I would like to bring our members, supporters and the public up to date with the latest information we have regarding the tragic loss of John McCarthy.

Firstly, can I thank you all for your many expressions of sympathy in the last 24 hours. We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotion.

More than 1500 tributes have been left on the club website and we have received countless phone calls and messages made in person and thousands more through social media. It is clear that John had endeared himself to the wider Port Adelaide community as he had within the club in his relatively short time with us. He was loved by us all.

Port Adelaide would also like to extend its thanks to the other AFL clubs for their heartfelt public tributes to John and their expressions of sympathy and support. For all of the competitiveness that underlines our competition, the AFL community is a very tight one and we draw strength from the solidarity that has been demonstrated in this very sad time.

In particular, we acknowledge the Collingwood Football Club where John spent four years before joining us at Alberton. We know that John has many close friends at Collingwood where he is deeply loved. Everyone at Collingwood is grieving with us, John’s family and friends and the rest of the football community.

We are grateful for Collingwood’s offer to wear black armbands when they play this weekend and also thank the AFL for initiating a minute’s silence ahead of both semi-finals.

Port Adelaide further thanks the AFL for its support during this difficult time, and the sympathy expressed by chief executive officer Andrew Demetriou on behalf of the league.

Thanks, too, to the AFL Players’ Association for its assistance to Port Adelaide and players at all clubs during this period. We thoroughly endorse the decision to proceed with Tuesday night’s MVP awards and appreciate the efforts that have been made to honour John.

We do not have a lot more information about the events that led to John’s death in Las Vegas.

US authorities have confirmed that John died after falling approximately nine metres from a building after becoming separated from his team mates. We are no clearer about how or why that happened and it is not wise to speculate or comment further.

John became separated from his team mates and once again we are not aware of how this occurred.

There are media reports of a phone conversation between John and his girlfriend Dani in Adelaide. We are aware a call was made but we will not speculate or comment further about that conversation while so much is unknown.

Our general manager (football) Peter Rohde will arrive in Las Vegas today to assist local authorities and to represent John’s family.

The players who were travelling with John are making their way home to Adelaide where we will offer them specialist support. We are also doing what we can to help John’s family, Dani, the entire playing group, their families and club staff.

We thank you all for your support and understanding in this difficult time.

Keith Thomas,
Chief Executive Officer