It comes with great sadness that the Sharks inform of the passing of former first grade player Gary Cameron and offer their sincere condolences to the family, friends and former teammates.
Cameron, who was 69 at the time of his passing, lost his battle with Leukemia earlier this week.
Shark #119, Cameron played 35 top grade games, 90 matches in all for the Cronulla club from 1977 to 1980, with the highlight for the man they called ‘Rusty’, perhaps coming during the Final of the midweek Amco Cup, a competition held in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.
Playing five eighth in a Sharks side which included Steve Rogers, Greg Pierce, Kurt and Dane Sorensen and Steve Kneen, Cameron scored a hat trick of tries in delivering a man of the match performance in his team’s 22-5 victory over a combined Brisbane team.
Opposed to the Sharks in that match played at Leichhardt Oval in 1979, were the likes of Mal Meninga, Chris Close, Wally Lewis and John Lang, later to become a long-term Cronulla first grade coach.
Born in Newcastle, Cameron arrived at the Sharks in 1977, debuting in the top grade that same year in a round three match at Cronulla’s home ground of Endeavour Field.
Versatile enough to play a variety of roles including half back, fullback or centre, his preferred position was five eighth, with Cameron cementing a regular place in the side by the 1978 season, while in 1979 he appeared in both the Sharks teams contesting the major semi and preliminary finals.
His final game for the Sharks was in a round 22 match against Manly in 1980.
Following his rugby league career, Cameron was a longtime publican in Forster on the NSW North Coast, before moving to Armidale in the northwest of the state.
A Funeral to celebrate the life of Gary Cameron will be held on Friday, July 26 at Piddingtons Chapel in Armidale, starting at 2.00pm.
