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JOHN McCarthy had found an opportunity to shine at Port Adelaide.
That was all he needed to make his way in the AFL.
Tragically, an accident on an end-of-season holiday has ended his life aged just 22.
To think that two months ago he stood against a wall after the team's loss to Geelong and expressed his enjoyment at playing regular senior football in a new town with a new club.
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No matter that the Victorian boy had found himself at Port Adelaide after four years and 18 games at Collingwood, he was enjoying it.
The wispy beard could not hide the grin that appeared quickly, even after a loss.
To that stage he had played 12 games with Port Adelaide, his ball-winning ability becoming evident to everyone.
A popular, somewhat laidback figure at Collingwood, his career had gone in fits and spurts as he developed his game slowly after being drafted in 2007.
He was brave, ready to put his head into a pack at a moment's notice and made his debut in round 19, 2008 wearing No.27, assuming the number from the skipper Nick Maxwell.
That year McCarthy played the final six games including two finals as Collingwood was bundled out in the semi-final against St Kilda.
From a football family, his brother Matthew and his father Shane played for Geelong. His uncles Bernie and Gavan played for North Melbourne and his grandfather Alan Olle played for St Kilda.
Collingwood had high hopes for him in 2009 as he switched to wearing No.3 but a series of hamstring injuries curtailed his progress. For weeks he would destroy the opposition in the VFL for a quarter then his hamstring would go. He was young and learning what the game demanded, refining his preparation to realise his ability.
However the coach knew his importance and reintroduced him to the side in round 22 for his first game and then into the qualifying final against a hardened St Kilda outfit.
His inclusion meant that three of his first eight games with the club had come in finals. He did not have a huge impact on the game as the Saints battered and bruised the young Magpies, who lost Scott Pendlebury early to a broken leg.
His housemate and friend Brent Macaffer replaced him the next week for the semi-final, with McCarthy happy to see his mate get his chance.
On the day of the game they played video games to take Macaffer's mind off the business that lay ahead.
McCarthy again endured a hamstring problem in the first half of 2010 and only broke into the senior side for his second game in round 22.
He did not do enough to retain his spot but continued to train with the squad and was an emergency for the Grand Final replay.
McCarthy remained on the fringe of selection throughout 2011 and was delisted at the end of the season. Several clubs including Richmond and Port Adelaide showed interest and he trained with Richmond leading up to the pre-season draft.
In the end it was Port Adelaide that used their pre-season pick to select McCarthy and bolster their midfield.
It did not take long for McCarthy to adopt a positive attitude to his new home.
"I'm glad now it's happened and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be up here and getting ready to get stuck into it," McCarthy told AFL.com.au in December.
While not the type to be consumed with football his ambition to succeed was strong and McCarthy worked hard to improve as a Port Adelaide player.
He had been given a second chance and he was determined to make the most of it.
He played 21 of 22 games in his first season wearing No.35, adding depth and grunt to the young midfield. He was a permanent member of the team but his unassuming manner remained.
Good in close, he was a ball winner who showed no fear on a football field.
On Monday, his teammates at two football clubs will be shattered and football supporters will be left to reflect on the sad reality of what has happened.
