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Cam McCarthy
McCarthy playing in 2015
Personal information
Full name Cameron Alex McCarthy[1]
Nickname(s) Dardy McCrafty[2]
Date of birth (1995-04-01)1 April 1995
Place of birth Western Australia[3]
Date of death 9 May 2024(2024-05-09) (aged 29)
Place of death Lake Coogee, Western Australia
Original team(s) South Fremantle (WAFL)
Draft No. 14, 2013 national draft
Height 192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 92 kg (203 lb)
Position(s) Forward
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2014–2016 Greater Western Sydney 21 (36)
2017–2020 Fremantle 49 (63)
Total 70 (99)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2020.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Cameron Alex McCarthy (1 April 1995 − 9 May 2024) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Greater Western Sydney Giants and Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early career

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McCarthy came from a cricket background and focused on becoming a footballer after being the last player chosen in the Western Australia under-18 team in 2013; this was due to his talents in both cricket and football. He chose the AFL pathway after some inspiration from a South Fremantle colts coach. He had previously played junior football for South Coogee.[4] He came to prominence with an impressive AFL Under-18 Championships, with the highlight being when he kicked the winning after-the-siren goal for Western Australia against Vic Country in Round 4 of the Championships before suffering a broken leg in the final round against South Australia.[5]

AFL career

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McCarthy was drafted by the Greater Western Sydney Giants with pick 14 in the 2013 AFL draft. He made his debut in Round 23, 2014, against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium; McCarthy started the game as the substitute but kicked a long goal from the boundary line with his first kick in AFL football.[6]

On 10 September 2015, news broke that McCarthy was requesting a trade to his home state of Western Australia;[7] the next day, Greater Western Sydney "categorically rejected" his trade request due to him being contracted until the end of the 2017 season.[8] Despite persistent efforts by Fremantle during the trade period,[9] he remained at Greater Western Sydney.[10] After the failed bid to move to Fremantle during the home period, McCarthy decided to return to Western Australia due to homesickness and did not play for the entirety of the 2016 AFL season.[citation needed] He was officially traded to Fremantle during the 2016 trade period.[citation needed]

In 2017, McCarthy kicked 25 goals from 19 games. He finished first in Fremantle's leading goalkicking. He was suspended for two weeks in round 15 for careless contact with St Kilda's Sam Gilbert. He was also surprisingly omitted from the Round 23 team who took on Essendon. His most notable performance came in Round 4, where he kicked a late goal with a toe-poke deep in the goal square, with two minutes remaining, to lead Fremantle to a two-point victory over Melbourne, in Melbourne. Another impressive performance was a four-goal haul, with 18 disposals, against Gold Coast in Round 20 at Domain Stadium.[11]

In 2019, ahead of the Round 1 clash with North Melbourne, McCarthy was called up to the senior team, seemingly as a replacement for new recruit Jesse Hogan, despite not playing in either pre-season match. He was arguably Fremantle's best player in the demolition of North Melbourne in a career-best performance, kicking five goals and collecting 20 disposals.[citation needed]

In August 2020, McCarthy was notified by the Fremantle Football Club that he would not be receiving a contract for the 2021 AFL season; McCarthy and Fremantle mutually parted ways.[12]

McCarthy returned to South Fremantle Football Club in the WAFL for two seasons, but he walked away from the sport after managing just 10 games in that time.[13]

Personal life and death

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McCarthy was educated at Emmanuel Catholic College in Success.[14] He left school at 16 to take up a plumbing apprenticeship prior to being drafted.[15]

After collapsing during a training session in 2020, McCarthy was diagnosed with epilepsy.[16]

On 9 May 2024, McCarthy was found dead at a property in Lake Coogee, a suburb of Perth. He was 29.[3][17][18]

Statistics

[edit]
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2020 season[19]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2014 Greater Western Sydney 25 1 1 0 3 2 5 2 2 1.0 0.0 3.0 2.0 5.0 2.0 2.0
2015 Greater Western Sydney 25 20 35 14 132 48 180 73 24 1.8 0.7 6.6 2.4 9.0 3.6 1.2
2016 Greater Western Sydney 25 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2017 Fremantle 23 19 25 19 150 65 215 65 45 1.3 1 7.9 3.4 11.3 3.4 2.4
2018 Fremantle 23 17 19 17 107 62 169 65 30 1.1 1 6.3 3.6 9.9 3.8 1.8
2019 Fremantle 23 12 19 7 94 42 136 49 15 1.6 0.6 7.8 3.5 11.3 4.1 1.3
2020 Fremantle 23 1 0 1 8 3 11 3 1 0 1 8 3 11 3 1
Career 70 99 58 494 222 716 257 117 1.4 0.8 7.1 3.2 10.2 3.7 1.7

References

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  1. ^ "McCarthy, Cameron Alex". The West Australian. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  2. ^ McKenzie-Murray, Martin (18 May 2024). "Cam McCarthy: The man who tried to say 'yes'". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Ex-AFL player Cam McCarthy dead, aged 29". ESPN. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024 – via Australian Associated Press.
  4. ^ WAFC. "VALE CAM McCARTHY". South Fremantle Football Club. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  5. ^ Quayle, Emma (12 November 2013). "AFL draft hopeful Cameron McCarthy is unfazed by the attention". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  6. ^ Landsberger, Sam (31 August 2014). "GWS Giants kick goal with 30 seconds remaining to seal thrilling win over Western Bulldogs". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  7. ^ Barrett, Damien (10 September 2015). "Giant wants out: Cam McCarthy requests trade to WA club". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  8. ^ Curley, Adam; Sutton, Ben (11 September 2015). "Giants 'categorically reject' McCarthy's trade request". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  9. ^ Ryan, Peter (20 October 2015). "Fremantle refuse to give up on securing Cam McCarthy". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  10. ^ Hope, Shayne (23 October 2015). "We can cope without McCarthy: Dockers". The West Australian. Seven West Media. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Mega-trade sees Giant McCarthy join Freo". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 11 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  12. ^ Cleary, Mitch (21 August 2020). "UPDATE: Goalkicker sensationally quits Freo, 2020 WAFL hopes also dashed". AFL.com.au.
  13. ^ Mundy, Garrett (10 May 2024). "Former Fremantle Dockers and Greater Western Sydney AFL player Cam McCarthy dies". abc.net.au. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  14. ^ "How Cam McCarthy climbed out of the hole". The West Australian. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  15. ^ McKenzie-Murray, Martin (18 May 2024). "Cam McCarthy: The man who tried to say 'yes'". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  16. ^ Laughton, Max (11 June 2020). "Fremantle forward Cam McCarthy diagnosed with epilepsy following training collapse". Fox Sports. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Former Dockers, Giants forward Cam McCarthy passes away aged 29". The Roar. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  18. ^ Snape, Jack (10 May 2024). "Former Fremantle and GWS AFL player Cam McCarthy dies aged 29". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Cam McCarthy". AFL Tables. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
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