1. Sam Docherty was born on 17 October 1993 and is an Australian rules footballer who plays for and is a former co-captain for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League.
36 Facts About Sam Docherty
1. 2.
Sam Docherty was recruited from the Gippsland Power in the TAC Cup with the 12th selection in the 2011 AFL Draft.
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Sam Docherty learned the game through the Phillip Island Auskick program.
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Sam Docherty played all of his junior football for Phillip Island Bulldogs in the Alberton Football Netball League making his Senior debut as a 15 year old in 2009 playing alongside his older brother Josh.
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Sam Docherty played 13 games and kicked 2 goals in his senior debut year plus was named in the best players in 7 games.
6.
In 2011 Sam Docherty played 16 games for the Gippsland Power in the TAC Cup playing across the half back line.
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Sam Docherty used his run and carry skills for the Power off half back averaging 22 disposals a game plus ranked second in the entire competition in mark from opposition kicks and rebound 50s in the TAC Cup.
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Sam Docherty only played 1 game for Phillip Island in which he was named second best for the Bulldogs and his brother Josh was named best.
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Sam Docherty then remained in the Vic Country team that faced Vic Metro in the last round of the championships.
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Sam Docherty was ultimately selected by the Brisbane Lions with their second selection at the 2011 AFL National Draft.
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Sam Docherty became the first player from Phillip Island to be drafted into the AFL.
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Sam Docherty struggled with his hip injury when he first arrived at Brisbane, almost immediately underwent surgery to correct a minor complaint he had carried through the 2011 season.
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Sam Docherty then came back in round 5 and spent all of the 2012 playing for the Brisbane reserves side in the North East Australian Football League.
14.
Sam Docherty was named as a senior emergency on a couple of occasions.
15.
Sam Docherty was pivotal in Brisbane's claiming the NEAFL premiership flag, his skill, poise and efficient disposals in difficult conditions at Yeronga in the NEAFL northern conference final against the NT Thunder was impressive.
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Sam Docherty made his AFL debut in round 4 of the 2013 AFL season against North Melbourne wearing number 1, he became the 150th player to play for the Brisbane Lions.
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Sam Docherty played 13 AFL games for the season, usually as the sub; he was the sub in 5 games and was subbed off on one occasion.
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Sam Docherty was referred to in Brisbane as one of the "Go Home Five" in a messy off-season that saw fellow Brisbane youngsters who were recruited in 2010 and 2011 Elliot Yeo, Billy Longer, Jared Polec and Patrick Karnezis all walk out on the club.
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Sam Docherty was still able to attend the camp but received a phone call to hear that his father Eddie had died suddenly after a heart attack at age 53.
20.
Sam Docherty's funeral was held at the Phillip Island football club rooms, where he had been a player and coach of the club.
21.
Sam Docherty started the season with the Northern Blues but had to wait until round 7 to make his AFL debut for Carlton after recovering from a strained a tendon in his quad while on pre season camp, which eventually required surgery despite initially being diagnosed as tendinitis in his knee.
22.
Sam Docherty went on thereafter to play all sixteen remaining senior games for Carlton in 2014.
23.
Sam Docherty averaged 18 disposals a game and kicked 7 goals for the Blues; his highlight of the year was against his old team, Docherty gathered 30 possessions and kicked a goal.
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Sam Docherty finished 6th in the John Nicholls Medal as Carlton's best and fairest player.
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Sam Docherty was selected in the AFL Players' Association 2015 22Under22 preliminary squad.
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Sam Docherty improved again on previous seasons during 2016, he would go on to play all 22 games for the Blues under new coach Brendon Bolton.
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Sam Docherty was rewarded with the John Nicholls Medal as Carlton's best and fairest player, he was named in the 40-man squad for the All-Australian team and the AFL Players' Association's final 22Under22 team.
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Sam Docherty led the AFL in kicks, marks and was top 5 in overall meters gained and rebounds from defensive 50.
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Sam Docherty was rewarded for his stellar season with his maiden All-Australian selection in 2017 in the half back line.
30.
Since the end of 2017, Sam Docherty's career has been interrupted by injury and illness.
31.
Sam Docherty injured his left anterior cruciate ligament during pre-season training on 15 November 2017, and missed the entire 2018 AFL season as a result.
32.
Sam Docherty made his return to the field in 2020, playing nearly every match.
33.
Sam Docherty played every match until round 15, before a second occurrence of the cancer saw him miss the rest of the season for further treatment.
34.
Sam Docherty ruptured his right ACL in the first match of the 2024 season; initially expected to miss the rest of the season, he made a faster recovery than usual and was fit to return for the finals six months later.
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Sam Docherty has used his platform to raise awareness and vital funds for cancer research, having recovered twice from testicular cancer.
36.
Sam Docherty was awarded the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award and $20,000 to the charity of his choice for his work in raising funds for cancer research and supporting children's charities.