GWS Giants star says he owes his career to Kevin Sheedy
Zac Williams says he wouldn’t be lining up on Grand Final day as one of the Giants’ most crucial players without the influence of a father-like figure who made Sydney feel like home.
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They say the ultimate compliment a man can pay a young lad is to say you’d like them to marry your daughter.
But Kevin Sheedy goes one step further with Zac Williams.
He wants him as his own son.
“Every time I see him he always calls me Zac Sheedy,” Williams said.
“He makes me feel like I’m his own son.”
One of GWS’s great success stories, there was no more important player on the field in last week’s historic preliminary final triumph over Collingwood than Williams, who filled the enormous void left by best mate Lachie Whitfield in the midfield. He capped it off by kicking one of the key goals of the match.
“It was just pure emotion when it went through,” said Williams, who says he feels as comfortable in the midfield as he does down back and won’t hesitate if summonsed there again on Saturday.
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Yet things weren’t always so comfortable. Williams was snubbed by AFL clubs at draft time and it was Sheedy who told him he could take the long road to the big time.
A proud indigenous man from the tiny NSW town of Narrandera, Williams says he wouldn’t be lining up on Grand Final day as one of the Giants’ most crucial players without the influence of the father-like figure who made Sydney feel like home.
“He used to always tell me, ‘use every chance you get’,” Williams said.
“When you’re playing in games, just don’t take them for granted.
“That was a big lesson for me. Not getting drafted the way I wanted to and moving from a small country town to Sydney when I was 18. Sheeds made sure I didn’t let it all go to my head.
“Every chance I get, to be grateful and just appreciate the position I’m in to be able to provide for my family.
“That’s one of the biggest things I learnt off Sheeds.”
When Sheedy was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame with legend status last year, there was an infinite number of people across his lifetime of football at Richmond and Essendon who could have made his presentation speech.
But the man chosen was Williams.
For Sheedy, Williams is the embodiment of everything that’s good about the game and why he has spent his life dedicated to football clubs.
When Williams roared the roof off the MCG last weekend, Sheedy felt it all the way down in Geelong.
“His daughter Jess was in the changerooms after the game. I had a good chat with her and gave her a big hug,” said Williams.
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“She said Sheeds was down at a talk but that he was carrying on like a pork chop when we won. I can only imagine what he was like down there.
“All this started with Sheeds in terms of the building of the culture of the club. He led the way and showed the young boys how to be respectful and how to love your football club and be a close-knit group.
“When I was talking at his induction into the Hall of Fame I was so nervous. I was just up there sweating the whole time.
“But I gave him a hug after it and every time I see him I make sure I gave him as much time as I can and talk about life.
“He really did start off my career. After I didn’t get drafted I never thought I was going to be in a position like I am today.
“Whenever I get a chance to, I thank him every time.”