The club today announced tribute plans that have been developed by its welfare committee in consultation with players, coaches and the McCarthy family, and endorsed by the board of the Port Adelaide Football Club.
John - who played 21 AFL games with Port Adelaide during 2012 before an accidental fall claimed his life in Las Vegas on 10 September - will be remembered through the following:
- The number 35 guernsey worn by John will be retired for 2013
- The number 35 locker used by John will be retired for 2013
- The number 35 guernsey and locker will be assigned in 2014 to a player deemed by the club and its players to represent John’s values and attributes
- Tribute match: player and crowd recognition of John McCarthy at Port Adelaide’s first home game for 2013 - Round 2, 7.10pm Saturday 6 April v Greater Western Sydney
- An award in John McCarthy’s name will be introduced at the 2013 Port Adelaide Best and Fairest presentation, in honour of a player’s off-field contribution (criteria for this are being finalised)
- John’s name to be linked to a cause and charity which will benefit from funds raised at Port Adelaide’s Round 14 (4.10pm Saturday 29 June at AAMI Stadium) clash against Collingwood, with whom he played for four seasons before joining the Power
“John McCarthy made an immediate and remarkable impact upon the Port Adelaide Football Club community as he did towards many people throughout his life, and that is what we will acknowledge, celebrate and never forget,” Mr Thomas said.
“We have a considered a great number of suggestions - including many from our supporters - before committing to what the club and John’s family feel are fitting and meaningful tributes to a much-loved and admired friend and footballer.
“John’s family has made it clear, most significantly at his funeral, that they want his teammates to play with John’s spirit and his love of life more than be driven by his memory or their grief at his loss.
“They want everyone to share that attitude and we thank and admire them immensely for that, and are grateful that they have endorsed our proposed tributes.”
Mr Thomas said the combination of tributes provided opportunities for the club, players and supporters to each pay their respects to John in a symbolic and appropriate manner.
“Resting John’s number 35 and his locker for 2013 is an action that acknowledges his contribution in a guernsey that we will forever remember him wearing with distinction,” Mr Thomas said.
“By bringing it back for 2014 and presenting it to a player whose values are in keeping with John’s, we allow the number 35 - and importantly what it meant to John - to be a part of Port Adelaide in the years ahead.”
The tribute match at Port Adelaide’s opening home game for 2013 will provide for a timely shared tribute to John by the public, his teammates and football community.
“We will never forget the outpouring of emotion towards ‘J-Mac’ at the time of his tragic passing and everyone involved with Port Adelaide at all levels will sense his absence particularly deeply around the beginning of the new season,” Mr Thomas said.
“So it is important that we all get a chance to officially celebrate John’s life and achievements together as early as we can in the year, and we think that comes with our first home game for premiership points in 2013.”
John’s loved ones will be invited to be present at the tribute match and - as part of the Port Adelaide family - they will be welcome at all of our games wherever they are played.
They will also be invited to the Best and Fairest count at the season’s end, when the award in John’s name will be presented for the first time.
“John contributed to Port Adelaide not only through his actions during games, but also through his approach to training and his preparation and in other ways off the field, Mr 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,” Mr Thomas said.
Port Adelaide will work with the Collingwood Football Club before finalising the arrangements around the teams’ Round 14 clash at AAMI Stadium, including the charity which spectators will be invited to support.
“John had a great social conscience and we will identify a cause that he would approve of helping and one we can all support in his name,” Mr Thomas said.
Port Adelaide will continue working to finalise details surrounding each of these tributes and make more information available at appropriate times.
