Zac Williams (Australian footballer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zac Williams |
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Williams playing for Greater Western Sydney in June 2017
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Zachary Williams | ||
| Date of birth | 20 September 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Narrandera, New South Wales | ||
| Original team | Narrandera (Riverina Football League)/GWS Giants Academy | ||
| Draft | No. 54, 2013 rookie draft | ||
| Debut | Round 5, 2013, Greater Western Sydney v. Gold Coast, at Manuka Oval |
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| Position(s) | Defender / midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Carlton | ||
| Number | 6 | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Zachary Williams (born 20 September 1994) is a professional Australian rules football player. He plays for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Zac is a versatile player, meaning he can play in different positions. He is 1.85 metres tall and weighs 84 kilograms. He often plays as a defender or a midfielder.
Before joining Carlton, Zac played for the Greater Western Sydney Football Club. He played 113 games over eight seasons, from 2013 to 2020. The Greater Western Sydney Giants chose him as the 54th pick in the 2012 AFL Rookie Draft. He played his first AFL game in round five of the 2013 season. Zac was nominated for the 2013 AFL Rising Star award in his first year. He has played the 14th most games for the Greater Western Sydney Club. After the 2020 season, Zac joined Carlton as a free agent.
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Zac Williams' Early Life
Zac Williams was born and grew up in Narrandera, New South Wales. His parents were Steven Williams and Joy O'Hara. Zac's father was an Aboriginal Australian (from the Wiradjuri people). His mother has Irish family.
Zac's father passed away when Zac was six years old. His mother raised him and his older sister, Samantha. Zac's father had a big impact on him and his Indigenous background.
Zac went to Narrandera High School. He played many sports when he was young. These included basketball, rugby league, and AFL. Zac's father played rugby league. But he signed Zac up for Auskick when he was very young. His father thought AFL suited Zac better.
When Zac was 15, his mother asked him to pick just one sport. This was because of money. Zac chose AFL over basketball and rugby league. At the time, he actually liked basketball more. But he thought he wasn't tall enough to play basketball professionally. His heroes in AFL were Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin.
Junior Football Career
As Zac grew up, Australian Rules Football became his main focus. He played junior football for the Narrandera Eagles. This team was in the Riverina Football Netball League.
When he was 15, Zac joined the Greater Western Sydney's academy program. This program helped him become a better footballer. It also showed him what professional football would be like. At 17, Zac played for New South Wales in the AFL Under 18 Championships.
In 2012, Zac played in the Riverina Football League grand final. He was named the best player on the field. He was not chosen in the main 2012 National draft. But later, the Greater Western Sydney Giants picked him in the 2012 Rookie Draft. He was pick number 55.
Zac's AFL Career
2013 Season: First Games
In April 2013, Zac moved from the rookie list to the senior list. This meant he could play in the main AFL games. He was the first player from the GWS academy to join their senior team.
In round five of the 2013 AFL season, Zac played his first game. He was 18 years old. He played for the Greater Western Sydney Giants against the Gold Coast Suns. The game was at Manuka Oval. Zac played 11 games that season. He was nominated for the 2013 AFL Rising Star award in round 19.
2014 Season: New Number
Before the 2014 season started, Zac changed his jersey number. He went from number 51 to number 29. This happened after another player, Dom Tyson, left the team.
2015 Season: Indigenous Round
On 30 May 2015, the Greater Western Sydney Giants wore special Indigenous-themed jerseys. This was for their game against the Western Bulldogs. It was to celebrate the 2015 Indigenous Round. Zac was one of six Indigenous players on the team. In the second half of 2015, Zac changed positions. He started playing as an attacking defender.
2016 Season: Rising Star
Zac was part of the 22 Under 22 team in 2016. This team features the best young players in the league. He played as a defender. He was unofficially called the "Most Underrated player" in 2016. This was by a company that tracks player data. He was seventh in line for the best and fairest award for the Greater Western Sydney Giants.
Zac got his first two Brownlow Medal votes in round two. This was against the Gold Coast Suns. It was his best game of the season. He had 31 disposals (times he got the ball). He also had 20 kicks and 9 inside 50s (times he moved the ball into the attacking area). Zac had his best season ever in 2016. He got about 22 possessions per game.
2017 Season: Changing Roles
On 24 May 2017, Zac wore number 67 on his jersey. This was instead of his usual 29. It was for the round 10 Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round game. This was against the West Coast. The number 67 honored the 1967 referendum. This vote allowed Indigenous Australians to be counted in the national census.
Earlier in 2017, Zac signed a new contract. He would stay with the Greater Western Sydney Giants until the end of the 2020 season. Many GWS players got injured in 2017. This meant Zac had to change positions. He played as a midfielder. He had 28 possessions and six clearances (times he won the ball from a contest). After Steve Johnson and Devon Smith got injured, Zac played as a forward. He scored three goals against Essendon in round 11. Towards the end of the season, Zac went back to playing as a defender. He played very well in round 21 against the Western Bulldogs. He had 27 disposals and 50 rebounds (times he moved the ball out of defense).
2018 Season: Injury and Return
Zac could not play most of the 2018 season. He tore his Achilles tendon during a training session. This needed surgery. Zac came back to play in the 2018 elimination-final. This was against the Sydney Swans. He had 23 disposals and 20 kicks in that game.
2019 Season: 100 Games and Grand Final
Zac played 21 games in the 2019 season. He only missed two games because of a hamstring problem. His 100th game was the 2019 season semi-final against the Brisbane Lions. He averaged a career-high 24 disposals per game that season. He was fifth in line for the best and fairest award for the Greater Western Sydney Giants.
Zac played in the Greater Western Sydney Club's first ever grand final. This was against the Richmond. He had 21 disposals, 10 highballs (long kicks), and 13 uncontested possessions (times he got the ball without a fight).
2020 Season: Moving to Carlton
At the end of the 2020 season, Zac's three-year contract with the Greater Western Sydney Giants ended. He did not accept a new contract offer from the club. After playing for eight seasons with the Giants, Zac was a "restricted free agent." This meant the Giants could try to match offers from other clubs.
On 30 September 2020, Zac accepted a six-year contract from the Carlton Football Club. This contract was worth a lot of money. The Greater Western Sydney Giants chose not to match Carlton's offer. Zac plans to play as a midfielder for Carlton. He showed he could play well in the midfield in the 2019 preliminary final against Collingwood.
2021 Season: New Club, New Number
On 20 January, Zac was given his new jersey number at Carlton. He got the number 6, which was previously worn by Kade Simpson. Zac missed the first game of the season against Richmond. This was because he got a one-match ban for rough conduct. It happened after a bump in a preseason match.
Honours and Achievements
Individual Awards
- AFL Rising Star nominee: 2013
- Indigenous All-Stars team: 2013
- 22under22 team: 2016
Personal Life
Zac Williams married his partner, Rachel Lucas, on 4 January 2024. They have a daughter together.
Images for kids
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Williams playing for Greater Western Sydney in June 2017
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Williams playing for Greater Western Sydney on 11 June 2017 at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Victoria.
