Cam soars toward 150 SANFL games

By ZAC MILBANK

Cameron Craig hasn’t always had the confidence to soar above the pack for an eye-catching mark.

Making his Hostplus SANFL League debut in Round 3 of 2013, North Adelaide’s vice-captain considered himself as a skinny ”lockdown” defender under then coach Josh Francou.

But as the 27-year-old approaches his 150th League game in Sunday’s Second Semi-Final against Adelaide, that perception has well and truly changed.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, Craig – one of the elite defenders in the competition – says he won’t hesitate to continue attacking when the opportunity arises.

The Roosters’ No.5 rated his huge grab against Central in Round 14 last season as the best of his career as it not surprisingly earned the mantle of SANFL Mark of the Year.

Starting his junior career at Gepps Cross FC, Craig said he regularly played as a forward, which continued upon beginning in North’s U13 squad.

But after being shifted into defence in just his third game wearing the white V, Craig has found himself pigeon-holed in the back half of the ground.

The premiership defender wouldn’t have it any other way, fondly remembering the moment he turned to fellow defender Mitch Clisby to realise North had defeated Norwood late in the fourth term of the 2018 Grand Final.

Now the physiotherapist is striving to enjoy the same feeling four years later, with his milestone match on Sunday acting as the ideal springboard into this year’s title-decider.