Indigenous GWS pair Nathan Wilson and Zac Williams owe their life as AFL players to sacrifices made by their mothers

NEARLY 4000km separated Nathan Wilson and Zac Williams growing up, but with their AFL world at their feet, the GWS pair know they owe everything they have to their mothers.

Portrait of GWS Giants indigenous player Nathan Wilson in their Indigenous Round jumper. Picture. Phil Hillyard

GWS Giants speedster Nathan Wilson has never met his father.

Teammate Zac Williams lost his dad when he was just six years of age.

Nearly 4000km separated the pair growing up, but the Giants two exciting young indigenous stars with their AFL world at their feet, know they both owe everything they have to their mothers.

It’s this devotion to family that sums up their Aboriginal identity.

For them, the AFL’s Indigenous Round is about remembering where they come from and the sacrifices made by loved ones to help them realise their dreams.

Born and bred in Peel, Western Australia, 23-year-old Wilson has six sisters and his mum, Katrina, is his rock.

Speedy small forward Wilson is indigenous from his father’s side, and even though he no longer has a desire to meet his dad, he shares his Aboriginal background culture with two of his sisters and values it immensely.

It’s Wilson’s rich bond with the women in his life that forms his powerful sense of identity.

His Facebook account is at times taken over by messages of support and admiration from his proud mother, and it’s little wonder that Wilson was left homesick six years ago when he first arrived on the Giants doorstep as a 17-year-old trying to launch his career on the other side of the country.

“My mum and step dad and my sisters were massive for me growing up,” he said.

“Especially having six sisters and I’m the only boy — they were pretty big on me fulfilling my dreams. They just kept pushing me and they’re the main people in my life.

“My mum doesn’t really get over here much, probably only two or three times a year — when she can get off work. She loves me from back over there in WA. It’s pretty hard, but it’s good (she can show her support from afar).

Nathan Wilson in the GWS Indigenous Round guernsey. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“Indigenous Round means a lot. It’s pretty big, especially for my family.”

Athletic half-back Williams hasn’t had quite so far to travel to the Giants, hailing from Narrandera in the NSW Riverina.

But his journey to the AFL has been no less significant.

For much of his childhood, it was just Williams, mother Joy, and his elder sister.

And that’s how it still is today — the Williams clan are an incredibly tight bunch.

Williams’ mother has given her son a strong understanding of his indigenous culture and why nothing is more important than family.

When she can get off work she makes the trek from Narrandera to watch Williams play in either Melbourne or Sydney — but near or far she’s always with him.

“I pretty much owe everything that I’m doing today to her, it’s a really big credit to her."

- Zac Williams on his mum

“I owe pretty much everything to her. She raised my sister and myself pretty much by herself from when I was six years old,” he said.

“I pretty much owe everything that I’m doing today to her, it’s a really big credit to her.

“Family is the biggest part of my life. That takes over football and every other aspect of my life.

“Family plays a really big part in indigenous culture because everyone is just a close knit family.

“I’m not saying that families in other cultures aren’t close but I think in particular the indigenous culture, your family is the most important thing in your life.

“At the club we move away from our families and all the indigenous boys, we’re actually pretty close. We know what it’s like to move away from our families but once we got here we just looked after each other.”

Zac Williams lost his dad when he was just six years old. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Giants co-captain Callan Ward says as a non-indigenous man, he has been inspired throughout his career by the example set by Aboriginal players he has shared a dressing room with.

Ward says the rise of Williams and Wilson to the AFL is testament to the power of indigenous culture.

“I’ve come to understand that there’s a lot of indigenous boys who have done it tough. But I think the most important thing for me is that they appreciate life so much and their family. They’re so loyal to their family and friends,” said Ward.

“That’s no different with Zac and Nathan. They’re extremely close with their family. I guess they’ve had their tough times as well … but they always look after their family first. Nath’s mum is always popping up on Facebook saying how proud she is of him and how much she loves him. I just love seeing that sort of stuff.

“Family first is just the attitude of every single indigenous person I’ve ever met — which I think is just a huge thing for a person to have.”

For GWS, indigenous culture is an important part of club identity — not simply because of Wilson and Williams’ presence — but because of the multicultural region they represent.

“If we want to start a market out in the west of Sydney we have to understand that it’s very multicultural,” Ward says.

“It almost has to be our No.1 mindset.”