Hawthorn Hawks vs Carlton Blues LIVE: Sam Docherty prepares for last game with Blues
6.26pm
Blues mourn the loss of Warren Ralph
Jake Niall
Carlton and the club's past players are mourning the death of 1980s spearhead Warren Ralph, who booted nine goals on debut.
Recruited from WAFL club Claremont - where he was a gun full-forward - Ralph made that startling debut in the opening round of 1984 and also booted eight goals for the Blues against Hawthorn in a losing team in the qualifying final that year.
Ralph died at home in Perth. He was 66.
A long and accurate kick, Ralph topped Carlton's goal kicking in his first season with 55 but did not have as much success at Royal Parade in his next two subsequent years, managing a total of 21 games for the Blues over three seasons, injury having curtailed him early in season 1985.
His 72 goals in those 21 games was a more than respectable output.
Ralph was a star at Claremont, where two stints (before and after Carlton) produced 549 goals from 116 games. He represented WA six times in state football (21 goals).
He finished his senior career at SANFL club Glenelg.
6.25pm
'Resilience personified': Docherty announces AFL retirement
By Hannah Kennelly
Carlton's Sam Docherty, who came back to football after beating cancer twice and multiple serious surgeries, has announced his retirement and will play a final AFL game at the MCG this Thursday night.
The 31-year-old will play his final game against Hawthorn and will be celebrated with a tribute at the club's next home game against Gold Coast on August 9.
In a club statement, Carlton said Docherty was 'resilience personified'.
A John Nicholls medallist in 2016, Docherty followed that up with All-Australian honours in 2017 and took over the captaincy in 2018. After playing every game for the Blues in 2016 and 2017, Docherty was sidelined for the next two seasons after undergoing back-to-back ACL reconstructions.
He returned in 2020 to play football but was then diagnosed with the first of two bouts of testicular cancer, for which he had multiple surgeries and chemotherapy treatment.
'Perspective is such a valuable thing, and that is what I am most grateful for in my career,' Docherty said.
'When my career started I thought a footballer had to define themselves by the accolades they achieved; while I am certainly grateful for those that have come my way, I will leave this game with so much more.
'The experiences I have had not just in my football career, but in life, have moved the goal posts for me – while there has been no shortage of challenges, because of what I have been through I have been allowed to meet so many amazing people and have had the opportunity to have an impact far greater than kicking or handballing a football ever could.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
5 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Chris Scott forced to takes sides in spat between old teammates Michael Voss and Craig McRae
Geelong master coach Chris Scott has been forced to take sides in the war of words between his former Brisbane teammates, Michael Voss and Craig McRae. The feud started when McRae, the coach of Collingwood, mentioned in a media conference about a meeting with Blues star Jack Silvagni. Silvagni is of course a son and grandson of Carlton greats, and the Blues camp were unimpressed that McRae had 'outed' their player as a possible target. Making matters worse, Carlton and Collingwood and fierce and old rivals, and Blues fans would be filthy to see the great Silvagni name (Sergio Silvagni and his son Stephen are both legends) in a Collingwood jumper. After McRae went public about his meeting with Jack, Voss hit back 'Regardless of what Craig did, it's not something we would do. We will respect the privacy of the player,' Voss said. 'It's not for me to announce something like that on behalf of someone, because they're the ones that have to walk back into the locker room.' Appearing on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters on Tuesday, Scott was asked whose team was he on, Team Voss or Team McRae? 'I'm a little bit more Team Voss on this one,' Scott said about his former premiership teammates. 'But in Fly's (McRae) defence, that's kind of him, like he's a funny guy, and that's sort of him being himself a bit.' Scott there were two sides to the story when players sound out a club for a possible move. '(That's) the reality of the situation. And I think most people in the footy industry know now that players, especially with free agency coming in, they really have an obligation to do their research,' Scott said. 'It's not just clubs chasing players. It's really players working out (who they want to play for).' Scott said players could not make a decision in October with 'two weeks notice' when the trade window or free agency window was open. '(The players) need to meet with these people. I don't think it is the clubs preying on those guys. So that's the reality of the situation,' Scott said. 'But I don't think it's something that clubs should be promoting necessarily ... 'There's a reality that it's happening but to talk about it ... I think it is something that probably the media wants and the fans might like to know, but there are a lot of things that they like to know that they shouldn't, in my opinion. 'So I think Vossy's point is really well made ... It's not up to the prospective club to out that player knowing full well that the player's got to walk back into the locker room and front, you know, his teammates especially and the coach in some parts. 'Now, I'd be staggered if Carlton weren't aware that Silvagni was assessing his options.' Scott then used St Kilda coach Ross Lyon and a meeting he had with Geelong forward Tyson Stengle when Stengle was out of contract. 'He spoke with Tyson Stengle ... I get it ... so he should, that's fine, but I don't think we should be screaming it from the rooftops ...' Scott said clubs would be naive to think that out of a list of 45 players that some of those players would not be actively thinking about playing for another club, and rival clubs would be thinking about poaching players. 'I think it's happens a little bit with staff as well. Like we've got three really good assistant coaches that, in my view, if they want to, can be head coaches,' Scott said. 'Now, it's kind of incumbent on them at some point to take up the invitation to speak to another club. 'I'll give you another example, like Corey Enright, someone I rate really highly. He'd spent his whole football life at Geelong. It was only logical that he should consider going somewhere else to get a little bit more experience. 'Now, I prefer it didn't happen, but I'm kind of OK with the fact that it did.'
7NEWS
6 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Fresh vision emerges of Carlton coach Michael Voss and new Blues chief Graham Wright
Embattled Carlton coach Michael Voss has been spotted having an eye-catching meeting with the Blues incoming CEO Graham Wright. The vision emerged on Tuesday, the same day Melbourne's coach Simon Goodwin was sacked. Speculation has been rife this year that Carlton might also take action on Voss with Blues having a disastrous season and missing out on finals. 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary unearthed the vision on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters on Tuesday. 'We've seen today Graham Wright having a coffee with Michael Voss,' Cleary said. 'So this is quite interesting today. (They were) spotted in Richmond this morning (on Tuesday). 'There, you can see Graham Wright on the left with Michael Voss in the cap and the hoodie. 'The club tells me that these conversations have been going on weekly for the last five or six weeks, and that dates back to (president) Rob Priestley coming out and saying that they will put the call off on Michael Voss's future until the end of the year. 'But clearly this is reaching a pointy end.' Cleary said it was unclear if Voss would remain in the job but believed the position of the club's football boss Brad Lloyd was 'well and truly under threat'. Asked if he thought the coffee catch-up was a 'good sign' for Voss, Cleary thought it was not definitive. 'I don't think it's a bad sign, is it?' Cleary said. 'The fact that he's having the (catch-ups over the) last five weeks ... it's the players' day off today, it's off-site.' Wright, however, has a reputation for being an agent of change and veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson said she still feared for Voss's future. 'I just keep remembering the way (Wright) so subtly and cleverly and, in a way, quite politely, indicated to Nathan Buckley that maybe his time was up (at Collingwood),' Wilson said. Cleary said the Goodwin sacking could 'hasten the situation'. 'Both clubs could be in the market (for a new coach) by the end of the year.'
Sky News AU
9 hours ago
- Sky News AU
'Michael Jackson of Gambling': An Aussie social media influencer goes viral for his gambling addiction
A young Australian influencer is gaining viral fame for his gambling habits as experts warn his online content could have a powerful impact on his growing audience. Luca Kante has built a large online by sharing videos of his daily wins at pokie machines, with his content regularly showing stacks of cash and jackpot celebrations. The gambler has become a fixture on social media feeds where fans praise his apparent luck and skill. The full-time gambler and content creator is quickly becoming a recognisable figure among young Australians. His flashy videos draw thousands of views and followers often leave comments hailing him as 'King' and calling him the 'Michael Jackson of Gambling.' Fans particularly praise his gambling success, writing comments like 'Pokies hate to see him coming' and 'Bro is just too good at gambling.' Others ask him for tips, with one user saying, 'I wish I had 1% of this power.' This kind of adoration highlights the growing impact Kante has, particularly on younger audiences. One in three Australians aged 12 to 17 have engaged in some form of gambling, raising concerns that influencers like Kante may be encouraging risky behaviour through their content. These influencer videos often show Kante betting large amounts and celebrating wins, with little mention of losses or the risks involved. Gambling experts worry this glamorised version of gambling could normalise addictive behaviours and mislead viewers into believing that gambling is an easy way to make money. As Kante's popularity grows, questions are also being raised about how much influence a single social media gambler can have and what the long-term impact could be for his followers.
