My Story: Carlton star Sam Docherty opens up why he chose Carlton, his injuries and early career
With his mind made up to leave Brisbane, it came down to two clubs for Sam Docherty – Carlton or Essendon. So how did decide on the Blues? He reveals all in this week’s My Story.
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As a kid growing up on Phillip Island, the annual bus trip to the MCG was always the event of the year.
You see, I was brainwashed from birth into supporting Carlton by my Blues-mad father, Eddie.
A lot of our close friends were Richmond fans, so whenever the two sides met it was a big deal.
We didn’t have a whole heap of money to be able to go to games in Melbourne regularly, so when we did make the odd trek it was a huge occasion.
A minibus was organised and about 12 of us would meet at the junior footy club in Cowes before all piling in and heading up to the big smoke.
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There would be a designated driver and all the dads would have a few too many beers and a bunch of us kids would excitedly take in the match.
Those bus trips remain among some of my fondest childhood memories and, now playing for Carlton, I’m always reminded of those days each time we face the Tigers.
On Phillip Island we first lived at Surf Beach before moving to Cowes, which was done basically so we could be closer to the Phillip Island Bulldogs junior club.
It was our life.
Mum was on the committee, my brother and I played there, and dad was coaching, so we spent all the time at the club. Dad was especially thrilled as he could have a few beers and walk home.
It was a great place to grow up, but the bright lights of the AFL certainly feel a million miles away when you’re in the country. Playing in the AFL felt like a pipe dream at best.
BECOMING A LION
That dream did happen though, and I found out about it while sitting around a pool in Bali.
The 2011 national draft happened to coincide with schoolies week, which for me meant a trip with about 12 of my mates for what was my first time on an aeroplane.
My friends and I had saved up all our money and had booked it about 14 months in advance, back when I would have been on no club’s draft board.
At that stage I was still battling to try to get picked in the Gippsland Power TAC Cup squad.
Draft day was so far removed from my mind, but for whatever reason my stocks grew during the next year. I had decent under-18 championships and all of a sudden I was being talked about as a potential first-rounder.
I interviewed with every single club at draft camp because I don’t think anyone really knew where I would be taken.
The GWS Giants had most picks in the top 15, but I didn’t think I would go there as I was expecting to be in the 20s.
So the draft came and I watched it from Bali, which in itself was interesting.
Some AFL clubs asked me beforehand if I was still going to Bali.
‘Um, yeah’ was my response. I wasn’t giving that trip up.
Then it happened — the Brisbane Lions took me at pick No. 12.
My mates went crazy and then went out, while I packed my bag and got on the plane back to Australia. I’d never been to Brissie before in my life.
EARLY DAYS IN THE LIONS’ DEN
The first year was tough, although I was lucky my wife Nat — who was my girlfriend at the time — moved up as well.
It was such a whirlwind time and you’d walk around in your own little world as a first-year player.
It was just so different to what I was used to, in many ways. The sun comes up at 4am in Queensland, which is not the best, and I found that to be odd.
My first coach was Michael Voss and it wasn’t until the second year that I got to know him well and build a bit of mutual respect.
He started to show a lot of faith in me at the back end of the year and then got sacked.
I look back now with more of an understanding of what makes a good coach and “Vossy” had the majority of those traits. I still feel he was unlucky to be pushed out of that job.
BLUES OR BOMBERS
In the end, I remember it coming down to Carlton or Essendon.
About midway through my second year at the Lions, I felt like my career was not going how I had imagined at Brisbane.
I didn’t play at all in my first year after hip surgery and in year two my manager started fielding calls from Victorian clubs.
At times I didn’t feel wanted at all by Brisbane, but all of a sudden here were all these suitors asking if I wanted to come home to Victoria.
That’s the part that doesn’t get spoken about in the media a lot.
Just that feeling of being wanted can be hard to resist when you want to get home, too.
I interviewed with four clubs — Carlton, Essendon, North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. All four wanted to shore up their half-back line, but I narrowed the decision down to Essendon and Carlton.
The manager and I met with then Blues coach Mick Malthouse and then football boss Andy McKay. We talked casually about footy and life and I just felt really comfortable.
I pitched that against Essendon and the Bombers didn’t have a coach at that time.
James Hird had been stood down and there was uncertainty surrounding the ASADA situation, which put me off a bit
The Kangas and the Bulldogs weren’t the right fit for me, although in hindsight maybe I’d have a premiership medal if I went to the Doggies.
I was a Blues fan growing up, but I still feel I chose with my head and not my heart. Carlton was the right call for my footy and I have no regrets about that decision.
THE KNEE INJURIES
THE first ACL was bad, the second one on the same knee was shattering.
It was definitely harder and particularly from a mental health point of view.
I had my own troubles prior to that happening regardless, which I won’t go into too much detail on.
I think most footballers struggle with bits and pieces throughout their life and I was lucky enough to get mine in check just before I did my first knee, which was a blessing in my eyes.
That helped me to cope with the first one, but the second one hit me like a ton of bricks as I’d worked so hard to get it right the first time.
I knew exactly what was coming. There was no unknown and I knew it was going to be a minimum 12 months out.
The first time I was grinding away thinking I was going to get back early, but not the second time. It was crushing, although I never thought about walking away.
I loved footy too much and my dad is a big reason for that.
LOSING DAD
When I moved from Brisbane to Carlton, my dad passed away in that off-season.
I was in Arizona on a pre-season training camp when the call came, which saw me on the next flight home.
The memory of dad is a big part of what has kept me going through my two ACL tears.
He was a big Carlton fan and a huge football person, so to have a son in the AFL was always a source of pride for him.
One of my big motivations has always been carrying my old man through my career with me.
Winning the Blues’ best and fairest and becoming a club captain has meant so much to me because it means my surname is etched in the Carlton history.
That means his legacy is etched to it as well, and always will be.
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THE BLUES COACHES
Mick Malthouse was my first coach at Carlton and I loved him as a person.
He was great in terms of instilling belief and backing me in, and I always felt I owed him a bit.
There was a lot said about Mick’s coaching days at Carlton, but when I look back I thought he was brilliant. As a young kid starting off, you want someone to show a bit of belief in you and back you in, which he did.
Then came Brendon Bolton, who was great for me.
It’s widely known I think a lot about my footy and I’m very detailed in my approach, and that played into exactly what “Bolts” was.
He drove me really hard as a leader of the club and I have a lot of respect for that because it pushed me harder to be a leader and to be a better player.
I played only two years under him, but in that time I won the best and fairest, was All-Australian and then did my ACL twice.
Now there is David Teague, who I admit I’m still trying to figure out. That’s because I didn’t play last year so I didn’t see him through a player’s lens but more through a coach’s lens.
Although, seeing how he was behind the scenes, I have great respect for his authenticity and ability to stick to his guns.
He drives playing roles, which I really respect, and I believe that if we can get enough guys doing that we’ll be a pretty good footy side with the star power we’ve got.
I love the way he coaches our group, but I still don’t understand his jokes.
Dad jokes are definitely part of his repertoire, but in all seriousness I truly believe he is the perfect coach to take our group to success in the future.
I’ve had a few senior coaches over the journey and coaching post-footy is certainly an aspiration of mine.
I’m not sure how the industry will look by the time I come out of footy because of the changes to the soft cap and the game’s current struggles, but I’m hoping it’s still a pathway I can pursue.