Player of the Week: Zac Williams
Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy graduate Zac Williams has become the first GIANTS player to join the club and play AFL via the club’s local talent pathway.
Hailing from Narrandera in NSW, Williams was selected by the GIANTS with pick 55 in the 2013 AFL Rookie Draft before being promoted to the senior list to make his AFL Debut in Canberra.
GIANTS Head Coach Kevin Sheedy highlighted the importance of the AFL development pathway in NSW and thanked the Academies major sponsors, Slater & Gordon and PM Capital.
“It’s pretty simple; Zac played really well when we got him to fly up and help our injured reserves in 2012 and we took him in the rookie draft,” Sheedy said.
“This is the perfect example of what the Slater & Gordon Academy can do for young players in our zone.
“I’d like to thank Slater & Gordon because they’ve put a lot of money in to this development scheme and when an organisation like that wants to put in to develop young players and get them on the right track, it’s fantastic.
“This is our first big tick for the pathway, this young Indigenous boy from Narrandera.”
Williams also thanked the Academy for playing an integral part in his development.
“Where I’m from in the Riverina, we had a training camp every week in Wagga. I’d travel over there with a few other boys to work on our skills and development with people who had AFL experience,” Williams said.
“The Academy came in when I was 16 or 17 and just thinking about trying to get drafted. I didn’t train much, living in Narrandera so having that extra run during the week really helped my skills.”
Williams was also the only player from NSW to be invited to the annual AFL draft camp in Melbourne in October last year, after an impressive performance during the 2012 Under-18s National Championships.
Following forward Jon Patton’s knee reconstruction, which has seen him placed on the long term injury list, Williams was promoted to the GIANTS senior list.
In a post-match interview with GIANTS TV, Williams admitted to some pre-game jitters before he ran out on StarTrack Oval in Canberra for his first AFL game.
“Up until I got out there I was nervous, but once I was on the field and got a touch I felt pretty good.”
Speaking about the experience of making his first appearance on the AFL big stage, Williams said: “Running out with my team mates and going through the banner was an unbelievable feeling.
“I’ve watched that on TV every weekend, so it was amazing to finally get the opportunity to do it myself.”
Helping with Williams’ confidence was undoubtedly the presence of a contingent of family members who had turned out to watch his debut.
“When I got my first touch I could hear them in the crowd screaming,” Williams said.
“Dad passed away in 2000 when I was about five or six so it’s been mum raising my sister and I. My sister told me that mum had a bit of a teary after I hung up the phone to tell her I was going to play. I think they’re really proud of me.”
