AFL Rd 17 - GWS v Melbourne
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Jeremy Cameron of the Giants looks on during the round 17 AFL match between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Melbourne Demons at The Gabba on September 12, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Jeremy Cameron has opened up on the struggles of making his free agency decision to move from the GWS Giants to Geelong.

After strong negotiations between both clubs during the trade period, Cameron eventually found his way to Geelong in the dying moments just before the deadline on Thursday.

Geelong eventually traded three first rounders and a fourth rounder to GWS in exchange for Cameron and two 2021 second-rounders to seal the deal after GWS decided to match Geelong's initial contract offer to Cameron during free agency.

Cameron said telling coach Leon Cameron that he was leaving was one of the hardest things he's ever had to do.

"It was very emotional. I remember calling Leon and saying 'Do you mind coming around to sit on the couch, we need to have a chat'," Cameron said on Friday.

"It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.

"I remember in my third season Leon took me in and said 'I can see the potential in you, you're going to be a good B-plus or A-grade player but do you want to be an A-plus player, I can turn you into that.' It's a conversation I've never forgotten.

"To have him sit in my loungeroom and hear that I'm leaving was obviously very tough and it’s still obviously a bit emotional now."

With a trade period to sit through and the nerves of whether he would eventually get to the Cats, Cameron said the period was tough for him.

"I haven't had much sleep in the last two months to be honest. It definitely has been a tense period for myself and Indiana," he said.

"I’ve been so stressed out lately and I don't really like it because I am a relaxed bloke, it’s been quite full-on.

"Very happy but at the same time there's a bit of sadness as well. I have nothing bad to say about the Giants and it's been an incredible 10 years with them."

The dual All Australian constantly went back and fourth in making a call, declaring it was 'the hardest decision of his life'.

“I was very 50-50 for a number of weeks. It’s honestly the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my life,” he said.

“There were so many nights when I was went to sleep thinking I want to make the move and then I’d wake up and I wanted to be a Giant, that’s how intense it was for me.

“I ended up saying to Indi lets go away for a weekend ... on the drive back I knew I was going to make the move. It was good to get away from everything, we literally just slept in a swag and talked about it all night.”

After a disappointing 2020, Cameron said the impact of the hub life and personal decisions to come played a major role in his lower output.

"I'm first to put my hand up and say I’m extremely disappointed with the season that I had," he said.

"The hub hurt me in a lot of ways - it was tough to be locked down, I really hated sitting in a hotel. I got myself in that headspace where I really battled. I probably should’ve spoken to the club about it earlier."