Young Sydney Swans ruckman Darcy Cameron grew up idolising Dean Cox as a die-hard West Coast Eagles supporter.

And 23-year-old Cameron, who hails from Albany at the southern tip of Western Australia, is now working overtime with the Eagles’ games record-holder – now a midfield coach at the Swans – in a bid to become an AFL regular in season 2019.

Dazzling form in the NEAFL earned Cameron an AFL call-up for Sydney’s clash with the Gold Coast Suns late last season.

The 2018 NEAFL MVP runner-up hasn’t played a senior match since, but he says he’s taking big strides under the watchful eye of Cox on the road to his 2019 campaign.

“My number one goal is to play consistent 2019 season footy, and I want to play senior footy for the whole year,” Cameron told SwansTV.

“Coxy has shown me a lot since he came to the club ahead of last season. He’s helped me out with my rucking but it’s also about being able to go to a centre bounce and win the tap, work around the ground from contest to contest and kick goals.”

Cox recently told Swans Media he was rapt with the state of Sydney’s ruck department ahead of season 2019.

He said Cameron was on the cusp of another sparkling season, Callum Sinclair was ready to take his impressive 2018 form to a new level, and Sam Naismith was progressing well in his comeback from an ACL rupture.

Cameron cut through plenty of ruck work at Monday’s all-in training session at Henson Park in Marrickville, with the young gun adding polish to his combinations with Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker, Isaac Heeney, George Hewett and a number of other midfielders.

Cameron said the squad had banked another challenging pre-season sweat.

“It was a solid session out here at Henson Park,” Cameron said.

“It’s pretty hot this morning and it was a hard start to the week.”