McCarthy death confirmed as accidental

Updated October 20, 2012 10:33:05

The death of Port Adelaide player John McCarthy in Las Vegas last month has been ruled as accidental by a US coroner.

McCarthy, 22, died after falling from a rooftop at the Flamingo casino and hotel complex.

Assistant coroner in Clark County, Nevada, John Fudenberg, said McCarthy died from injuries sustained in an accidental fall.

"I can tell you that we ruled the cause of death as multiple injuries due to a fall from height and the manner of death is accidental," he said.

He would not say whether or not alcohol or drugs were found in McCarthy's system as the toxicology report was not a matter of public record.

AAP/ABC

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, united-states

First posted October 20, 2012 10:33:05

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Koch confirmed as Power chairman

Updated October 03, 2012 13:27:03

Channel Seven presenter David Koch will take over as chairman of financially-struggling Port Adelaide Football Club.

He will replace Brett Duncanson, who announced his intention to stand aside on the same day Matthew Primus was sacked as coach back in August.

Koch has been the Power's number one ticket holder since 2007.

He lives in Sydney but plans to fly to Adelaide each month for the club's board meetings.

"There is no way I underestimate the challenges going forward, but I'm excited because I think that together we can make a difference and have a great impact as we guide the club through an incredibly exciting period," Koch said.

He said he was determined to see Port Adelaide achieve success again on the football field and be financially strong away from it and planned to help boost the Power's national profile.

"It was put to us that Port Adelaide really wasn't that relevant in Melbourne or Sydney. This state deserves two really strong clubs, the football tradition here, and we want to get Port Adelaide back to where it should be," he told reporters.

Koch grew up at nearby Largs Bay in Adelaide.

"I am lucky enough to be a part of a great family tradition of supporting Port Adelaide," he said.

"My extended family, including cousins and their children, are all Port Adelaide people and they go to every game to support Port Adelaide in the outer. That will never change."

Hawthorn assistant coach Leon Cameron has been strongly tipped to get the job of coaching the Power next season, but has also been interviewed by Greater Western Sydney about a coaching position.

Power chief executive Keith Thomas said a decision on Port Adelaide's coaching job was yet to be made.

"We're right at the tail end of the process. I'm hoping that we can make that announcement if not by the end of this week, very early next week," he said.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, television-broadcasting, port-adelaide-5015, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted October 02, 2012 15:36:18

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AFL player McCarthy confirmed dead in Vegas

Updated September 11, 2012 00:27:45

The Port Adelaide Football Club has confirmed that one of its players, John McCarthy, has died in Las Vegas.

Port Adelaide Football Club chief executive Keith Thomas said McCarthy, 22, died whilst holidaying with 10 other Port Adelaide players on an end-of-season trip.

The club understands McCarthy fell from the balcony of a high-rise hotel, believed to be The Flamingo, in the early hours of Monday morning.

McCarthy and his team-mates, who left for the United States on Saturday, were not staying at The Flamingo.

Thomas said McCarthy was not with any of his team-mates at the time of his death.

"We understand there were witnesses on the ground at the incident but have no details," Thomas said after talking to Victorian police.

The other Port players in Las Vegas were Travis Boak, Matthew Broadbent, Alipate Carlile, Brett Ebert, Hamish Hartlett, Tom Logan, Andrew Moore, Paul Stewart, Jackson Trengove and Justin Westhoff.

Thomas said he had to inform the other 10 players in Las Vegas over the phone about McCarthy's death.

"It was a great shock, very emotional and they are making arrangements to come back now," he said.

The Flamingo issued a statement earlier today saying a man was found dead near its south entrance at 5.40am local time (10.40pm AEST).

"He was transported to the University Medical Center of Las Vegas, where he was pronounced deceased," a spokesperson said.

McCarthy played 39 AFL games, including 18 for Collingwood after being drafted in 2007.

McCarthy was delisted by the Magpies after the 2011 season before being drafted by Port Adelaide in the 2012 Pre-season Draft.

The hard-running midfielder became a regular at Port Adelaide, playing 21 games for the Power in the 2012 season.

"John was a very popular player and embraced the club as we embraced him," Thomas said.

"He came into our footy club looking to reignite his career.

"He started like a bomb, looked fantastic and we had great hopes for him."

Thomas said the club was informed of the tragedy, which is still being investigated, around 9.30am.

McCarthy's name was withheld until Monday afternoon so his family members could be informed of the tragedy.

Thomas said the main delay was trying to inform McCarthy's brother, Matt, who was also holidaying overseas.

Matt McCarthy, who along with father Shane played for Geelong, was notified only minutes before the press conference, Thomas said.

Port Adelaide general manager Peter Rohde is on his way to the United States to be with the rest of the travelling Power players.

Thomas said Rohde is likely to make contact with McCarthy's sister, who is in the United States, to work out the process of bringing his body back to Australia.

"Clearly there is an investigation going on, so it could be several days," Thomas added.

Several Port Adelaide players and staff were told of the news earlier today at the club's headquarters at Alberton.

"We'll pull together. The players will pull together, they are all together now. It will strengthen us," Thomas said.

"We enjoyed a tough year on the field. We are in the process of looking forward to next year and this is a major, major setback emotionally.

"First thing is to make sure everyone is OK, that his parents are looked after, and his brother and sister.

"We'll wrap our arms around our players and their partners. We are doing that now.

"We'll be stronger for it."

Port Adelaide best and fairest winner Kane Cornes tweeted after the announcement.

"Hug your kids and tell your family you love them. We've just lost the nicest guy and best teammate you could ever ask for. Too sad."

Collingwood said the club would wear black armbands during their semi-final against West Coast on Saturday night.

Collingwood club president Eddie Maguire described McCarthy as sparkly-eyed with a great spirit and great love for his friends, his club and his sport.

"John was an exceptional young man in the prime of his life with the whole world ahead of him," Maguire added in a statement.

"We are devastated to hear of his passing, and our hearts go out to his loving parents Shane and Catherine, his family and friends.

"We are proud that John wore the black and white jumper and his contribution to our club will never be forgotten."

McCarthy was named as an emergency for the 2010 grand final and replay, which Collingwood won.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou described McCarthy's death as a "profound tragedy" and extended his sympathies on behalf of the football family.

"He was on an upward path," Demetriou said.

"And by all accounts, I think his career was at the early stages of taking off."

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, united-states, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted September 10, 2012 12:33:07

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Stynes exit confirmed by Demons

Updated February 02, 2012 10:32:38

Jim Stynes resigned as Melbourne president on the same day the AFL great had another operation in his fight against cancer.

The 45-year-old was absent from the club's annual general meeting on Wednesday night, where his resignation was made official.

The packed room at the MCG gave the 1991 Brownlow Medallist and four-time Demons best and fairest a standing ovation after vice-president Don McLardy confirmed widespread speculation that Stynes would stand down.

Stynes became club president in 2008 and was diagnosed with cancer the following year.

He has now endured more than 20 operations to remove tumours.

McLardy, who will take over as president, read out a statement from Stynes.

"As Melbourne enters what promises to be an exciting new season and hopefully an exciting new era, I see this as an opportune time to step down as Melbourne president," Stynes said.

"It will give the football club the best chance to be 100 per cent prepared for round one and it will give me the time to fully focus on my health and my family.

"I'm extremely proud of what the board has managed to achieve since I took on the presidency in June, 2008 - particularly in bringing a greater sense of unity and purpose to our football club.

"I feel confident that Don McLardy and the board will continue that work."

Stynes also backed McLardy to be his successor and promised that he would attend Melbourne's round-one match this season.

Stynes told McLardy of his decision to stand down on Tuesday night, with McLardy saying the Irishman had made "an immeasurable contribution" to the club.

The ruckman played 264 games for Melbourne, including an AFL record of 244 in succession.

He then took over as president in 2008 when the club was in a dire financial position.

"Jim's remarkable leadership skills and courage under immense pressure have seen our club become united, have strong values, (be) financially independent and (have) a very bright future," McLardy said.

"He has been an inspiration to the whole club and on so many occasions in the past year, he has led by example and got up and fought when it seemed impossible.

"It is our job now, all of us in this room, to prove that his confidence is well-founded."

McLardy also announced that former Melbourne captain Greg Healy would join the board as a casual vacancy.

Healy will become the board's football director, with his appointment and McLardy's presidency to be formalised at a special board meeting following the AGM.

"Greg will have a specific role in overseeing all aspects of our football department, but will also add depth to the business acumen of our current board," McLardy said.

The Demons said McLardy was a unanimous nomination by the rest of the board for the presidency.

McLardy also said he hoped Stynes would stay involved in a consulting role with the Demons board.

McLardy and Stynes are long-time friends and the new president said he had "mixed emotions" about taking on the role.

"I came into this with Jim and had a dream that we'd win a premiership and Jim would be the president and I'd be lucky enough to be around him," McLardy said.

"That's changed, obviously, but I still hope the fairytale will come true.

"I feel very honoured and humbled that somehow I've ended up where I have.

"I'm very conscious ... there's a job to be done and we need to do it as much for Jim as anybody, to make sure his efforts don't come to nothing."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, melbourne-3000

First posted February 01, 2012 18:57:04

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