Legal blindness no barrier to proud nanna June Humphries, who watches grandson, Cats star Lawson, play weekly

Every week without fail, June Humphries sits decked out in her Geelong scarf and beanie, and listens avidly as her friend relays the performance of her grandson, Cats rising star Lawson Humphries. The 93-year-old Albany resident may be legally blind, but that certainly hasn’t stopped her from missing a single one of her 22-year-old grandson’s AFL games since he debuted last year. “I’ve got less than 5 per cent sight, which means I can still see some things, but when they’re moving fast, it’s a bit hard,” she said. “Leigh (Sheldon) sits there next to me and says ‘There’s your boy, there’s your boy’ when Lawson comes on. “She gives me a commentary on what’s happening and then we have a glass of wine or two and some nibbles.” As one of the Cats’ brightest young prospects, drafted from Swan Districts in the WAFL, Lawson Humphries will play a key role in their bid to topple a red-hot Hawthorn in front of about 90,000 people at the MCG on Friday night. Back in Albany, one of his biggest fans will be cheering loudly hoping Geelong can reach another grand final. What began as Ms Sheldon coming over to the RAAFA Amity Village to set up Ms Humphries’ Kayo service has turned into a weekly arrangement. Ms Sheldon soon became invested, and follows Patrick Dangerfield almost as avidly as her friend’s grandson. The proud nanna said they were now both converted fanatics, though her football journey admittedly began a bit earlier with her late husband Brian’s involvement in the WAFL with West Perth many years ago. “I’d never seen a football game in my life until the day we were engaged,” she said. “The lineage of football in the family is actually quite strong now.” Her son Ross now coaches in Karratha, and her other five grandchildren and 11-year-old great-grandchild are involved in the sport at some level across the State. Ms Humphries said Lawson often spent school holidays in Albany, and alongside his sister Ebony, incorporated the symbols from the region when designing Geelong’s Indigenous round jumper. While her son and daughter-in-law will be travelling over to Melbourne to watch Friday’s preliminary final showdown with the Hawks, Ms Humphries confirmed she and Ms Sheldon would be watching with just as much vigour in Albany. “It’s very exciting,” she said. “If they lose they’re out, so we hope they win. “I’ll keep watching whether Geelong are in it or not, but it’s more interesting if you know someone. “We’ll have the finals playing on a big screen here (at the RAAFA) with pies and everything, so it will be very nice.”