Shane McCarthy

Hailing from the country town of Yea and the prestigious football nursery of Assumption College, Shane McCarthy arrived at Kardinia Park as a promising key position prospect. Standing at 191cm—a significant height for a defender in that era—he was granted a brief taste of senior football late in the 1970 season, debuting in Round 21 against Melbourne. He managed just one further appearance the following year before departing the VFL scene to become a lawyer and eventually play for Sorrento, but his legacy in the game extends well beyond his short three-game stint. McCarthy is the patriarch of a notable footballing family, being the brother of North Melbourne duo Bernie and Gavan McCarthy, and the father of AFL players Matthew McCarthy, who continued the family link at Geelong, and the late John McCarthy, who played for Collingwood and Port Adelaide.