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Lincoln McCarthy will play the most significant 121st game for the Brisbane Lions in history on Thursday night in Canberra.
Why? Because the game against the GWS Giants at Manuka Oval will be the 150th of his career. And in the AFL 150 games is a big deal. So much so that it means automatic Life Membership at the Lions.
And while there will be no side benefits for McCarthy – yet – it will still be a big deal for the former Geelong forward, who will run out for his 150th with long-time close mate Lachie Neale.
It will be a fairytale moment for the pair, who met as 10-year-olds playing basketball in south-east South Australia. McCarthy was from Bordertown and Neale from Naracoorte an hour down the road. Soon they were playing school sports together – basketball, cricket and football.
They moved to Adelaide together to finish school and pursue their football dream, joining SANFL club Glenelg, and at 17 were candidates for the AFL National Draft, which was the primary establishment draft for the GWS Giants, who would join the AFL in 2012.
Neale was not only overlooked by the Giants but by both SA clubs before going to Fremantle at pick #58.
McCarthy waited anxiously through the next seven picks, who would deliver a total of 109 AFL games. Nick O’Brien went to Essendon at #59 to play 14 games before St.Kilda took Jay Lever at #60 and Sydney took Alex Brown at #61 without getting any return. They did not play.
Dylan Buckley went father/son to Carlton at #62 to play 39 games at the Blues and two games at GWS, and at #63 West Coast promoted rookie Ashton Hams for no extra return.
Cam Ellis-Yolman was pick #64 to Adelaide and played 39 games for the Crows and nine for Brisbane, and Corey Gault played six games after going to Collingwood at pick #65.
At #66, after McCarthy was similarly overlooked by Adelaide and Port Adelaide, Geelong picked him to send the long-term good mates on a shared journey, albeit in different directions.
The 2012 AFL Guide said of McCarthy: “(He) could be another late draft gem for the Cats. Has genuine pace, is a quality finisher, and is good overhead for his size. Represented SA at cricket at U17 level and was an excellent basketballer”.
Despite the curious fixation with his other sporting skills, they got it right. He had all those attributes in spades. But what wasn’t mentioned and what was impossible to foresee was the extraordinary run of bad luck that would come with him.
He played 29 games in seven injury-plagued years at Geelong before deciding enough was enough in late 2018 and seeking a trade to Brisbane. He needed a fresh start. And, just for good measure, he planted a spark with his long-time mate which ultimately them move north together.
By this time, while McCarthy had needed 10 separate stints in the Geelong side to reach 29 games, with consecutive blocks of 1-2-2-3-3-8-5-3-1-1 games (if such few games can be called blocks), Neale had played 135 games with Fremantle.
How things can change. With the Lions McCarthy has played 120 of a possible 124 games, missing two through separate one-week suspensions and two through separate one-week injuries. Neale has played 116.
So on Thursday night, as McCarthy plays his 150th career game, Neale will play his 252nd game.
It is a statistic that underlines beautifully the resilience and persistence of the Lions #11, who is now second for games in the jumper worn most often for the club by Alastair Lynch, having gone past Pearce Hanley’s 117 this year.
McCarthy will be the 35th player from the 2011 draft to play 150 games. And possibly the last, with only two players from his draft year who are short of this mark still playing.
Joel Hamling, taken 34 spots ahead of McCarthy at pick #32, played 23 games with the Bulldogs in 2015-16 and 65 games with Fremantle from 2017-23 before moving this year to Sydney, where he is yet to add to career total of 91 games.
And Tom Campbell, rookie pick #27 in 2015, has been stranded since late 2022 on 56 games, having played 42 games with the Dogs from 2012-17, 10 games with North from 2020-21, and two games with St.Kilda in 2022.
Significantly, not one but two of the statistical standouts from the 2011 draft will play alongside McCarthy in his milestone game on Thursday night.
Dayne Zorko, a Gold Coast junior overlooked by every AFL club in the 2007-08-09-10 drafts and picked up by the Lions as a traded concession choice from the Suns after they shunned the Broadbeach star, leads the Class of 2011 with 256 games.
Geelong’s Mark Blicavs, a former middle-distance runner and steeplechaser taken with rookie pick #54, is second at 252 from Neale (251) and pick #15 Brandon Ellis, Richmond turned Gold Coast wingman (250).
Perhaps the most telling statistic which underlines the depth of McCarthy’s persistence belongs to Ellis. He was the first player from the 2015 draft to 150 games in Round 20 2018 on his 25th birthday.
At the same time McCarthy had played his 29 games at Geelong and was contemplating his move to Brisbane. When he plays his 150th game on Thursday night he will be more than five and a half years older than Ellis at 30 years 186 days.
Chad Wingard, pick #6 to Port Adelaide and now at Hawthorn, and Elliot Yeo, pick #30 at Brisbane and now at West Coast, were also 25 when they played their 150th.
Only three players from the Class of 2011 have been older than McCarthy at 150 – Suns captain Jarrod Witts, drafted by Collingwood via the old NSW scholarship scheme with the pick immediately after McCarthy, was 30 years 235 days old. Adam Kennedy, claimed by GWS as a previously nominated choice, was 22 days older. And Aaron Hall, taken by Gold Coast in the Pre-Season Draft being moving to North Melbourne, was the oldest at 31 years 215 days.
Yet for all that, only eight players from the 2011 draft have kicked more goals than McCarthy’s 166 – Jeremy Cameron (598), Toby Greene (340), Wingard (300), Jamie Elliot (277), Zorko (230) the retired Josh Bruce (234) and Tory Dickson (181) and Will Hoskin-Elliot (172).
And only three players have played more finals than McCarthy’s 15 - Blicavs (24), Neale (19) and Geelong pick #86 Jed Bews (18).
Interestingly, after McCarthy and Neale were reunited at Brisbane Sarah Olle of Fox Sports revisited their early friendship and recounted their first impressions of each other.
Neale said of McCarthy: “Left and right foot, overhead ability and his lateral movement are crazy. He could kick 50 metres on both feet when we were 14.”
McCarthy said of Neale: “My first impressions of Lachie in the Under 14s was that he was skilful and hard working. He seemed to be everywhere.”
After Neale won the Brownlow Medal and the AFL Players’ Association MVP award in 2020 McCarthy penned a piece for the AFLPA on his long-time mate. He described his preparation as “obsessive” as he works to maximise his skills and finds way to beat his opponent each week. He said he deserved all the accolades that had come his way simply because he worked so hard.
Ask Neale now about McCarthy and you’ll get a similarly glowing tribute in return. And rightfully so.
The Brisbane Lions have rewarded Lincoln McCarthy with a new one-year deal that will keep him in the maroon, blue and gold until at least the end of 2025.
McCarthy produced an impressive start to the season kicking eight goals from the opening seven rounds as one of the Lions most consistent.
Unfortunately, the forward’s season was cut short after suffering an ACL injury in the club’s Round 8 win against the Gold Coast SUNS.
The new contract was agreed to during that period, however McCarthy only informed his teammates at training late last week.
“I am just really happy to sign on with the club again,” McCarthy said.
“The body was feeling really good before my knee injury and I’m confident I can come back better with this amazing club and group of people who have given me so much.
“I am excited for what is still to come, and I can’t wait to be back at The Gabba in front of our amazing fans next season.”
McCarthy, who hails from Bordertown and SANFL club Glenelg, will now go around for his 14th season in the AFL - which has resulted in 151 games and 167 goals.
The 30-year-old was a key member of Brisbane’s 2023 Grand Final side and is determined to overcome his ACL injury and get back playing for the Lions.
Brisbane Lions General Manager of Football, Danny Daly said that McCarthy deserved the new contract and was thrilled to have him going around again.
“Linc has contributed greatly to our Club both on and off the field in his six seasons with us and we are thrilled to have him extend his time here,” Daly said.
“From a playing perspective he has been super consistent, reliable and a terrific teammate and leader of our Club.
“Linc, his partner Tayla and their young family are much-loved members of our Club and to have them stay with us for at least another season is great news.
“We know that recovery from an ACL is a challenging period for any player, but we are all behind Linc and will support him each step of the way.”
The crafty goal sneak, who started with the Geelong Cats after being selected with Pick 66 in the 2011 National Draft, celebrated his 150th AFL match earlier this season.
I must admit I did think Linc was already signed for the 2025 season. Anyone else in the same boat?
AFTER suffering a second ruptured ACL inside 10 months, Brisbane forward Lincoln McCarthy is hatching a remarkable plan to return to playing this year.
In a high-risk, high-reward strategy, McCarthy will undergo surgery in Brisbane on Tuesday with the lofty ambition of making it back by September’s finals.
Traditional rehabilitation usually takes 10-12 months, but McCarthy – with the support of the Lions – is rolling the dice on a non-traditional course of action.
Rather than the usual approach of replacing the torn ACL with a graft from the hamstring tendon, it is believed surgeons will graft from the patella tendon (between the bottom of the kneecap and top of the leg).
If the graft knits, it provides a chance at a quicker comeback, but there is significant risk attached.
McCarthy was presented with a number of options by Brisbane’s medical staff, including the traditional approach that he used last time, but after doing his own research, landed on the above option.
The 31-year-old has been an integral member of Brisbane’s rise under Chris Fagan, missing just three games from 2019 until early last season when he first ruptured the ACL against Gold Coast in round eight.
After recovering and taking part in the Lions’ AAMI Community Series match against Adelaide, McCarthy suffered the second rupture six days later in an intraclub that was organised to replace the postponed Opening Round match against Geelong.
The dynamic forward is out of contract at season’s end, and after missing out on last year’s premiership, believes he can still contribute in Brisbane’s best team should he get back this year.
Patella tendon ACL surgery is far from radical - a load of media beat up nonsense.
