John McCarthy's spirit honoured

John McCarthy's no. 35 jumper will be retired for season 2013. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: adelaidenow

TRIBUTE: Port Adelaide will retire John McCarthy's jumper for next season. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: adelaidenow

JOHN McCARTHY'S empty locker will be a constant reminder of the late player through 2013 after Port Adelaide yesterday announced it would leave both his jumper and his space in the rooms untouched as his teammates recover from his death.

Power players are still receiving counselling over his death at an end-of-season trip to Las Vegas this year, when he fell from the roof of the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.

It has had extensive consultation with Melbourne - which lost player Troy Broadbridge to the Thailand tsunami in 2004 - and local club Sturt, which is still grieving the loss of player Josh Deegan and trainer Bob Marshall in the 2002 Bali bombings.

There have also been lengthy considerations between Port and the McCarthy family, including his girlfriend Dani Smarrelli.

The club and the McCarthys have decided on a range of measures to honour the popular clubman, who is also grieved by his first club, Collingwood.

They include:

AN AWARD being issued in his honour at the club's best and fairest from here on, celebrating a player with the same club values and selflessness as McCarthy.

HIS No. 35 guernsey being retired for 2013.

HIS locker being unused in 2013.

A TRIBUTE match in round two this year, the club's first home game.

MONEY raised to a cause and charity in his name during Port's home game against Collingwood in round 14.

It will most likely be done through tin-rattling at the entrance gates and around the ground.

Port has thought long and hard about how to best honour McCarthy, who made an immediate impact in his first season at Alberton because of his infectious and bubbly personality.

They are grieving similarly at Collingwood, where he spent four seasons, and the two clubs are in regular conversations over the round 14 game.

But after speaking to Melbourne chief executive Cameron Schwab and Broadbridge's father Wayne, Port chief executive Keith Thomas believed the Power had found a respectful and balanced program to honour McCarthy.

He was really caring and had time for everyone. Just a really good bloke. Legend.

One of the lessons learned from Melbourne's tributes to Broadbridge was that the whole year appeared to be devoted to his memory, which lifted everybody's spirit when the club was winning but made players feel like they were disrespecting their former teammate's memory after losses.

Port's approach has been based on this thinking: Have a few substantial events in McCarthy's honour, and do them well.

The perpetuity of the McCarthy name is in his award, which the club envisages will be presented by a family member at each best and fairest count.

"John contributed to Port Adelaide not only through his actions during games, but also through his commitment our players deliver away from the sporting arena," Thomas said.

"We think it's especially fitting, then, that his life has inspired an award that acknowledges the commitment our players deliver away from the sporting arena.

"We're very mindful of John's family's wishes that we move forward, honouring the way in which he lived and the spirit he showed, rather than being overwhelmed by the grief of it all."

Port midfielder Brad Ebert yesterday reflected on what McCarthy had meant to the players and the legacy he had left.

"He was just a really good bloke," Ebert said.

"Straight away when he came to the club, he was really approachable and easy to get along with. He was really caring and had time for everyone. Just a really good bloke. Legend."

Ebert's thoughts came as backman Jackson Trengove said there was not a day when McCarthy wasn't in the thoughts of the players.

"It's been extremely hard," Trengove said.

"I don't think anyone is just going to sort of drop it and move on straight away.

"That's the thing that the boys are dealing with but we're not dealing with it alone. He's always going to be here with us."

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