Brisbane Lions newcomer Lincoln McCarthy has had to endure a lot in his seven seasons in the AFL system.
Traded from Geelong to the Lions this morning, McCarthy is a 24-year-old 178cm small forward originally from Bordertown in South Australia. He was recruited from the SANFL club Glenelg and spent seven years at the Cattery.
Anyone at Geelong will tell you McCarthy is a genuine talent in his own right who has simply had a horrid run with injury.
As he left Geelong he did so with nothing but high praise and best wishes from the club where he played 29 AFL games.
Yet it was only in the 2017 AFL Guide where he was described as “a prototype of the modern high half-forward” and a player with “huge scope for improvement.”
It said of McCarthy: “An outstanding 2016 season given he missed 2015 with a foot injury and with his career in doubt. McCarthy’s attack on the ball was ferocious as he kicked 19 goals in 19 games as a forward who applies manic pressure on the opposition. His third term cameo in the qualifying final turned the momentum Geelong’s way and he has a bright future.”
McCarthy kicked two goals in the third quarter of that final against Hawthorn at the MCG as the Cats came from 12 points down to win by two points that took them into a semi-final against Sydney.
It was confirmation of exactly why Geelong had taken him with Pick No. 66 in the 2011 AFL Draft, and why the club had immediately handed him the number six jumper worn with such distinction by retiring triple premiership star Brad Ottens.
And it a highlight of a stellar 2016 campaign in which McCarthy had done remarkably well to break into a star-studded Geelong side despite having played just five games in his first four seasons at the club.
Averaging 11 possessions to go with his 19 goals, 49 tackles and 11 goal assists, he played Rounds 1-2-3, was an emergency in Round 4 and played Rounds 5-6-7.
Then, so highly was he regarded by coach Chris Scott that twice he went straight back into the top side after missing Rounds 8-9-10 with a minor hip problem, and, after holding his spot until he missed Round 20 with an adductor problem only go straight back in again for what turned out to be the last five games of the season, including two finals.
Significantly, three of McCarthy’s first 25 games at Geelong were Round 1 in 2014-16-17 after he made his debut as an 18-year-old in Round 10 2012 in what was the GWS Giants’ 10th game in the AFL.
Also debuting in the Cats’ 65-point win was teammate Jordan Schroder, who would play only five games before being delisted at the end of 2014, and GWS star Nick Haynes.
Harry Taylor kicked a career-best six goals for the winners to pick up three Brownlow Medal votes, and Steve Johnson kicked five. McCarthy, who was the starting substitute, played 20% game time and had six possessions and two clearances after replacing ruckman Orren Stephenson.
Interestingly, only four members of McCarthy’s first Geelong side that day are still at the club – captain Joel Selwood, Mitch Duncan, Cam Guthrie and Taylor.
Also in the Cats
McCarthy was squeezed out of the Geelong side the following week as Corey Enright, Joel Corey and Steven Motlop returned from injury but by the end of the season he had played 15 VFL games in a campaign which prompted the 2014 AFL Guide to suggest he “will prove to be another late draft bargain”.
And then things started to go bad. He missed the entire 2013 season with a foot problem.
Still, his potential and high regard survived and he played Rounds 1-2 of 2014, was an emergency in Round
He was recalled for Round 23 when Geelong beat the Lions by 62 points at Kardinia Park to finish third at the end of the home-and-away season with a 17-5 record, behind Sydney and Hawthorn on percentage.
He was an emergency for the qualifying final when Steve Johnson returned from injury, but when Johnson was ruled out of the semi-final McCarthy went back into the side as the starting sub in what turned out to be a six-point loss to North Melbourne.
The rollercoaster continued when he missed the entire 2015 season with more foot problems before his outstanding 2016 campaign and a 2017 season which started with three games in the AFL and five VFL games and ended with groin surgery in May.
But still he survived as others were delisted, and this year McCarthy, who will turn 25 on 22 October, played six VFL games either side of a short stint in the AFL.
He played Round 11 in the AFL, when he had 14 disposals and kicked two goals three behinds against Gold Coast, was a late withdrawal in Round 12 with hamstring tightness, went straight back into the side in Round 13 but after eight disposals against Richmond he limped off with a hamstring strain.
His time at Geelong ended with three consecutive games in the VFL, including two finals against eventual VFL grand finalists Casey and Box Hill.
