Picken, 22, finally became a Bulldog on Tuesday when the club selected him with pick 30 (their second overall) in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft after two bouts of pre-season training at Whitten Oval.
Both Morris and Boyd started out as Bulldog rookies after cutting their teeth in the VFL, which is what Picken has done at Williamstown over the past three years.
Club insiders said Picken was "shattered" at not being offered a rookie contract following a training stint with the Dogs last year. But he put his head down and worked his way back into consideration by increasing his fitness and shining on game day at VFL level.
"He's really fit and he's got a great attitude. He's a typical young kid that's come from the VFL system and has had to fight for a spot as a rookie and is doing everything possible to make that happen," Cameron told westernbulldogs.com.au.
"He's hard and fit and wants to do everything right. He's juggling training between his work, and like Boydy and Dale Morris, he's going through the tough times.
"He's a terrific kid, he's really warm, he came to America with us and the lads really love him because he has a crack at everything he does.
"He's done everything right so far."
Picken missed out on a rookie position last year with the Dogs opting to go for big men James Mulligan and John Shaw and pacy wingman Henry White in the draft, while retaining former Norwood midfielder Gavin Hughes for a second year.
The Dogs coaching staff hadn't seen him play much at Williamstown because the club was still affiliated with Werribee at that time.
But, Picken impressed this year in the 22 games he played in the Williamstown seniors, and attracted more attention when he presented for pre-season training in tip top shape that saw him stick close to fitness freak Daniel Cross in the time trials.
"When we saw him this year, we just saw him have a crack and go about it 100 per cent, and we thought we'd invite him back again and see how he went," Cameron explained.
"You're always trying to look for boys in your own backyard, and he's another good story to come through.
"He's always been pretty fit but I think he's gone to another level."
Cameron said it was ultimately Picken's strong mental attitude that sealed his fate as a Bulldogs rookie, as he simply "wills himself to be fit".
"There are all different characters in the footy world, and he's one that just never says die, no matter how many times you smack him over the head – he just keeps getting up," he said.
"He wills himself to the line all the time, and I think over the years, he learns to get fitter and fitter with that always in the background.
"He's a super-competitive kid, and I think that holds him in good stead. He's one of those players who mightn't be the most stylish, the most polished or the cream on top, but they're always in the trenches having a crack."
