Port Adelaide bring back John McCarthy’s No.35 jumper with new recruit Joe Richards

John McCarthy’s family has given their blessing to bring the late footballer’s No.35 guernsey out of retirement at Port Adelaide, with new recruit Joe Richards accepting “the huge privilege”.

McCarthy died aged 22 in a fall on a post-season trip to Las Vegas in 2012.

His death left an indelible mark on the AFL club and the group of players who were on the holiday.

Port opted to retire the No.35 jumper McCarthy had worn in 21 games that year, his first season with the club following four years at Collingwood.

Richards has now made the same move from the Magpies to the Power and will don the No.35 with the McCarthy family’s approval.

Port Adelaide said the time was right but did not otherwise expand on the decision.

“It’s a huge privilege to be trusted to wear the number 35,” Richards said in the club statement.

“When the club approached me to wear this number, I had no hesitation in accepting the offer.

“I didn’t know John, but from what I have heard about him, it sounds like we share similar values and passion for footy.

“We were both recruited from Collingwood to Port Adelaide, so there is a nice connection there.

“From what I’ve learned, John’s greatest strength was his care for his teammates and those he connected with. I’m incredibly humbled by the opportunity.”

Port chief executive Matthew Richardson said it was “an important moment” to reintroduce the No.35.

“We are grateful to the McCarthy family for their support,” he said.

“We are pleased for Joe and look forward to seeing him make number 35 his own.

“The number 35 is a significant number at our club. Before John, Chad Cornes wore the guernsey with great distinction as an AFL premiership player and two-time All Australian.”

Just one player remains on Port Adelaide’s list from the 2012 season: Travis Boak.

Boak led the club out of the tragedy, taking over as captain for the 2013 campaign.

McCarthy’s former Collingwood teammates Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom are also playing on in 2025.

While McCarthy’s No.35 was retired at Port Adelaide until now, his last Magpies jumper was worn by a close friend immediately after his death.

Brent Macaffer, who tattooed ‘Jmac 1989-2012’ on his arm, honoured his former housemate McCarthy by taking the No.3 jumper from 2013 to the end of his AFL career in 2016.

“I was thinking about changing numbers at the start of the pre-season,” Macaffer said at the time.

“Just before Christmas, obviously with J-Mac passing and him wearing the number three it was the last number he wore before he left, he was a really close mate of mine.

“Before I got to ask Bucks (Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley), he called me up and actually asked if I wanted to take that number. It was a nice gesture of him as well, I suppose, to think of me and to do that.

“I straight away said that yeah, absolutely I’d love to do that, and to wear the number and sort of represent him on behalf of the boys.

“That was the number he wore last so I feel really humbled and privileged to do that.”