Australian Football

After playing for New Norfolk thirds in 1972 Cameron Clayton crossed to Richmond and experienced the thrill of playing in a premiership at Under 19s level in his first season. A year later he commenced in the seniors and was on the bench as the Tigers accounted for North Melbourne in that season’s Grand Final.

A quintessential utility, with excellent all round skills, plenty of pace, and the ability to kick well with either foot, Clayton might be said to have failed fully to realise his potential. At any rate, of his 57 VFL appearances for Richmond between 1974 and 1979 eighteen saw him named as nineteenth or twentieth man. He also played 38 games for the reserves.

Six weeks into the 1979 season he crossed to Melbourne after rejecting offers from Footscray and South Melbourne. He was a reliable if unspectacular performer for the Demons, playing 44 VFL games in just under four seasons, before being cleared to Essendon. The last of his 17 appearances for the Bombers came in the 1983 Grand Final, when he started on the interchange bench and produced a serviceable performance.

Author - John Devaney