An emotional Zac Williams thanked his club and fans for their support during a testing period after he brought up 150 games in the Blues' 10-goal win over Richmond on Sunday.
Speaking to Carlton media earlier in the week, the Wiradjuri star reflected on his recent reignited patch of footy in the first half of 2024 stating it's the most settled he's felt since arriving at the club after enduring family losses and missing their entire campaign last year with an ACL injury.
Addressing the group in the MCG sheds after their win over the Tigers he extended his appreciation to the playing squad, coaches, staff, Baggers faithful and his family for their "love and care".
"I'm a Bagger for life now, after the last 18 months," Williams said.
Williams reached his 100th game in 2019 whilst still acting as a rebounding half back with the Giants.
Turn to the midway point of the current season, and the 29-year-old has asserted himself as an offensive threat in front of goal for opposition club's after Blues coach Michael Voss shifted his magnet to further up the field.
He slotted a milestone match major midway through the second term before his side put the foot down in an explosive second half to run away with their 11th win of the year to sit a game and a half clear in second spot.
Speaking post-match, Voss heralded Williams as a "very important" piece of their outfit as they build toward another tilt at a deep September, with individual credit for the player.
"He's had some real off field challenges, and then football was taken away from him for a while, and I think he's really gone to work on himself. He's got an unbelievable understanding around gratitude and perspective now and who he is as a person and the family that he has and the people who back him," Voss said.
"His journey has been a pretty special one to watch. To see where he's at now, the joy that he's got on his face and the smile he has and seeing his family out there today was a pretty special moment."
Williams looked to have possibly ended his afternoon prematurely when he landed awkwardly on his ankle in a marking contest in the Blues' goal square early in the final term and moved gingerly for a period before playing on.
After stunning Collingwood by 11 points a home on Saturday, the Gold Coast's Ben Long has been handed a $3,750 ($2500 with an early plea) by the Match Review Officer for striking Magpie enforcer Brayden Maynard mid-way through the second quarter.
Maynard folded onto the deck after Long clipped him with a hit to the body, and gave away a free kick, at a stoppage.
The incident was graded intentional, low impact and body contact by the MRO.
Long would later leave his larger mark on the contest, clinching the final lead change with a long-range running goal to put the Suns in front with three and a half minutes on the clock.
Long to the rescue 🫡#AFLSunPies pic.twitter.com/fItsuQb93L
— AFL (@AFL) June 29, 2024
It snapped a chain of six straight goals from the premiers as they threatened to pinch the result with a trademark late surge.
Long had already hit the scoreboard in the second term reading the tap from a boundary throw-in close to goal best before slotting a silky snap shot out of traffic.
Speaking post match, Suns coach Damien Hardwick said Long, among a handful of teammates, took their moments to "stand up" in a gritty win.
