Cameron McCarthy's career in pictures: How the COVID-19 pandemic ended his career
Updated . First published at
Vale Cam McCarthy
News of Cameron McCarthy's death on Friday rocked the AFL.
The 29-year-old played for the Giants and Dockers across six seasons, before a split with the club at the end of 2020.
"On behalf of everyone at the Fremantle Football Club, we extend our deepest sympathies to Cam's family at this unimaginably difficult time," Fremantle CEO Simon Garlick said.
A sticky debut
McCarthy was drafted by the GWS Giants with pick No.14 in the 2013 AFL national draft.
He debuted for the Giants in 2014 during the side's round 23 match against the Bulldogs.
The budding forward was named as the team's substitute but was brought on before adding his name to the honour roll of players to score a goal with their first kick in the AFL.
A rising star
McCarthy was nominated for the 2015 AFL Rising Star Award in his first full year with the Giants.
He was named the round eight nominee but did not register a vote.
A kangaroo's jump
When he was drafted, McCarthy was touted as a promising tall forward with a huge leap.
Booting five
In the 2015 season, McCarthy kicked 35 goals for the Giants.
This included a five-goal haul against the Suns in round four - in what was just his fifth AFL game.
The feat would end up being an equal career-high.
Homesick
At the end of the 2015 season, McCarthy requested a trade back to his home state of Western Australia, however his request was quickly knocked back by GWS as he was contracted to the club until 2017.
Where it all began
Following his failed trade attempt, McCarthy sat out out the entire 2016 season.
He returned to Western Australia after the Giants granted him indefinite personal leave to work through homesickness and mental health issues.
Back at home, McCarthy spent some time training with the South Fremantle WAFL side - his junior club.
In total, McCarthy played 21 games for GWS across his two years with the club, booting 36 goals.
A sweet homecoming
McCarthy was traded to the Fremantle Dockers ahead of the 2017 season.
The Dockers had been persistent in their attempts to secure McCarthy and handed over pick No.3 to the Giants in exchange for the forward and picks seven, 34 and 72 at the end of 2016.
McCarthy made his debut for the club in the season-opener against Geelong.
Goal-scoring machine
In his first season with the Dockers, McCarthy was the club's leading goalscorer with 25, including a bag of four against the Suns.
Suns killer
McCarthy liked playing against the Suns.
In his five career matches against them, he kicked 15 goals. His 11 against West Coast is the next closest.
