Sam Docherty provides much-needed light on disappointing day for footy to lift Carlton past Richmond

Thursday was a tough day for footy.

Basically from the moment the final siren sounded on Wednesday night's season opener, the details of which were almost instantly overshadowed by what came next, the worst aspects of the game were beamed loud and clear across the country.

Bullying, misogyny, homophobia, racism. All wrapped up in the sort of toxic masculinity that has historically excluded the very people the code outwardly claims to be desperate to attract.

The exposed actions of a few reflected the experiences of many and, as usual, the innocent victim of the whole sorry mess was female.

It was just about the worst start to a season imaginable for the AFL. Instead of spruiking their «festival of footy» in Melbourne and relishing in the return of the men's game, they were forced once again to stare cultural failings in the eye.

This was the context with which Thursday night's game between Carlton and Richmond was to be played. For some, it would have been justifiably difficult to shake that off and simply re-engage footy fan mode once the ball was bounced.

The day needed a good news story. Something to remind people that footy is a worthwhile endeavour, something that can truly bring people together.

It needed Sam Docherty.

Docherty was making his return to the AFL after a second bout of testicular cancer. The latest one, discovered in August last year, required 12 weeks of chemotherapy treatment.

That Docherty had recovered and regained enough fitness to play in this round one game was remarkable in itself. For him to produce a star turn in defence and kick a rare goal was beyond all expectations.

Docherty's goal came late in the second quarter, in the middle of a Carlton fightback. Fans of both sides, all 72,179 of them,