Sam Docherty | 2020 Season Review

Written by Joseph Addamo

Throughout the 2020 off-season, Blue Abroad will be providing content to cover everything you need to know about the Carlton Football Club.

After a largely improved season, we will be reviewing every player that pulled on the famous Navy Blue guernsey in 2020.

This is the Blue Abroad Player Review for Carlton’s #15 – Sam Docherty.

SEASON SYNOPSIS

After missing two years of AFL football with two ruptured ACL injuries, co-captain Sam Docherty returned to Carlton’s lineup without missing a beat. His opening performance against Richmond in Round 1 showed that ‘Doc’ hadn’t taken a backwards step in his recovery.

Among defenders across the AFL, Docherty ranked elite for kicks per game (13.4), rebound 50s (5.1), effective kicks (10) and score launches (1.3). He was also ranked above average for disposals (18.6), metres gained (376.5), effective disposals (14.1), intercept possessions (5.8) and marks (5.2).

With an uninterrupted pre-season heading into 2021, Blues fans can hope that ‘Doc’ recaptures his previous All-Australian form.

BEST PERFORMANCE

Docherty’s first four games were absolutely phenomenal, considering he hadn’t played one minute of AFL football in over two years. His comeback game vs. Richmond prior to the restart in Round 1 gave Blues fans a sense of what they’d been missing. He was enormous in a close loss to Melbourne in Round 2 and equally as damaging in the Round 3 heartstopper vs. the Cats. However, it was his game in that win against Essendon in Round 4 that may have been his most complete for the season.

‘Doc’ finished the night with game-highs in disposals (32) at 90.6% efficiency, kicks (22) and metres gained (547). He also contributed further with 9 marks, 9 intercept possessions, 8 rebound 50s and 3 score involvements. ‘Doc’ returned to his best in this one, playing the role of Carlton’s quarterback coming out of the defensive 50 superbly.

While David Cuningham took the plaudits on Brownlow night with a BOG performance, ‘Doc’s impact on the final result in this game did not go unnoticed.

OFF-SEASON & 2021 OUTLOOK

Along with a plethora of players re-signing with the Blues in this off-season, Docherty also penned a two-year extension to his current contract in September. This ties ‘Doc’ to the Blues until at least the end of 2023.

A boyhood Bluebagger, Docherty has always expressed his admiration for pulling on the Navy Blue guernsey week-in-week-out since crossing from the Brisbane Lions in 2013. Speaking after signing the new contract extension, Docherty stated:

I’ve been at the football club for seven seasons now, I think I speak for every player in our group when I say that it is time to translate our hard work into success… I have enormous belief in the way we are going about it, our hunger, our competitive edge, the standards we have set.

Hopefully with another full preseason under his belt in the 2020 off-season, 2021 can prove to be an even bigger year for Carlton’s talisman in defence.

2020 REPORT CARD RATING

B+

STATUS HEADING INTO 2021

Consistent Senior Player