[3] He made his debut late in the 2008 AFL season and held his position for the last six matches of the year, including two finals.

He struggled to maintain his place in the Collingwood side in 2009 and 2010, playing only two games in each season due to poor form and injuries.

His grandfather Alan Olle and great uncle Jack Coffey played for St Kilda.

[8][9] McCarthy died on 9 September 2012, after falling 9 metres (30 ft) from a rooftop at the Flamingo Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada.

[2][10][11] After reviewing evidence, police said that McCarthy had attempted to jump off the roof onto a palm tree, but slipped and fell to the ground.