AFL world erupts over detail in post-match scenes involving Sam Docherty
Docherty announced his retirement during the week, and capped off his remarkable career with a goal in front of 51,271 fans on Thursday night. The 31-year-old was then given an emotional send-off after the final siren and was chaired off the ground.
And one lovely detail in the post-match scenes caught the eye of AFL fans and commentators. The two people who lifted Docherty onto their shoulders to carry him off were Carlton captain Patrick Cripps and Hawthorn assistant coach Simpson.
While he may be on the Hawks' coaching staff, Simpson is a Carlton great having played 342 games for the club. He spent the majority of his career playing alongside Docherty, and the pair share a close bond.
And nothing epitomised their bond more than Simpson being one of the people to chair Docherty off the ground. It's extremely rare to see someone from the opposition team being part of the traditional post-match act, but Docherty and Simpson put club loyalties aside in a beautiful moment of mateship.
'This is a pretty special moment,' Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge said in commentary for Channel 7. Social media was blown away by the lovely moment, with one person writing: "Kade Simpson chairing Doc off along side Cripps. My heart is hurting."
Another commented: "Fitting seeing Kade Simpson being a part of the chairing off of Sam Docherty... both heart and soul players down at Princes Park. Even as a one-eyed Pie you have to recognise 'Players' when you see them! Good luck in your retirement Doc!"
Great moment Docherty, Kade Simpson chairing him. It's sad for him the game was such a non event.
— sheikoftweet (@sheikoftweet11) July 24, 2025
kade simpson chairing docherty off the ground there are tears in my eyes
— pia (@spideysariana) July 24, 2025
A lovely send off for our champ 💙💙💙💙
— Mary Spy (@mez_spy) July 24, 2025
Chaired off by Kade Simpson! Felt like he old days with them both in my backline 😭
— Wesley Edwards (@Fearinator) July 24, 2025
How good that Kade Simpson was able to help chair him off.❤️
— Father Jack (@initialscsw) July 24, 2025
Sam Docherty grateful after AFL career comes to an end
Docherty has twice overcome being diagnosed with testicular cancer and endured three knee reconstructions. He won a Carlton best-and-fairest award and All-Australian selection.
The 31-year-old entered the field of play for his 184th and final game with his family on Thursday night, and had 16 disposals between a wing and half-forward. He was moved into the attacking quarter after half-time, and celebrated with a bow to the crowd after slotting a fitting farewell goal in the third quarter.
Docherty told Channel 7 after the game: 'Strange feeling, to be honest. It's all I've done for 14 years - I don't really know how to sum it up at the moment. Amazing to have all my friends, family (here), share the game with Weiters (Jacob Weitering), chair-off with Simmo, it's about as good as I could've felt other than getting the win.
'Strange feeling not coming in next week or having to do any recovery after this but I've had a career I'm pretty proud of, happy to go and relax and do some other stuff for a while.'
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Carlton coach disappointed with team's performance
Carlton coach Michael Voss conceded it was a disappointing result in Docherty's final appearance and vice-captain Jacob Weitering's 200th game. "We came in wanting to create a sort of pretty special memory off two players that we hold in the highest of regard," Voss said afterwards.
"They've had huge impact on our football club ... so we would've liked to have started better. The Hawks getting the jump and the scoreboard going that way, it just proved too hard to be able to fight back. While the rest of the game was somewhat a stalemate, the reality was the margin was too big to drag back."
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