View source for Cameron Ling

{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Cameron Ling
| image = Lingy (cropped).jpg
| image_size = 200px
| alt = 
| caption = Ling pictured after the [[2009 AFL Grand Final]]
| fullname = Cameron Neville Ling
| nickname = Lingy
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1981|2|27}}
| birth_place = [[Geelong, Victoria]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = [[Geelong Falcons]]/[[St Joseph's Football & Netball Club|St Joseph's]]
| draftpick = 38th overall, [[1999 AFL Draft|1999]] <br> {{AFL Gee}}
| height = 189 cm
| weight = 92 kg
| position = Midfielder
| years1 = 2000–2011
| club1 = {{AFL Gee}}
| games_goals1 = 246 (139)
| careerhighlights = * 3× [[List of VFL/AFL premiers|AFL Premiership player]]: [[2007 AFL Grand Final|2007]], [[2009 AFL Grand Final|2009]], [[2011 AFL Grand Final|2011]]
* [[List of VFL/AFL premiership captains and coaches|AFL Premiership captain]]: [[2011 AFL Grand Final|2011]] 
* [[All-Australian team]]: [[2007 All-Australian team|2007]]
*[[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]] captain: 2010–2011
* [[Madden Medal]]: 2011
* [[Carji Greeves Medal]]: 2004
* [[St Joseph's College, Geelong|St Joseph's College]] Team of Champions
}}

'''Cameron Ling''' (born 27 February 1981) is a former [[Australian rules football]]er and three-time premiership player who played for the [[Geelong Football Club]] in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL). A [[Australian rules football positions#Taggers|tagger]] at {{convert|1.89|m|0}} and {{convert|94|kg|0}}, Ling was also a premiership-winning [[Captain (Australian rules football)|captain]] at the club in [[2011 AFL Grand Final|2011]].

He is now a commentator on AFL football for the [[Seven Network]] and a special comments commentator on AFL football for [[ABC Radio Grandstand]]. He is also a member of the selection panel for the AFL [[All-Australian team]] and the [[AFL Rising Star Award]].<ref>[http://www.saints.com.au/news/2013-09-03/steven-riewoldt-up-for-all-australian "Steven, Riewoldt up for All Australian"], ''AFL website'', 3 September 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.</ref>

==Football career==
Ling played junior football for the Geelong Falcons<ref>{{cite web| title=Cameron Ling Player Profile bio| url=http://www.geelongcats.com.au/tabid/8137/Default.aspx?playerid=14227| access-date=23 September 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806072754/http://www.geelongcats.com.au/tabid/8137/Default.aspx?playerid=14227| archive-date=6 August 2011| url-status=dead| df=dmy-all}}</ref> as a full-forward and was drafted by his hometown club, the [[Geelong Football Club]]. <!--  Deleted following sentence, not of any importance - In one of his earliest matches, he missed an absolute "howler", failing to score from a shot inside the goal square. -->

In [[2007 Geelong Football Club season|2007]], his on-field performances were rewarded with selection in the [[2007 All-Australian team]] on the interchange. He also played a solid role in their [[2007 AFL Grand Final|2007 premiership]] later that year in which Geelong broke a 44-year premiership drought and won by a record-breaking 119 points against [[Port Adelaide Football Club|Port Adelaide]], a record that stands to this day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFL Tables - Geelong v Port Adelaide - Sat, 29-Sep-2007 2:30 PM - Match Stats |url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2007/091320070929.html |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=afltables.com}}</ref>

Ling served as vice-captain in their [[2009 Geelong Football Club season|2009 season]], including the [[2009 AFL Grand Final|2009 premiership]] in which he was considered among Geelong's best players.

On 20 January 2010, Cameron Ling was announced as the [[List of Geelong Football Club captains|team's new captain]], taking over from the recently retired [[Tom Harley]]. He captained the Cats in the [[2010 AFL season]] and the [[2011 AFL season]]. In 2011, he captained Geelong to their [[2011 AFL Grand Final|third premiership]] in 5 years, against [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]]. He kicked the final goal of the match after a turnover from [[Héritier Lumumba]].

Shortly after guiding the Cats to their 9th premiership win in their history, Cameron Ling announced his retirement on 5 October 2011.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/top-cat-bows-out-as-ling-calls-time-20111005-1l96l.html Top Cat bows out as Ling calls time] – smh.com.au. Published 5 October 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2011.</ref> Being able to nullify the opposition's best midfielder whilst managing to influence matches has made Cameron Ling regarded as one of the best-ever taggers to play AFL.<ref>{{cite news |title='Most feared player in the league': AFL great names his top 5 taggers ever|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-top-five-taggers-in-afl-history-brady-rawlings-tony-liberatore-cameron-ling-kane-cornes-brett-kirk/news-story/ad4424cb4f0900eaaaa02cd025992fcb|access-date= 5 May 2022|language=en}}</ref> He was succeeded as captain by [[Joel Selwood]].

==Post-playing days==
[[File:Cameron Ling interviewing Neale Daniher.jpg|Ling interviewing [[Neale Daniher]] in June 2017|thumb|left|250px]]
In November 2011, Ling announced he would join [[Seven Network|Channel 7]] in a commentary role on one of their Saturday night games; he also has commentated on Friday night matches. At the beginning of the 2012 [[Associated Public Schools of Victoria]] football season, Ling took up the position of Director of Football at [[Geelong Grammar School]].

On 9 October 2013, Ling was appointed to work one day per week during the 2014 season on the development of the [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]] leadership group.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/north-plots-path-to-redemption/story-fnca0u4y-1226738617597 "North plots path to redemption"], ''The Australian'', 12 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.</ref>

Ling is an Australian Apprenticeships Ambassador for the Australian Government.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/ambassador/cameron-ling |title=Tackling his next challenge: Cameron Ling &#124; Australian Apprenticeships |access-date=11 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305115217/http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/ambassador/cameron-ling |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Outside of the AFL, he co-hosts ''Tom, Lingy & Loggy'' on [[K Rock 95.5]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Daily |first=K. rock's Fresh |date=2017-01-01 |title=Tom, Lingy & Loggy |url=https://www.krock.com.au/shows/fresh-daily |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=K rock 95.5 |language=en-gb}}</ref>

=="Mayor" of Geelong==
{{BLP unsourced section|date=August 2017}}
In what started as a joke, following the hype of the Cats [[2007 AFL Grand Final|drought-breaking premiership]], Cameron Ling was touted as the 'mayor of Geelong', a humorous reference to the way he is idolised by Geelong people.

On Wednesday 3 October 2007, though, Geelong's then Mayor, councillor Bruce Harwood, agreed that he'd be happy to temporarily step down for Ling. Ling's interest in politics and his intelligence is widely known, while it's been reported that he took a significant interest in local council and leadership during his days at [[St. Joseph's College, Geelong]].

During the Premiership celebratory parade through Geelong's streets on 3 October 2007, Ling acknowledged his title as mayor; however, despite the contention it raised, it was never formalised and was merely a tongue-in-cheek publicity stunt.

==Personal life==
In December 2012, Ling's partner Nicole Dodds gave birth to their first child Max Ling.

In 2020 he was named in the [[St Joseph's College, Geelong|St Joseph’s College]] team of champions, recognising the best [[Australian Football League|VFL/AFL]] players to have attended the school.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Four skippers, eight All-Australians, one Brownlow ... one school |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/501266/st-josephs-best-22/amp |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=www.afl.com.au}}</ref>

==Statistics==
:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/C/Cameron_Ling.html|title = AFL Tables - Cameron Ling - Stats - Statistics}}</ref>

{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2000 AFL season|2000]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 10 || 3 || 1 || 45 || 26 || 71 || 25 || 7 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 4.5 || 2.6 || 7.1 || 2.5 || 0.7
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2001 AFL season|2001]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 13 || 8 || 3 || 104 || 61 || 165 || 43 || 30 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 8.0 || 4.7 || 12.7 || 3.3 || 2.3
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2002 AFL season|2002]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 21 || 11 || 8 || 248 || 167 || 415 || 85 || 49 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 11.8 || 8.0 || 19.8 || 4.0 || 2.3
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2003 AFL season|2003]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 21 || 4 || 5 || 280 || 242 || 522 || 112 || 53 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 13.3 || 11.5 || 24.9 || 5.3 || 2.5
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2004 AFL season|2004]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 25 || 16 || 5 || 357 || 235 || 592 || 168 || 72 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 14.3 || 9.4 || 23.7 || 6.7 || 2.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2005 AFL season|2005]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 23 || 11 || 9 || 307 || 260 || 567 || 139 || 50 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 13.4 || 11.3 || 24.6 || 6.0 || 2.2
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2006 AFL season|2006]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 22 || 10 || 3 || 248 || 255 || 503 || 131 || 61 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 11.3 || 11.6 || 22.9 || 6.0 || 2.8
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | [[2007 AFL season|2007]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]]
| 45 || 24 || 28 || 6 || 215 || 261 || 476 || 107 || 69 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 19.8 || 4.5 || 2.9
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2008 AFL season|2008]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 23 || 15 || 5 || 237 || 309 || 546 || 106 || 79 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 10.3 || 13.4 || 23.7 || 4.6 || 3.4
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | [[2009 AFL season|2009]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 22 || 7 || 7 || 235 || 265 || 500 || 100 || 106 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 10.7 || 12.0 || 22.7 || 4.6 || 4.8
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2010 AFL season|2010]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 21 || 9 || 12 || 211 || 253 || 464 || 76 || 112 || 0.4 || 0.6 || 10.0 || 12.0 || 22.1 || 3.6 || 5.3
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | [[2011 AFL season|2011]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 45 || 21 || 17 || 9 || 265 || 192 || 457 || 74 || 92 || 0.8 || 0.4 || 12.6 || 9.1 || 21.8 || 3.5 || 4.4
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 246
! 139
! 73
! 2752
! 2526
! 5278
! 1166
! 780
! 0.6
! 0.3
! 11.2
! 10.3
! 21.5
! 4.7
! 3.2
|}

==Honours and achievements==
{| style="margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 8px; float: right; border: 1px #000000 solid; border-radius: 8px; background: #FFFFFF; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt; text-align: center;"
|- style="background:#FFFFFF;"
| colspan=2; style="padding: 3px; margin-bottom: -3px; margin-top: 2px; font-family: Arial; background:#FFFFFF;"| '''[[Brownlow Medal]] votes'''
|-
! width=50%| Season
! width=50%| Votes
|-
| [[2000 Brownlow Medal|2000]]
| 0
|-
| [[2001 Brownlow Medal|2001]]
| 2
|-
| [[2002 Brownlow Medal|2002]]
| 12
|-
| [[2003 Brownlow Medal|2003]]
| 12
|-
| [[2004 Brownlow Medal|2004]]
| 12
|-
| [[2005 Brownlow Medal|2005]]
| 13
|-
| [[2006 Brownlow Medal|2006]]
| 6
|-
| [[2007 Brownlow Medal|2007]]
| 1
|-
| [[2008 Brownlow Medal|2008]]
| 9
|-
| [[2009 Brownlow Medal|2009]]
| 2
|-
| [[2010 Brownlow Medal|2010]]
| 2
|-
| [[2011 Brownlow Medal|2011]]
| 0
|-
| '''Total'''
| '''71'''
|}

*'''Team'''
**'''[[AFL Premiership]] ([[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]])''': [[2007 AFL Grand Final|2007]], [[2009 AFL Grand Final|2009]], [[2011 AFL Grand Final|2011]] ([[Captain (Australian rules football)|C]])
**'''[[McClelland Trophy]] ([[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]])''': [[2007 AFL season#Ladder|2007]], [[2008 AFL season#Ladder|2008]]
**'''[[Australian Football League pre-season competition|NAB Cup]] ([[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]])''': [[2006 NAB Cup#Week four|2006]], [[2009 NAB Cup#Final|2009]]
*'''Individual'''
**'''[[All-Australian team|All-Australian]]''': [[All-Australian team#2007|2007]]
**'''[[Carji Greeves Medal]]''': 2004
**'''[[Australian international rules football team|Australian representative honours in]] [[International rules football]]''': 2002
**'''[[List of Geelong Football Club individual awards and records|Geelong F.C. Best First Year Reserves Player Award]]''': 2000
**'''[[List of Geelong Football Club individual awards and records#Most improved player|Geelong F.C. Most Improved Player Award]]''': 2001
**'''[[List of Geelong Football Club individual awards and records#Most club votes in Brownlow Medal|Geelong F.C. Most club votes in Brownlow Medal]]''': 2002, 2003, 2005
**'''[[List of Geelong Football Club individual awards and records#Community Champion|Geelong F.C. Community Champion Award]]''': 2003
**'''[[List of Geelong Football Club individual awards and records#Most determined and most dedicated player|Geelong F.C. Most Determined and Most Dedicated Player Award]]''': 2005
**'''[[List of Geelong Football Club individual awards and records#Coach's award|Geelong F.C Coach's Award]]''': 2008
**'''[[List of Geelong Football Club captains|Captain of Geelong F.C.]]''': 2010—2011
**'''Vice-captain of Geelong F.C.''': 2006—2009
**'''Deputy vice-captain of Geelong F.C.''': 2005
**'''[[AFL Rising Star]] nomination''': 2001
**'''Vic Country representative honours at the [[AFL Under 18 Championships]]''': 1998, 1999
**'''Captain of [[Geelong Falcons]] (TAC Cup)''': 1998
**'''[[TAC Cup]] Team of the Year''': 1998
**'''[[Australian international rules football team|Australian]] (Under-17) representative honours in [[International rules football]]''': 1998

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Geelplayer|ref=14227}}
*{{AFL Tables|C/Cameron_Ling}}

{{2007 Geelong premiership players}}
{{2009 Geelong premiership players}}
{{2011 Geelong premiership players}}
{{Geelong Football Club captains}}
{{Carji Greeves Medal}}
{{Madden Medal}}
{{2007 All-Australian team}}
{{2002 Australian international rules team}}
{{2001 AFL Rising Star nominees}}
{{1999 AFL national draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ling, Cameron}}
[[Category:Geelong Football Club players]]
[[Category:Geelong Football Club premiership players]]
[[Category:All-Australians (AFL)]]
[[Category:Carji Greeves Medal winners]]
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Geelong Football Club captains]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Geelong]]
[[Category:Geelong Falcons players]]
[[Category:St Joseph's Football Club players]]
[[Category:Australia international rules football team players]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL premiership players]]
[[Category:Australian rules football commentators]]