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If you are needing assistance after reading this news, please reach out to below resources and if you can, your loved ones.
Lifeline crisis chat and crisis text - alternatively call 13 11 14 for this free, 24-hour Australia-wide crisis support and suicide prevention service.
Suicide Call Back Service - call 1300 659 467 for this free service for people having suicidal thoughts, family or friends affected by suicide and healthcare professionals treating suicidal people.
SuicideLine - call 1300 651 251 for free and anonymous support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week across Victoria.
SANE Australia Helpline - call 1800 187 263 for information about mental illness, treatments and support for you and your carer.
Mensline Australia - call 1300 789 978 for telephone support, information and referrals for men dealing with relationship issues, or visit their website.
Beyondblue - call 1300 224 636 for telephone support, information and resources for people dealing with depression or anxiety, or visit their website.
Black Dog Institute - For other Mental Health Assistance.
Spud's Wellness Centre - Danny Frawley 'Spud' Wellness centre and resources.
Headspace - Youth Mental Health and wellbeing assistance.
Today is not a good day.
Hopefully some black armbands in tonight’s game
Freo will wear black armbands tonight
From the crowd too would be a nice touch
Seen some comments on socials that the fans are looking to do a standing ovation at the 23rd minute of the first quarter
what was the cause of his death?, cause i have been looking all of the news media and all they say "non-suspicious"
Fairly obvious that it's suicide, I think.
Just a reminder that suicide isn't always deliberate. This is a guy who has a legit substance issue.
Also, poor bloke had epilepsy. Could be related to that also
Yeah Whenever you see non suspicious and no cause of death. It’s suspected suicide.
Or misadventure or an overdose
Terrible terrible news.
RIP Cam, way too young
Yv
Former Fremantle Docker Cam McCarthy has died at the age of 29.
It is understood paramedics and police were called to Lake Coogee, in Perth’s south, about 6.15pm on Thursday.
“Upon arrival, it was confirmed a 29-year-old male was deceased,” police said.“The death is being treated as non-suspicious.
“A report will be prepared for the coroner.”
Cam McCarthy played 49 games for the Dockers.
McCarthy played 49 games for Fremantle and 21 games for Greater Western Sydney after being drafted from South Fremantle with pick No.14 in 2013.
The forward controversially walked away from the Giants at the end of 2015, sitting out the final year of his contract before being traded to the Dockers.
McCarthy spent three seasons on Fremantle’s list, kicking 63 goals including leading the club’s goal-kicking in 2017.
He quit the club in late 2020 after being told he would not be offered a contract for the following season.
He would return to South Fremantle for the next two seasons but would play only 10 league games before walking away from the game.
The description makes it sound like it was probably suicide. Really sad.
Yeah, "not suspcious" is basically code for that.
That’s usually what I think, but considering he has epilepsy, it could be related to that
The article has the lifeline link at the bottom unfortunately
Then more than likely police and journalists would have reported "a suspected seizure". It used to be required to report them as "not suspicious" for privacy reasons.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/press-body-lifts-veil-on-reporting-of-suicide-20110801-1i8bz.html
Not suspicious just means no signs of a crime occurring, could be suicide, could be a medical episode.
Absolutely. There are so many people who just love having some sort of authority in telling people that this is “code for suicide”. It often times is the case, but not always.
Although the media are not ending their reports with the usual "Call Lifeline" footnote. He was caught with a BAC of 0.414 last year (how on earth was he driving?) ... so it could be accidental.
It's on The Guardian article reporting his passing.
Yeah the SEN article ends with the "Call Lifeline" spiel now. How sad...
He had epilepsy. People can die from seizures
My husband did 2.5 years ago, in his sleep 😭
So sorry to hear that Jenny
I was put into a coma for 4 days from a seizure where things were a bit dicey for a bit.
It's entirely possible.
My cousin died of a seizure.
Yes, particularly late on-set Epilepsy which I think is exactly what he had. Lost me a close friend years ago.
He had to stop playing due to Seizures, there is absolutely every chance he’s had one in his sleep and passed away as well
Why did he have to stop playing due to seizures?
He was diagnosed with epilepsy and the decision was made based on medical grounds with himself and Fremantle. I know he went to WAFL for a stint but he was unable to continue playing for freo
Sad news
He blew 0.414 at an RBT last year. Poor guy seemed to have some problems, as many do after football ends for them.
Was that from the blood test? That seems insanely high.
I can't see how anyone could get that reading and be capable of doing anything in a car, let alone driving it.
A reading that high would need to be verified for legal and likely medical reasons. It is highly suggestive of chronic alcohol abuse to build up tolerance. I hope he can rest in peace.
I'm a recovering alcoholic. I would blow that amount easily (Never would drive though).
That would be about half a bottle in 2 hours, I would often do way more than that
Came here to say the exact same thing! It’s hard work, sober is so much nicer.
Congrats to the both of you for putting that effort into it. Here's to your continued efforts.
In my own experience and that of my fellow-travelers, it's when you're willing to call recovery "work" that you honestly stand a chance of doing it. One day at a time, mates.
That's what hurts about McCarthy ... he didn't get a chance to turn it around.
Hope you're going OK mate.
Appreciate it, mate.
Handled PBTs have a range of upto 0.500 as well.
Unfortunately I think his problems started before football ended.
Yeah. He was battling his demons back in his GWS days.
Fuck. This hurts. RIP Dardy.
Will always remember this iconic Dardy moment
The news.com.au headline is "Forgotten former AFL star dead at the age of 29".
The word 'forgotten' feels completely gross and inappropriate, given the circumstances.
Awful fucking headline by an awful website. Whoever decided this headline should be ashamed of themselves
Implying news editors can feel shame...
Would expect nothing better from that filthy rag. Imagine a family member reading that headline.
Journalism standards need to be tightened across the country, this shouldn’t be acceptable.
News .com not shocking. They just want clicks
Of course NewsCorp ran that headline.
Well here’s the ad reddit went with at the top of the post
Awful ad by an awful website. Also, ad blocker is your friend.
That ... is not the same thing
Wow that’s actually awful
I got to hang out with Cam a few times in recent years and he was such a lovely guy. He had his demons but he also had a good heart. Awful news, he will be missed RIP.
Was he ever able to return to some form of work and/or purpose after football? Such a shame.
Last time I saw him he was playing for south freo wafl and then got dropped by them. He got heckled a fair bit too from memory, poor fella
He was posting stories in the last few years looking for work. Very sad stuff.
that's really sad
Was playing WAFL at that time
Thanks for saying this. Lots of people like to pile on certain types of people but it's nice that sometime has taken the time to add some positives about someone. Truly, thanks.
I’ve seen him act the opposite of a nice guy when on the beers. Was certainly struggling mentally
It's tragic that someone so young took their own life (if that is what happened).
I know there is a stigma with reaching out, so I'll just say that I myself have called beyond blue on occasion, and it helped. If you find yourself in a bad headspace and don't want to be a 'burden' (whether you actually would be or not) on friends and family, just verbalising the problem to someone who will listen without judgement can help you organise your thoughts.
I've done it. May even need to do it again at some point. It's no more shameful than getting a doctor to check on a rash.
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support
Man this is such a shame. I followed him on insta back when he was at Freo. Last year I saw him post about looking for work. I wonder if things were tough for him after footy
Rip Dardy
We need to do better for jobseekers. You're very lucky if you can even get into a share house with the Jobseeker payment. How the hell are our most vulnerable supposed to recover when we treat them so poorly. It's a damn shame, and I see it every week. I work to provide care to our community's most vulnerable people—disabilities, PTSD, etc. We're supposed to be a First World country, damn it. This makes me so mad, honestly. Shit needs to change, and change will only happen when we wake up and have enough empathy to imagine ourselves or our loved ones in this situation.
Usually with ex players it’s not so much about finding opportunities or money, it’s about adjusting their work ethic and expectations outside of pro sport. If you’ve grown up with your focus being one specific type of work, then going into an office job, even within the sport, just isn’t satisfying and it’s hard to be motivated by a 9-5 when all you know is playing.
I’ve spoken to a lot of ex players and some really struggle to wrap their heads around such an adjustment when they’ve spent their entire lives up to the point focusing on life on the pitch.
I think both can be true, to be honest. There's also the obvious shame of having to work an entry-level job (not by choice like Jobe Watson) after being a professional athlete. I'm not saying it's shameful to do entry-level work (obviously), but it's that feeling of taking a backward step or, like you said, doing a job you hate after doing a job you love.
100% if there’s no internal jobs with clubs and you don’t have the drive to start your own academy/go into physio work etc. and stay around sports then it’s really easy to understand how people think they’ve got nowhere to go
Not just one specific type of work, but the lifetime path toward professional sport, particularly a specialized one like AFL (not played on an international stage), is very structured.
The way the AFL seeks to conform its players into a marketable product provides well understood parameters for players to exist inside of. E.g regulations, tribunals, PR management/immediate counseling programs when they do something wrong. How are these people meant to develop self regulation and control in order to function in a complex world outside of sport.
Yep exactly, the path is very clear and structured and there’s so many resources available for the supplementary stuff in your life to make sure you can do what you’ve been brought on to do. Take all that away and these guys are totally rudderless
Went to school with him.
One of the most genuine human beings I've met. Would always stop to chat to my and my brother when we saw him. So much talent. Gone too soon.
RIP
Heh, i went to school with him too. Small world
Perth’d
Was also in the same year as you at school! Great guy at school, sad to hear him pass away early.
Shocking news.
It’s a reminder (regardless of the actual circumstances here) that top tier AFL careers aren’t always positive and are often complex.
All of us should be mindful of making armchair criticisms that add to the social media pressures that people can find themselves under.
And that support isn't a bad thing.
So that random post some time this morning asking about Cam was obviously someone that heard rumours and looking for confirmation.
Very sad decline from such a young man
Rest in peace, was a big fan during his Dockers run