When North Melbourne\u2019s Ben Cunnington retired a couple of years ago, he said he has lost the will to compete. After missing a season with a back injury, he then endured nine weeks of chemotherapy. His farewell speech was one of the few times he spoke to the media. He said life had thrown too much at him to obsess over footy any more.<\/p>\n
But the more life and football threw at Sam Docherty, the more desperate he was to get back. Only now could he properly recognise it for was it was \u2013 a kind of stubbornness, a mad optimism bordering on recklessness. Like Cunnington, he eventually realised that there was nothing more to give, and nothing more to prove. \u201cI\u2019m tired and I\u2019m exhausted,\u201d he said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had a few speed bumps along the way.\u201d He had 16 surgeries in his career. He had three knee reconstructions. During Covid, he was diagnosed with stage two testicular cancer. Within a year, it had spread to his lymph nodes, his lungs and his stomach. Like Cunnington, he had months of chemo.<\/p>\n
Sam Docherty was the fulcrum in one of the most significant moments in Carlton\u2019s recent history. Photograph: Con Chronis\/AAP<\/p>\n
When they retire, footballers stand in an auditorium and sniffle their way through their notes. They say things like, \u201cIt goes quicker than you think boys.\u201d Docherty did something different. He thanked his nurses and his psychologist, who were all in the room. He apologised to all the medical staff who\u2019d given him bad news over the years. He said everything he did in football was about making his dad proud. Eddie Docherty was a famous name at the Phillip Island football club. Sam Docherty was on a high-altitude camp, just 24 hours after he\u2019d met his new Carlton teammates, when he was informed his dad had died from a heart attack. He was 53.<\/p>\n
Docherty played at Carlton through some dire times. He sat through so many crisis meetings. He started again under a lot of new coaches. He always seemed to be playing on blokes who were taller and bigger. It\u2019s why he choked up yesterday when he acknowledged Patrick Cripps. They were together through the rebuilds and sackings and thrashings. They were together when everything finally clicked under Michael Voss. \u201cI hope you get what you deserve in footy,\u201d he told the man who took over from him as captain.<\/p>\n
In the 2023 semi-final, Docherty was the fulcrum in one of the most significant moments in the club\u2019s recent history. Former fitness boss Andrew Russell says it was the most exhilarating 10 minutes he\u2019s had in sport, and he was there for four premierships at Port Adelaide and Hawthorn. Docherty had earlier dislocated his shoulder and had it yanked back in. With seconds remaining and the MCG quaking, his young opponent overcommitted, Docherty kept his head, and set up the match-winning goal.<\/p>\n
Sam Docherty (pictured in 2014) will close the curtain on his long AFL career against the Hawks tomorrow night. Photograph: Michael Dodge\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
In the opening round five months later, as Brisbane played almost flawless football, Docherty twisted awkwardly. He sat out the second half on the bench, hoping it was just a hyperextended knee, and watched his team launch one of the most incredible comebacks in the history of the sport. But by the next morning, the adrenalin had worn off, and the knee had blown up. He was in the car in Brisbane when the doctor called. He\u2019d ruptured his ACL for the third time. True to type, he relentlessly and successfully embarked on an accelerated six-month recovery.<\/p>\n
The great players all exited the game differently. As Ted Whitten stalked the lane-ways of Footscray on the way to his final game, he was asked how he felt: \u201cIt feels bloody awful,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t feel very happy at all.\u201d With great reluctance, and not a lot of foresight, Gary Ablett Sr exited with a limp, a leather jacket, and a barely coherent press conference. Nathan Buckley finished on the bench, his hamstring torn, his hands behind his head, his team a functional ruckman short of pulling off one of the great preliminary final heists. Chris Judd exited on a stretcher.<\/p>\n
Docherty goes out on his terms. As he did the media rounds yesterday, he was backdropped by photos of Carlton champions past. Hawthorn and Geelong fans would contest this, but it would be hard to walk into any football club in Australia and see a better array of talent framed on the walls. By deeds and by force of personality, they are known by their nicknames \u2013 Jezza, Big Nick, The Buzz, The Dominator, The Flying Doormat, Sticks, SOS and Diesel. Doc doesn\u2019t have their accolades, their flags, their highlights reels. But he retires as universally admired as any of them, a respect that transcends club allegiances, and a mark of both the footballer and the man.<\/p>\n
Crunching the numbers Illustration: Guardian Design<\/p>\n
The Cats hold the longest current winning streak against another side after 13 wins against the Kangaroos by an average 45 points.<\/p>\n
From the archivesTed Whitten\u2019s distinctive drop punt style. Photograph: Western Bulldogs<\/p>\n
It\u2019s 30 years since Ted Whitten, blind and dying, did his final lap at the MCG. \u201cHow much longer,\u201d he whispered to his son, \u201cI\u2019m buggered.\u201d He was just 62. When he died several months later, Les Carlyon paid tribute in The Age. \u201cIf you saw him as a kid, you can still see him in your mind, running hither and thither, always doing something, always looking pretty. When he booted a long drop kick, he would bring both arms to shoulder height, big hands open, like an eagle balancing itself after a rash swoop. There was even grace he in the way he cocked an elbow before whacking someone. As kids, we watched him and saw everything we wanted to be, and everything we never could be.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Monday night, as part of the Western Bulldogs\u2019 celebrations to mark 100 years in the VFL\/AFL, Whitten was judged the best player to wear the red, blue and white. He was voted ahead of Marcus Bontempelli, Chris Grant, Gary Dempsey and Doug Hawkins.<\/p>\n
They said what? Illustration: Guardian Design<\/p>\n
Carlton\u2019s former captain has been an inspiration while overcoming significant challenges on and off the field, but will play his 184th and final game on Thursday night after calling time on his football career.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s something that I\u2019ve chased with you and wanted to have with you for the whole time I\u2019ve been at the club, and that\u2019s all our goal has ever been,\u201d Docherty said to the current Blues skipper. \u201cHopefully you get the success you deserve across your career.\u201d<\/p>\n
View from the stands (or the couch)Carlton\u2019s Francis Evans exits the field after a collision with Steven May of the Demons. Photograph: James Ross\/AAP<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of blood and concussion, and we don\u2019t want to see that, but it\u2019s a decision that\u2019s made right at the very last second,\u201d Port\u2019s Travis Boak said on AFL 360. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what else he could have done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steven May\u2019s collision with Francis Evans on Saturday night that left the Carlton player concussed and missing a tooth was sent straight to the tribunal and has been referred to by some as the toughest decision the league has been faced with, one that will \u201cdecide the future of the game\u201d.<\/p>\n
skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly<\/p>\n Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week’s biggest AFL stories<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Toby Greene agreed with Boak: \u201cThere\u2019s going to be those incidents three or four a year for the rest of time, that\u2019s the way the game is.\u201d<\/p>\n Any thoughts you want to share? Reply to this email or send your views to fromthepocket@theguardian.com<\/a><\/p>\n Lachie Whitfield and Connor Idun celebrate as GWS Giants defeat Geelong. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts\/AAP<\/p>\n Which rivalry has the closest all-time win-loss record between the clubs?<\/p>\n a) Adelaide v Port Adelaide Answers in next week\u2019s newsletter, but if you think you know it, hit reply and let me know.<\/p>\n Last week\u2019s answer: Which club has the longest current winning steak against Geelong? GWS Giants have won their past four clashes.<\/p>\n Congratulations to Jack Delaney, who was first to reply with the right answer.<\/p>\n Want more?Josh Treacy celebrates as Fremantle defeat Collingwood in a cliffhanger. Photograph: Michael Willson\/AFL Photos\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Fremantle keep their heads<\/a> as Collingwood get the wobbles in close finishes.<\/p>\n Sydney player Riak Andrew faces AFL suspension over homophobic slur<\/a>.<\/p>\n Former Sydney player Brandon Jack talks about the underbelly of elite sport<\/a>, writing his first novel and why he doesn\u2019t need to use the word \u201cmasculinity\u201d.<\/p>\n The Victorian gambling regulator is considering whether to make an unprecedented intervention in a dispute between the AFL and bookmakers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Got a story tip?<\/p>\n Reply to this email and drop me a line, or email fromthepocket@theguardian.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Enjoying this newsletter?<\/p>\n
b) Brisbane v Gold Coast
c) Fremantle v West Coast
d) GWS Giants v Sydney<\/p>\n