Cam McCarthy

AFL career 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.

On 10 September 2015, news broke that McCarthy was requesting a trade to his home state of Western Australia; the next day, Greater Western Sydney "categorically rejected" his trade request due to him being contracted until the end of the 2017 season. Despite persistent efforts by during the trade period, he remained at Greater Western Sydney. 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. He was officially traded to Fremantle during the 2016 trade period.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Personal life and death McCarthy was educated at Emmanuel Catholic College in Success. He left school at 16 to take up a plumbing apprenticeship prior to being drafted.

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

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

Statistics Statistics are correct to the end of the 2020 season 2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

70 99 58 494 222 716 257 117 1.4 0.8 7.1 3.2 10.2 3.7 1.7