitely knew about it," Cameron laughed, speaking to AFL.com.au this week.

"I had been speaking about it to a few lads in the weeks leading up to it. I said, 'Boys maybe this is the year I have a bounce'. But, in the moment, I definitely wasn't thinking about it. It was about eight steps, but I don't reckon I've taken that many steps in my career. It felt like 20 to me, so I put the head down.

"One of my good mates, Tom Barrass, he kicked his first goal in his 100th game. I just thought, 'Why not take my first bounce in my 100th game?' It wasn't comfortable, but it's a bounce, so it's all good."

Cameron deserved to treat himself. Set to turn 30 later this year, it had taken the versatile ruck nine years across two clubs to eventually reach the milestone. But his story is one of persistence, and of belief.

Having slipped through the cracks in his draft year – and then for the following three seasons after that – Cameron was eventually given his opportunity at Sydney at the age of 21. But he played just one game in his first three seasons at the Swans, leading to more uncertainty and another move interstate.

But it's at Collingwood where Cameron has found his feet, emerging as one of the game's best and most consistent rucks. Now a premiership player and a member of last year's All-Australian squad, his place among the League's elite is secured.

"I probably didn't have the belief at Sydney like I have now," Cameron said.

"I had the belief that I could be a good AFL player, for sure. But I just really wanted an opportunity to have a solo ruck job to myself. Or even to be able to play minutes in the ruck and share that load, like I have with 'Coxy' [Mason Cox] through the years.

"When I was coming into the team, it was always to pinch-hit and play forward. I knew that if I got a major role in the ruck, I'd be able to play a good role for the team and I always had the belief in myself to do that.

"But now, it's all coming to a head. Doing it for the Pies for a number of years now, it's been really fun. I'm really grateful to 'Fly' for having that trust in me over the last three or four years. It's been really good."

It's also why, for as important as last week's 100-game milestone was, this week's is just as special for Cameron. It marks 100 games for Collingwood, the club where he has emerged as one of the competition's best in his position.

"I was just talking to my partner about it, actually," Cameron said of his impending Collingwood milestone. "I said, 'I'm eligible for father-son now, so it's probably time to get cracking on the kids front'.

"Early in my career, I was happy with one game. I didn't think there were going to be many more after that. It took me almost two-and-a-bit years to get to my second game and then I was in and out for the start of 2020 through that COVID-19 year.

"I remember notching up 10 at the end of that season. I was really in and out of that team. I just thought I was going to be a 20- or 30-game player, so I'm really, really proud of myself and grateful for the people that have supported me on this journey."

The deal taking Cameron from Sydney to Collingwood, which saw the Magpies only slide from pick No.56 to pick No.62 to secure his services, will go down as one of footy's biggest trade steals in recent memory. Ever since, he has grown into one of the competition's best tall prospects.

But it's in a role he wasn't originally signed for. Yes, Cameron rucks well and his athleticism and mobility are a huge asset for Collingwood. According to Champion Data, this season he ranks top three among his position for disposals (19.4), contested possessions (13.2) and clearances (6.2).

However, it's down back where Cameron is truly flourishing. His 14 intercept marks are the most any ruck has taken this year and the ninth most of any player in the competition. He even leads established key defenders like Darcy Moore, James Sicily, Sam Collins and Callum Wilkie in this category.

It's not a one-off, either. Last year, he took 56 intercept marks. It ranked No.15 in the League – ahead of Tom Stewart, Nick Blakey and Steven May among many others – and begged the obvious question; could he morph into a key defender one day?  

"Mate, I haven't got the pace for that. I'd get led up on a lot," Cameron laughed.

"But even in my junior years, I always loved trying to support my defenders and intercept the ball. It's always been a big part of my game and something that my dad actually taught me growing up.

"Getting a kick and a half behind the play when the ball is in dispute, positioning yourself in good spots. Luckily, as well, over the last couple of years, there's been a role for the ruck at Collingwood to support the defenders so it's what I need to do for the team. It suits me really well."

What's more impressive about Cameron's intercept numbers is the fact he had excelled in an entirely different role before becoming this player. In his first two years as a Collingwood regular, Cameron played predominantly forward and deputised in the ruck behind Brodie Grundy when required. He even kicked 42 goals across those two seasons.

But it was in 2022, when Grundy suffered a knee injury that kept him sidelined for most of the season, that Cameron was finally given the chance he long craved. Suddenly, after six years toiling away behind more established and experienced talls, he was the main man.

"I was playing decent footy as a pinch-hit ruck to start that year," Cameron said.

"Obviously, Brodie then went down with that PCL injury and I had to take the reins. I didn't overthink it too much. All the players and the staff and the coaches just had a lot of belief in me to go in there and not overcomplicate it.

"We set up in a way where I might not win all the hitouts, but I'd go in there and compete. I had massive trust from the playing and the coaching group and I just built from there."

It was the story of Cameron's career, in a way. The 29-year-old has always backed himself. From the initial move to Collingwood, where he knew he would be deputising to a dual All-Australian in Grundy, to flourishing when given his chance, Cameron has constantly trusted his own abilities. Now, the Pies are reaping the rewards of their own faith in his talents.

"I back myself massively," Cameron said. "But my whole reason for coming to Collingwood was that the Pies wanted me, because that feeling of being wanted was really nice.

"I made the move here and backed myself to be a pinch-hit ruck for Brodie and go forward and kick some goals and play that role that 'Coxy' had initially been playing for the team. Whether I was sharing it with 'Coxy' or competing with him for a spot, I was happy to do that.

"But I had to back myself. The way it's worked out, I don't think anyone would've been able to pick that at all. I'm just very happy I did back myself and it's worked out in such a good way for myself, for my football and for my family."