JARROD Cameron – the brother of Brisbane's Charlie – has played an instrumental role in Western Australia's 32-point victory over Vic Country at GMHBA Stadium.
Cameron, 18, was electric in the first half, booting three first-half goals – a set shot and two on the run at full tilt – before adding a fourth major in the third term and getting a cheeky 'Joe the Goose' in the goalsquare with just minutes remaining.
West Coast has first access to the brash youngster as a next generation academy prospect and the Eagles' recruiters would have liked what they saw in Geelong on Friday evening.
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Vic Country controlled the clearances (49-30), but not the scoreboard as the Sandgropers ran away with their first victory of the carnival, in an 11.10 (76) to 6.8 (44) victory.
Sydney Stack was prolific for Western Australia in the second half, winning 22 touches for the game, while Jordan Clark (23 disposals) and Luke English (25) were also key ball-winners.
Western Australia took hold of the contest in the first quarter with five goals to one to help set up a 24-point lead at the first change.
Vic Country cut the margin to just 12 points at half-time as key forward Bailey Williams (two goals) got himself into the game.
Williams is considered a possible top-20 pick and displayed his clean pair of hands in contested situations.
Likely top-five draft pick Sam Walsh copped plenty of opposition attention but did not let that stop him (29 touches and eight tackles); Ely Smith (32 disposals) won plenty of the footy and Toby Bedford (18 and seven tackles) was probably Country's best player.
Oscar Brownless – the son of Geelong great Billy – did some nice things across half-forward with 17 disposals, while Thomas Berry, the brother of Brisbane's Jarrod, was another Country player to impress.
Both teams sustained significant injury worries, with 19-year-old Laitham Vandermeer breaking his collarbone and suffering a concussion in a slinging tackle from WA captain Ian Hill in the first term.
West Australian Damon Greaves hyperextended his elbow in a contest in the second quarter and was spotted in a sling after the game.
VIC COUNTRY 1.2 5.4 5.6 6.8 (44)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 5.2 7.4 9.7 11.10 (76)
Goals
Vic Country: Williams 2, Flanders, Walsh, Barzen, Brownless
Western Australia: Cameron 5, Foley, Georgiades, Smallwood, O'Reilly, English, Medhat
Best
Vic Country: Bedford, Smith, Walsh, Williams, Brownless
Western Australia: Cameron, English, Stack, Clark, Morgan
