2009 season
After playing in the final six AFL games last year, John McCarthy’s 2010 season got off to a slow start with the midfielder sustaining a hamstring injury in the opening round of the VFL season. He returned for two matches in the middle of the home-and-away season before he was forced to the sidelines for another two months.
A return to the park at the end of the year saw the 19-year-old produce some encouraging numbers, including consecutive matches with over 20 disposals which warranted a late season elevation to the seniors.
McCarthy returned to the VFL after the qualifying final loss and proved a welcome addition to the side during its finals campaign. He notched 22 disposals and kicked two goals in the semi final win over Williamstown.
2009 Highlights
Round 19 v Frankston: A win over Frankston saw the VFL Magpies clinch a finals berth for the first time since the side was established in 2008. McCarthy served as the catalyst for the Magpies’ 76-point win, with 10 possessions and two goals in the first term. The midfielder finished the match with 26 touches and a performance worthy of a recall to the senior side the following week.
Gavin Brown (VFL head coach) says: Poor old Johnny Mac was just injury plagued all year. He didn’t have a preseason because of the operation on his knee and then he did his hamstring and had no continuity what so ever. He was a bit under done. Hopefully it’s over and done with and with the way he took to the final month of footy, there could be great things coming from him next year.
2009 VFL statistics
| G | K | H | D | M | G |
| 9 | 9.0 | 7.9 | 16.9 | 3.9 | 0.9 |
2009 AFL statistics
| G | K | H | D | M | G | B | T | C |
| 2 | 6.0/50% | 5.0/90.0% | 11.0/68.2% | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.5 |
