McCarthy was a ripping bloke: Cassisi

Updated September 13, 2012 18:21:47

AFL footballer John McCarthy was a "ripping bloke" with an infectious personality, his Port Adelaide captain Dom Cassisi says.

McCarthy fell to his death from the roof of a Las Vegas casino while on an end-of-season trip with 10 other Port players.

Cassisi, who was not with the group in Las Vegas, on Thursday paid tribute to McCarthy.

"John was a ripping bloke. I haven't seen anyone come into our club and just fit in with the boys from day one," Cassisi said on Thursday in an interview with a club official on Port's website.

"He has got a really infectious personality and was always up and about.

"You walk into the club in the morning and he's smiling from the moment you walk in, and that is something that we will definitely miss.

"No matter what the circumstances were - whether we'd won or lost, whether he played good or bad - he was always there for the group and always trying to be positive."

Cassisi described the period since McCarthy's death on Sunday morning Las Vegas time as "really, really tough".

"It does feel as though we have known him for years and years - he has only been here for 12 months - but it just goes to show the impact and what sort of bloke he was," Cassisi said.

"You meet him and you instantly like the bloke.

"We got to spend some very special times with him in the 12 months he was here.

"And it was only a week or two (ago) we were having a few beers and saying to him how much we have enjoyed having his company at the club, and he was really looking forward to next year."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia

First posted September 13, 2012 18:19:36

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Players hurting Port coach: Cassisi

Updated May 14, 2012 17:35:58

Port Adelaide players feel responsible for the plight of embattled coach Matthew Primus, according to Power captain Domenic Cassisi.

Primus's position has come under intense scrutiny amid Port's six-game losing streak which continued Sunday with a 40-point defeat to Fremantle.

But Cassisi said Port players, not Primus, were the ones who should be feeling the heat.

"We're all in this together, the players and the coaches," Cassisi said.

"We're bitterly disappointed at not being able to get a win.

"It's pretty hard when you see during the week the pressure he (Primus) was under.

"We do feel a sense of responsibility for that, there is no doubt about that.

"We'd love to get a win for him very soon and hopefully it's on Saturday."

The Power will welcome the likely return of key forward Jay Schulz for this weekend's match against North Melbourne.

Schulz has been out for two matches with an eye injury.

In those matches, Port Adelaide managed only seven goals against the Dockers at Subiaco Oval, and eight the week before against Richmond.

Cassisi said Port players were lacking confidence to follow Primus' instructions to take risks.

"The coach has been really proactive in telling the players to take risks and try and get the ball going our way," he said.

"A little bit has probably got to do with confidence at the moment, guys aren't really trusting their kick and having a go."

Cassisi conceded there was no quick fix to Port's sloppy skills.

"I don't think it's going to be fixed to the level we want overnight," he said.

"But we're going to continue to work on it.

"We matched Fremantle for clearances and tackles and all those things you probably judge effort on.

"But at the end of the day, our skill level really hurt us and they got goals from it."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, sa, alberton-5014

First posted May 14, 2012 17:35:58

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Cassisi to complete career with Port

Updated March 26, 2012 11:39:16

Port Adelaide captain Dom Cassisi says he will finish his AFL career as a one-club player after signing a contract extension.

Cassisi, 29, has played 184 matches since debuting for Port Adelaide in 2002 and is going into his fourth season as captain.

While Port Adelaide as a rule declines to reveal the length of contract extensions, coach Matthew Primus indicated it was for several more seasons.

"I'm delighted that Dom has re-signed and I know he's going to continue to play a very important part in the club's journey over the next few years, both through his leadership and his consistency on-field," Primus said.

Cassisi said it was an "incredible'' feeling to be a one-club player for the Power.

"I love captaining this football club and I'm just so excited as to where our young group has come from and to where it's heading,'' he said.

"We think we've laid a pretty good platform for this season but we're also aware that we need to make the most of our hard work by maintaining our competitiveness across the whole year, starting with a very tough challenge against St Kilda in round one."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, port-adelaide-5015

First posted March 26, 2012 11:32:48

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Cassisi keeps Power captaincy

Updated February 10, 2012 16:24:57

Midfielder Dom Cassisi will captain Port Adelaide for a fourth straight season, with Hamish Hartlett the only newcomer in the club's five-man leadership group.

Travis Boak has been promoted to vice-captain, while 21-year-old defender Jackson Trengove, who shared the club's best and fairest award with Boak last year, remains part of the group.

The other member is key forward Jay Schulz.

Coach Matthew Primus said Cassisi, 29, remained a stand-out choice as skipper.

"Dom keeps developing his leadership skills every year and he really stood tall both on and off the field last season in what was a very challenging year," he said.

"He's got the ultimate respect of the playing group, the coaches and everyone involved at our club so it was a unanimous decision.

"We're looking forward to supporting him as he continues to grow and develop in the role."

Cassisi said it was good to have some youngsters supporting him, with Hartlett and Trengove both 21.

"I'm extremely excited about the young leadership group I'm going to have around me," he said.

"I know we're going to be able to drive the culture and behaviours that we need and expect at the club."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, port-adelaide-5015, sa

First posted February 10, 2012 16:23:53

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Cassisi could miss Demons match

Updated July 14, 2011 17:04:57

Port Adelaide captain Dom Cassisi could miss Saturday night's AFL match against Melbourne to be at the birth of his child.

Cassisi did not depart Adelaide on Thursday with his Port Adelaide team-mates as they flew to Darwin to prepare for the match.

Cassisi's wife was due to give birth on Wednesday.

The Power skipper planned to fly to Darwin on Saturday and then return to Adelaide immediately after the clash with the Demons, Power coach Matthew Primus said.

"His wife is due to give birth pretty soon so he's just trying to minimise the time he's away from home," Primus said.

"Not ideal, but Dom's preparation is pretty good."

Spearhead Jay Schulz also did not leave with his team-mates but will attend a family funeral in Adelaide on Friday before flying to Darwin the next day.

Primus said Port had added Steven Salopek and Daniel Motlop to their travelling party to cover for any player losses.

Young defender Jackson Trengove has been cleared to play after suffering a burst blood vessel in his right wrist during Port's loss to St Kilda last Sunday.

"His arm is no worries, it has come up fine," Primus said.

"He will definitely play, he might have a little bit of strapping but it's mainly just bruising."

Veteran Chad Cornes keeps his spot in the side after returning last week from an extended absence.

Cornes appears certain to quit the Power at season's end and has been a rumoured target of new entity Greater Western Sydney.

"It's not my decision to make if Chad wants to play on with GWS or whatever it's going to be," Primus said.

"We will continue our discussions with Chad as the year draws to an end.

"There is going to be speculation about and we will keep the conversation open with Chad ... I suppose it depends on how many games (the) teams want to get out of those kind of players.

"We know what Chad has achieved in his career and the experiences he's had, so a younger club like that might see that is something valuable for them to have."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, port-adelaide-5015, sa, australia

First posted July 14, 2011 15:14:03

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Interview: Dom Cassisi

Published:Sunday, June 19, 2011 7:55 AESTExpires:Saturday, September 17, 2011 7:55 AEST

Power skipper Dom Cassisi told Corbin Middlemas and the Grandstand team that the club's second halves this season have been poor and their effort after half-time against West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Sunday afternoon was encouraging despite missing out on the four points.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia

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