[4] He spent a successful stint of junior football at the Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup, starting by winning the 2012 Pennington Medal (the club's best and fairest award) as a bottom-age player.
A strong 2013 season followed; Cavarra captained the Ranges to a premiership, winning the TAC Medal as best on ground in the grand final.
I'm able to be quicker around the ground and to have a low centre of gravity and be able to put my body on the line" Cavarra was not selected in the 2013 AFL draft, despite his accolades; clubs were chiefly concerned about his short stature (he stood at just 173 centimetres (5 ft 8 in)),[3] but also his lack of speed and kicking accuracy.
He kicked 66 goals in 40 matches over two seasons;[6] in both, he led the club's goalkicking[10] and was named in the VFL's team of the year.
His first season was marred by injury; he could only play 12 VFL games after suffering hamstring and quad tears, fractured ribs, which caused a minor cut to his liver, and a broken scapula.
[12] Cavarra suffered an ACL injury while training in the 2023 VFL pre-season, preventing him from playing any games that season.