Carlton currently has picks 7 and 27 in the first two rounds and won’t have to give up anything aside from salary cap space for Williams, who will join as a restricted free agent. Days later, Nejme was on a plane to the Gold Coast along with her second son Muhammad for a couple of weeks to be with, and look after, Adam through Ramadan. Adam Saad breaks the Ramadan fast with his mum Nejme, … He laughs at Essendon’s half-back line: on one side is him, a first-generation Lebanese Muslim, on the other is Irishman Connor McKenna. To understand his family you have to appreciate his religion. Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >, understood he had reservations about Essendon’s direction, Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. It’s 5.15pm. Now is the easy part. We just try to educate people who don’t know.

He is renowned for his precise kicking and ability to break the lines and cut angles to evade opponents. On the field it works for him – he has been outstanding. The family argues playfully over who is the favourite of the six Saad kids. The speedster deliberated for three weeks before notifying the Bombers of his decision in the last 24 hours. "People who have bad opinions about Muslims either haven’t met, or don’t know, any Muslims.

"You feel lighter, you feel stronger, you feel the same if not better. Plus the Blues are likely going to have to cough up an early pick to land Adam Saad, should he want out of the Bombers. Essendon sent their future second round to the Gold Coast. The families live so close they see each other nightly.

We try and drink the water and just rehydrate.". "Every day I try to live with a smile on myself and improve myself as a person, as a Muslim, and help my family. He finished in 2019 in claiming third place for the club's Crichton Medal.

Her son Adam was on the Gold Coast playing for the Suns, not at home in Brunswick West with the rest of his five brothers and sisters breaking the fast for Ramadan. Probably. Saad playing for Gold Coast in 2017: happy for the opportunity, but away from his family.Credit:AAP, "It’s probably Khadijah, by a little bit," Zafir says and roars laughing. If people want to ask questions I am more than happy to answer. You also can’t separate the family. He admits that as eldest son in the family, and with a brother, Noah, 10 years younger, he felt the responsibility to be present in the family more keenly. Saad made his debut for the Gold Coast Football Club in round 1 of the 2015 season and kicked one goal. The Bombers and Blues will need to orchestrate a trade during November’s window. Adam trains and plays during Ramadan and observes the religious custom proudly. Saad playing for Gold Coast in 2017: happy for the opportunity, but away from his family. 'My family and my religion is everything': fast break with Adam Saad. I love my chips.

Watch the 2020 Toyota AFL Finals Series on Kayo with every game before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand. "I love playing my role for the team. "Being back home has been massive for me and my football," he said.

We joined the fasting this day. Maybe. It doesn’t change my body weight over the month but the skin folds it does, the skin folds drop a massive amount. Often there are double that. It is what makes us who we are as Muslims. Zafir was born in the mountains north of Tripoli in a village called Denba. A hijab tight around her face, she sits with two of Adam’s aunts and they dissect the game. He played soccer and hockey for many years, and has always found time to incorporate fitness and athletics into his busy lifestyle. "What are you crying for," Zafir asked his wife as he turned skewers of meat, charring them on the barbecue. You wake up at 4.30 in the morning to make sure you get the right food in. At the conclusion of the 2017 AFL season, Saad requested and was granted a trade to Essendon. The Saads are Lebanese-Australian.

[Ramadan] is a month we love playing in; I was talking to Bachar as well and he felt the same. Saad is determined to be part of a successful environment with a strong culture.

(Bachar Houli was best on ground on last Saturday night for Richmond). Adam liked playing footy for the Gold Coast Suns, but he could not stay there. "We call them Mike Sheahan, Paul Roos and James Hird, they sit there talking footy like experts," Zafir laughed throatily. The speedster deliberated for three weeks before notifying the Bombers of his decision in the last 24 hours. The Blues presentation made it clear he would be given license to attack from half-back, which appealed to him. After appearing to struggle between Senior and Development level football, he established himself as one of the VFL's leading small defenders, winning the Coburg best and fairest award in 2014 sharing in a tie with Daniel Venditti, and was named in the 2014 VFL Team of the Year. He was also seeking greater clarity around his role and more freedom to be an offensive runner rather than a lockdown defender. Early Career. Even with training and playing he does not buckle and take even a sip of water. "It feels like you lose two kilos when you fast and you gain five when you eat, there is that much food. "We break on dates and water. Adam Saad (born 23 July 1994) is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Adam grew up a football fan, always with a Sherrin in his hand and following Collingwood like his dad. New to Kayo? "Gold Coast were very good to me – the opportunity they gave me was second to none. Zafir laughs a lot. Nejme thinks she might have gone to the Gold Coast a hundred more times in the three years Adam was there. Saad joined Coburg in 2013 following a TAC Cup stint with the Calder Cannons. His family and his religion are central to his life. [1] His strong form and State Combine testing led him to being drafted to the Gold Coast Suns with pick 25 in the 2015 rookie draft. St Kilda is pondering an audacious play for another young Giants star. Adam Saad breaks the Ramadan fast with his mum Nejme, father Zafir, and brothers Muhammad and Noah.Credit:Simon Schluter. He uses the prayer room at Essendon's training base daily. There is a prayer room at the club which Adam uses daily. He uses the prayer room at Essendon's training base daily.Credit:Simon Schluter. I always had something missing on the Gold Coast and that was my family being away from them. Essendon and Carlton remain in a stalemate over Adam Saad on the eve of the 2020 trade period. She never misses her son's games, and dissects them all.Credit:Simon Schluter. Adam Saad (born 23 July 1994) is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Tonight is a small gathering at the Saad house.

It is how he is living his life in football and at home.

"All the boys, they have picked a day each to support me through the month and help me. Only Khadijah has moved out of the family home. As reported by Foxfooty.com.au in September, Melbourne was also interested in Saad and remains keen to bring at least one running player in during the off-season. And I am still Collingwood. The trade peiod opens at 9am on Wednesday after five … Now it is just minutes until the fasting that began when the sun came up is broken. "Religion is the no.1 thing in my life. You feel lighter, you feel stronger, you feel the same if not better. They get into it," Saad said. Saad's Muslim faith is central to his life, and happiness. To understand Adam Saad you have to understand his family. It’s understood he had reservations about Essendon’s direction. Nejme Saad placed the food on the table, sat down and cried. Zafir often makes the family wait that few extra minutes before they eat for reasons of amused torture known only to dads of every race and culture the world over and their warped sense of humour. People who have bad opinions about Muslims either haven’t met, or don’t know, any Muslims.

One of the Bombers’ key players, Saad’s value has been reiterated by the sudden exit of fellow half-back Conor McKenna. Zafir is standing over the smoking charcoal barbecue turning skewers of beautiful, seasoned chicken, lamb and beef.

Gold Coast and Essendon both support me in the way I live my life and practise my religion.". Saad's mother Nejme offers more food.

It’s good. He turns the skewers on the barbecue. "It is more attention to detail in your preparation. I support him and want him to play well, but you can’t just give up Collingwood. "Coming back here I feel like I am a role model not just to my community and where I am from but to Australians, people who watch the footy.

State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match, "Coburg flyer Adam Saad headed to Gold Coast after being chosen in rookie draft", https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-06/adam-saad-requests-trade-to-carlton-essendon-confirms/12737084, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adam_Saad&oldid=986164790, Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia), All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 30 October 2020, at 05:23. Michael Gleeson is an award-winning senior sports writer specialising in AFL and athletics. This is testing. Zafir’s father made the water bags that villagers slung over the backs of donkeys to tote water from wells. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Fatma, Adam’s older sister, laughs about Muslim boys being spoiled by their mums.