Port Adelaide has strengthened its midfield in the 2011 pre-season and rookie drafts by selecting former Collingwood player John McCarthy, giving Darren Pfeiffer an opportunity at his third AFL club and bringing the brother of forward John Butcher to Alberton.
The Power took 22-year-old McCarthy with the second selection in the pre-season draft (No.8 overall after GWS passed on its first six options), before chosing 24-year-old Pfeiffer with pick 3 in the rookie draft and then 18-year-old Danny Butcher at number 21.
A second round draftee (No. 31) in the 2007 National Draft, McCarthy played 18 games for Collingwood, including eight outings in 2011.
Related: John McCarthy highlights on PTV
Port Adelaide general manager of football, Peter Rohde, said McCarthy had impressed in the VFL whenever he had been unable to force his way into Collingwood’s talent-packed sides.
“We see him as a player who’s just waiting for opportunities,” Rohde said.
“Collingwood were keen to keep him, but he really delisted himself with a view to getting some opportunities somewhere else.
“He’s probably struggled to get opportunities there, but when he’s played in the AFL he’s always performed well,” Rohde said.
“He’s versatile in that he can play midfield, forward and back. He’s got a really good skill set, he’s got speed and endurance, he’s a very good kick. He’s been in the system for four years and he’s been trained up.”
Rohde said McCarthy is ready to play and join a midfield already strengthened with the transfer of Brad Ebert from West Coast.
“Although he’s had some injury problems in the past, certainly in 2011 he played every game and had a really good year so we think he can come in and help us straight away.”
McCarthy spent three days at Alberton ahead of the pre-season draft, meeting the players and coach Matthew Primus, inspecting the club’s facilities and producing excellent results in his physical and medical tests.
“We had him over for a couple of days to show him around in November and he hit it off very well with our players and we think that he’s ready to go,” Rohde said.
The Power swooped on McCarthy ahead of Richmond which had committed to selecting him inviting him to train in recent weeks.
Despite McCarthy’s interest in remaining in Melbourne, Rohde says he is excited to be continuing his career in Adelaide.
“He’s certainly indicated to us that he’s very happy to come and play for us and that’s the key thing,” Rohde said.
“It’s a national draft and he nominated terms as a category one player and we are happy to meet those terms. He knew very well all along that there was every chance we’d pick him. He’s certainly indicated he’s very happy to play for us.
“The cold hard truth is if he had a choice he’d probably like to stay in Melbourne and play for a Melbourne club. But he understands the way the business works and he’s very happy to come and he’ll be training with us in the next couple of days, and we’ll do everything to help him make it a very successful move.”
Pfeiffer was drafted by Adelaide in the 2005 National Draft (No. 17), but was delisted in 2007 before joining Carlton where he played seven games until he was delisted in 2008.
Related: Darren Pfeiffer highlights on PTV
After two seasons with Queensland side Southport in the NEAFL, he returned to Norwood in 2011, impressing at SANFL level with 14 games for the Redlegs.
“Right from when Darren got drafted, we liked what he could do,” Rohde said.
“He’s come back to Norwood and played a really solid year at Norwood and everything we hear about him and have found out about him is that he is really looking for another opportunity.
“We see him as a flexible player. He can play in a lot of spots. He can certainly play in the midfield and off half-back and he’s mature and ready to go.”
Like his older brother, Danny Butcher has been recruited from the Gippsland Power where he won the best and fairest medal in 2011 while coming second in the Morrish Medal for the best and fairest player in the TAC Cup.
Related: Danny Butcher highlights on PTV
“He’s a really tough, competitive player,” Rohde said.
“He has had two really good years. He played very well in the finals of the TAC Cup as a 17-year-old.
“He probably had a slow start to this year and missed out on the under-18 national championships, but from the mid-year onwards his form really picked up again and he won Gippsland’s best and fairest … so he’s had a really good season and he’s a player who we think can add something to our midfield.”
Danny is a potential midfielder and a stark contrast to his high-leaping brother.
“Danny is a very different player to John,” Rohde said.
“He’s a six-foot inside midfielder who is very tough and very hard, who competes really hard for the contested ball. He’s certainly not a 200cm marking forward, that’s for sure.”
Port Adelaide passed on its third pick in the rookie draft.
The draftees will join their new team-mates for pre-season training this week.
