Williams returns to Wagga

By James Matthey

Despite rising through the ranks to make his senior AFL debut this year, GIANTS prodigy Zac Williams certainly hasn’t forgotten where his roots lie, relishing the opportunity to return to the Riverina and put a smile on the faces of sick children in the area.

Along with fellow Riverina graduates Kurt Aylett (Leeton) and Joe Redfern (Wagga), Williams visited the Wagga Base Hospital children’s ward on Monday, and was thankful to get some time away from the pressures of living in Sydney.

“This is the first time I’ve come home in two-and-a-half or three months, so it’s nice to finally come home and see the family and some friends,” said Williams.

“It’s good to get away from footy just for a little bit.”

The 18-year old has enjoyed a meteoric rise in his AFL career so far, being picked up by the GIANTS in the 2012 rookie draft after a best-on-ground performance in last year’s Riverina Football League (RFL) grand final.

The Narrandera product was one of the first Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy players to graduate to the rookie list, before debuting in the western Sydney club’s Round 5 clash with the Gold Coast earlier this year.

Williams said that although he was surprised to be playing senior football this season, he was happy with the way he has adjusted to coming up against more experienced, physically imposing oppositions.

“I didn’t think I’d be playing this year,” he said.

“I got picked up as a rookie and did all my hard work and it’s paying off for me now.

“It’s actually a big step, but I think I’ve transitioned very well coming from the rookie spot and coming up as a rookie.

“It’s been hard work but it’s been very rewarding at the same time, so I’m actually loving it.

“It’s a lot quicker and obviously a lot more experienced players, and the other players are a lot bigger than I am so that’s the toughest part, but I think I’m going well at the moment.

“I get nervous every game, I’ve only played probably four games now and I’ve been subbed three times but even if I’m a sub I get nervous.

“Even if I get 10 or 20 or 30 games I’ll always be nervous, I think.”

Williams cast his eye over some of the young talent running around Wagga on Tuesday as part of the Southern NSW Zone Finals of the GIANTS Cup, some of whom will be hoping to join Williams in an orange guernsey in the near future.

The Gentle Giants program is an initiative by the GWS GIANTS that sends players to hospitals and nursing homes all across the region.