WAFL: Zac Mainwaring’s embrace with mum Rani after prelim win
“I’m so proud of you.”
That was the beautiful message to Zac Mainwaring from his mum Rani as the famous WA footballing family gears up for another grand final this week.
WATCH THE MOMENT IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
The son of late West Coast Eagles champion Chris, Zac played a key role in helping Claremont secure a berth in the WAFL decider with their eight-point win over East Perth on Sunday.
Mainwaring has been one of the stars for the Tigers this season, with the dynamic forward kicking 23 goals and averaging a career-high 17 touches from 19 games.
And he stepped up in the biggest game of his career on Sunday, laying an equal team-high six tackles and booting a goal among 11 disposals in Claremont’s forward half.
Seven’s cameras caught the emotional scenes between Zac and his mother in the room as part of their post-game coverage, with tears streaming down Rani’s face as she embraced her son.
Should he win a flag, Zac would join his late dad in claiming a WAFL premiership, with a teenage Chris part of the East Fremantle side that beat Subiaco in the 1985 grand final.
The older Mainwaring also played in three AFL grand finals for the Eagles, playing in his first in 1991 at age 25 – the same age Zac will turn later this week – and winning two in 1992 and 1994.
Chris was one of WA’s favourite footballing sons and became a sports presenter at Seven before his death in 2007.
Zac will be a pivotal part of Claremont’s push for their first flag since 2012, having kicked three goals in the second semifinal defeat to the Thunder earlier this month.
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