Cameron Bruce
| Cameron Bruce | |||
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Bruce in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Cameron Bruce | ||
| Date of birth | 30 September 1979 | ||
| Original team(s) | MHS Old Boys (VAFA) | ||
| Draft | No. 64, 1999 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 2000, Melbourne vs. Richmond, at Melbourne Cricket Ground |
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| Height / weight | 190 cm / 89 kg | ||
| Position(s) | Midfield | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2000–2010 | Melbourne | 224 (210) | |
| 2011–2012 | Hawthorn | 10 (1) | |
| Total | 234 (211) | ||
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1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2012.
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| Career highlights | |||
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| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Cameron Bruce (born 30 September 1979) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He has served as an assistant coach with Hawthorn since the 2013 season. During his AFL career, he was known for his aerobic capacity and neat kicking skills.
He attended Melbourne High School and played for Melbourne High School Old Boys following his schooling. It was from MHSOB that he was drafted in 1999, at the relatively old age of 20. He was Melbourne's last selection in that year's draft, taken as the club's sixth pick, and 64th overall, behind team-mates Brad Green, Paul Wheatley and Matthew Whelan.
At 20, and after one year in Melbourne's Junior Development Squad, he made his debut for the Demon senior side against Richmond in Round 1 of the 2000 season, kicking a goal with his first kick in AFL football. He played in Melbourne's impressive run to the Grand Final, but had to withdraw from the final match of the season due to injury. Given the number 32 guernsey, he quickly adapted to AFL football, receiving a Rising Star nomination in his debut season, and finishing runner-up to David Neitz in the club's best-and-fairest in 2002. He was a member of the International Rules sides of 2002 and 2004.
Bruce developed his game as a midfielder, but from 2005 he has been used in attack, across half-back and also as a tagger – the latter role seen notably through his tagging of high-profile players such as James Hird, Chris Judd, Adam Goodes and Nathan Buckley. Because of his ability to adapt to new positions and roles within the side, versatility is often highlighted as one of his main strengths, and he has been regarded as the most versatile player in the league at various stages throughout his career. He enjoyed a solid run of form in 2004, which he carried through to the 2005 season – enjoying a particularly fruitful period early in the season – before suffering a serious shoulder injury sustained from a heavy tackle which ended his season prematurely.
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