Cameron Pedersen (born 17 March 1987) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the and the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A utility, tall and weighing , Pedersen played the majority of his career in the forward line. After missing out on being drafted at eighteen years of age, he played five seasons in the Victorian Football League (VFL) for . His form during the 2010 season led to him being recruited by the North Melbourne Football Club with the seventeenth selection in the 2011 rookie draft and he made his debut in the 2011 season. After two seasons with North Melbourne, playing in sixteen matches and winning the club's best first year player, he was traded to the Melbourne Football Club during the 2013 trade period.
Pre-AFL career
Pedersen played his junior career with the Mooroolbark Football Club in the Eastern Football League where he won the club best and fairest at sixteen years of age in 2003. After failing to be drafted, he joined the Box Hill Hawks in the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 2006, playing in the forward line, he kicked thirty-five goals in 2009. In 2010, he was trialled as a defender and ruckman by Box Hill coach, Brendon Bolton, and he became a utility player, whereby he could play in multiple positions on the ground. In May 2010, he represented Victoria when he played for the VFL in a representative match against the West Australian Football League at Leederville Oval in Perth. After a successful season in the VFL, in which he played twenty matches and featured in the team's best players in ten matches, he was invited to train with the Gold Coast Football Club in the week leading to the 2011 pre-season and 2011 rookie drafts. It was predicted by The Age journalist, Brent Diamond, and Herald Sun journalists, Matt Windley and Nick Smart, that Pedersen would be recruited by Gold Coast in either the preseason or rookie draft.
AFL career
2011–2012: Early career with North Melbourne
After missing out on selection by the Gold Coast Football Club, Pedersen was recruited by the North Melbourne Football Club with their first selection and seventeenth overall in the 2011 rookie draft. He was temporarily promoted to the senior list prior to the start of the season in place of Ayden Kennedy who was placed on the long-term injury list. He made his AFL debut in the opening round of the 2011 season against at Patersons Stadium where he recorded twenty disposals, fourteen hitouts, five marks, four clearances and three tackles. After Todd Goldstein was a late withdrawal for North Melbourne, Pedersen was forced to play as the main ruckman against six-time All-Australian ruckman, Dean Cox. Conceding ten centimeters in height to Cox, Pedersen had the advantage in the ruckman duel and was North Melbourne's "Mr fix-it" according to The Age journalist, Tim Clarke.
Despite receiving praise for his performance in his debut match, he was omitted for the round two match against at Etihad Stadium for the returning Todd Goldstein. He was recalled to the side for the sixty-six point loss to at Skilled Stadium in round seven. He was omitted from the side the next week for the round eight match against at Etihad Stadium; playing in the VFL for , he kicked eight goals against the Northern Bullants in round eight of the VFL. He returned to the AFL side the next week for the forty-seven point win against at Etihad Stadium in round eleven. He played every match for the remainder of the year, kicking eighteen goals in total, including three in a match on three separate occasions. His debut season was "excellent" according to The Age reporter, Emma Quayle, and he was rewarded with North Melbourne's best first year player award. Furthermore, his performances during the year saw him sign a two-year contract extension and he was elevated to the senior list after just the one year on the rookie list.