Dad’s the word: How fatherhood is bringing Blues together

Zac Williams had the most challenging year of his life in 2023, with deaths in the family and his knee keeping him off the park. However, he tells GLENN McFARLANE how a fraternity of fathers at Carlton helped him keep his chin up.

PLEASE CREDIT: AFL PHOTOS Group Photo - Zac Williams (with daughter Ayla), Sam Docherty (with daughter Ruby), George Hewett (with son Henry), Jack Martin (with daughter Rosie), Mitch McGovern (with son Hamish and daughter Margot) MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 07: during the 2024 Carlton Blues Official Team Photo Day at Ikon Park on February 07, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos)

In the most challenging year of Zac Williams’ life last year, one thing shone through amid the heartache and personal challenges.

He felt as supported as he had ever been.

Most footballers would say that within the confines of a club, but Williams stressed this week that his teammates, and the Carlton Football Club, went above and beyond in 2023.

And an ever-growing contingent within the playing group - the Blues’ dads - played their own part in ensuring the 29-year-old and his wife Rachel had access to all that they needed.

“I went through a tough year, with my knee and then with my sister passing and my grandma passing later in the year,” Williams told this masthead.

“I had a lot of moments where I had to fall back onto the club and the boys showed us a lot of support with phone calls and pestering me with how I was going every day.

“We are lucky to have an incredible support system here at the Carlton Football Club.”

Zac Williams and his daughter Ayla during Carlton’s team photo day at Ikon Park. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos.

Just four months after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament at a pre-season training camp last February, which ended his 2023 season before it started, Williams lost his sister Sammy to cancer. Then his beloved grandma also died later in the year.

The defender was in rehab and he and his wife were trying to deal with their grief while still trying to keep up with their daughter, Ayla, who turned two last month.

“Obviously last year wasn’t a great year with all the personal stuff that went on, but now I have a family of my own,” Williams said.

“I just think it is great … a lot of the boys are going through the same sort of stuff with their families, and we are all here to support each other.”

When Sam Docherty came to Carlton just over a decade ago, there were only a handful of Blues players who were fathers.

Now, in a sign of the maturity of the group since that time, there are six dads wearing Navy Blue.

Docherty is one of them, along with Williams, Mitch McGovern, Jack Martin, George Hewett and Adam Saad.

Zac Williams (with daughter Ayla), Sam Docherty (with daughter Ruby), George Hewett (with son Henry), Jack Martin (with daughter Rosie), Mitch McGovern (with son Hamish and daughter Margot). Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos.

Their shared experiences at the club - and in fatherhood - has brought them even closer, as evidenced by the Blues’ official photo day on Wednesday.

The dads brought their kids along for a special photo session.

“There hasn’t been this number of (kids) around the club before in my time and it probably shows where our group is at right now,” Docherty said.

“We are all moving to that stage of life where everyone is settling down a bit, and having all the kids around the club is awesome.

“To come in here and get some photos is great.

“Everyone knows what photos do. They are little pictures in time which you can look back on when you finish.”

He and his wife Natalie have just celebrated daughter Ruby’s first birthday.

Docherty has been through his own challenges during his footy career, having twice overcome cancer as well as dealing with the pain of multiple knee surgeries.

Sam Docherty with his daughter Ruby, who recently celebrated her first birthday. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos.

He credits the Blues - including those dads - for their support in helping him get through.

“The support (you get here) means a lot,” Docherty said. “I am on the top end of it, with the ‘Do It For Doc’ campaign.

“This is the sort of crew who supported me through a pretty tough time. That’s not lost on me. This core group has been for a long period of time now. There are a few shared experiences, the highs and lows we have been through.

“We’ve almost grown up together and it is awesome getting to this stage where you see kids running around and to see the young personalities that they bring out.”

Carlton’s players set up the ‘Do It For Doc’ campaign in late 2021, shaving their heads to raise funds for the Peter Mac Cancer Foundation.

Mitch McGovern of the Blues poses for a photo with Hamish (right) and Margot (left) at Ikon Park. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos.

George Hewett with son Henry wearing his jumper. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos.

Mitch McGovern and his wife Kirsten have two young children - Margot (who turns three in May) and Hamish (who turns one next month) - and he says the support from his teammates has been galvanising.

“(Fatherhood) has changed me as a footballer, but not as a person,” McGovern said.

“I fully invested 110 per cent of my life into training and getting as much as I can out of what I do. (But) you can lose perspective outside of footy.

“Having kids can change that. You might have had a horrible day or you might have a niggle or something, and when you come home your daughter has no idea (about that), and your son has no idea, and your wife treats you exactly the same.

“I feel like your mind is the most important thing at the back end of your career and having kids certainly helps you develop some real perspective.”

Jack Martin agrees. He says his 13-month-old daughter Rosie had given him perspective he needed to balance his footy, and says wife Brittany loves the connection the club provides for their kids.

“We are starting to do a lot more things and events outside the footy club for the families, and making the mums feel really welcome,” Martin said.

Carlton's Jack Martin with daughter Rosie crawling after him. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos.

“The kids get to come in and play and have a run around with each other. Quite a few of us aren’t from Melbourne originally, so to connect with each other, and to create a family here away from home is really good.

“As a young guy, you would have a bad game or a loss, and you might get a bit angry. But to come home and see a smile on the face of your daughter gives you perspective on life.”

Hewett’s son, Henry, is four and he loves being a part of the Carlton kids.

“He loves it,” Hewett said.

“The group has stayed the same over the past few years and more of the boys have started to have children.

“We’re a closely connected group. Last year helped even more with that. We didn’t start well but we finished strongly and that helped with the connection.”

Originally published as Dad’s the word: How fatherhood is bringing Blues together