Sam Davidson

Davidson grew up in Brighton and attended St Kevin’s College, hailing from a high achieving family^[1]. He grew up playing junior football for East Brighton Vampires and Ormond in the South Metro Junior Football League.^[2] Davidson grew up a Western Bulldogs supporter, watching from the stands during the drought-breaking 2016 AFL Grand Final. He enrolled in a medical degree at Monash University, playing local football at St Kevin’s Old Boys, Sale City, Maffra and South Mildura due to rural Hospital placements until 2024, when he made the decision to alter his studies five out of six years into the degree to pursue an AFL career.^[3] He then played for Richmond in the VFL in 2024 winning the Fothergill–Round–Mitchell Medal as the most talented young player in the competition.^[4]

Davidson was selected at Pick 51 in 2024 national draft as mature aged recruit by the same club he had supported since childhood, the Western Bulldogs. Even attending a match, the same day he had a pre-draft interview with the club.^[5] He impressed and showed his talent in a pre-season game against Hawthorn collecting 29 disposals and a goal.^[6][7] Due to these impressive performances he made his debut in round 1 of the 2025 AFL season.^[8] On debut, Davidson kicked a goal and had 10 disposals. In only his third game, an eight-point win over Carlton, he was judged amongst the best on ground, with a 31-disposal game.^[9]