Cameron McCarthy is a raw product from South Fremantle who represented WA at the Under 18 carnival and earned All-Australian honours. Cameron has seemingly bolted from nowhere into first round consideration this year and this is a testament to his hard work and output at the Championship. Whenever McCarthy is targeted up forward, he looks dangerous and likely to take a mark. McCarthy has a strong pair of hands and has brilliant aerial ability; he is capable of outmarking his opponent with his reach. This is easily the standout in his game, McCarthy’s ability to continually present an option to his team-mates effectively lifts the efficiency of the entire forward line. He is also a fantastic reader of the ball and he can out-judge his defender when his side goes inside 50. McCarthy also has a unique and reliable kicking routine which works well for him, as evident in his game-winner against Vic Country. One aspect of his game that sets McCarthy apart from other key forwards is his mobility and agility. McCarthy is capable of crumbing and he is clean when the ball hits the ground. McCarthy has tremendous upside and has a higher ceiling than any key forward in this draft bar Boyd when his background is put into perspective; he only recently decided to pursue football over cricket.
PLAYER PROFILE – CAMERON McCARTHY
D.O.B: 01/04/1995
HEIGHT: 195cm
WEIGHT: 89kg
WAFL CLUB: South Fremantle
STRENGTHS: Fantastic mark, great vertical leap, converts opportunities, athletic, “X-FACTOR type forward”
WEAKNESSES: Injuries, late starter to the game, still raw
PLAYS LIKE:
Jack Riewoldt (RICH), Jack Watts (MELB)