GREATER Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron has paid tribute to Jonathon Patton's mental strength after his six-goal haul against Fremantle.
Patton paid the price for the Giants' poor delivery into the forward line in the opening term, but cashed in after quarter-time with two goals in each of the last three quarters of his side's 92-point win over the Dockers.
The 23-year-old took six marks inside 50 and booted a career-best 6.1 in a dominant performance against Fremantle's inexperienced key defenders.
After battling his way back from three serious knee operations since he was taken with the first pick of the 2011 NAB AFL Draft, Patton has now kicked 29 goals from 20 games this season – his best return in both categories – and Cameron was rapt with his forward's work ethic.
WATCH: Leon Cameron's full media conference
"The pleasing thing is that he's come out of a pretty traumatic time over the last three years, but he also realises that it is what it is, and you either get on with it and progress, or you stay the same," Cameron said.
"There's no doubt he's progressing marginally each week.
"He's done a lot of work with (forwards coach) Amon Buchanan on becoming better in the air.
"You've got to put it in context though and Jon (Patton) would be the first to admit that he's got to back it up next week as well.
"The hard work that he's done over the last three months is really helping his footy and he understands that now."
WATCH: Patton's career-best haul
Cameron's men booted the last 13 goals of the match and kept the Dockers to just two behinds in the second half, and now face North Melbourne next Saturday at Etihad Stadium in the final game of the regular season.
The two sides could also face each other in the opening week of the finals, and the Giants coach said the Kangaroos would present a massive challenge.
"We understand that they're a quality side; they nearly got over the top of the (Sydney) Swans, who are obviously in red hot form," he said.
"They've played two really good sides in the last fortnight and there's no doubt they're going to come out hungry to play great footy and beat us, but that’s the great thing about footy, we've got to do the same.
"We need to come with a hungry attitude next Saturday night and it's on for us as much as it's on for them, and we look forward to that.
"You want to know where you stand coming into a finals series."
