AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft 2025: West Coast likely No.1 pick Tom McCarthy on his journey to verge of Eagles

Tom McCarthy concedes he never took footy seriously enough to think he could play in the AFL. He was happy in his marketing job and playing sports – whether it be footy, basketball or cricket – with his mates in Victoria. Then about four weeks ago his sporting life was turned upside down when West Coast reached out to express their interest in picking him up in the mid-season rookie draft. Since then, another eight clubs have made contact, and the 24-year-old is the firm favourite to be taken with the No.1 pick on Wednesday and head west to join the Eagles. “They’ve reached out and shown a lot of interest. It is probably looking that way but there’s still a bit of the unknown,” McCarthy told The West Australian on his chances of being drafted by the Eagles. “I’m preparing myself in case that does happen, and I know I’ve been linked to the No.1 pick pretty heavily. “If all goes well, the move west would be bloody awesome. I’m a Vic boy, always lived here and I’ve never been to Perth, so it’ll definitely be an eye opener if that happened. “It was the Eagles who reached out first … since then I’ve had eight clubs reach out. It’s been pretty cool to have them all interest in me and wanting me at their clubs, so it will be a big draft night.” McCarthy has come from obscurity to be on the radar of AFL clubs. The half-back was never a part of any high-level junior programs, instead coming up through the ranks at Old Mentonians in the Victorian Amateur Football Association. In 2023 he moved to Southern Football Netball League division two side Highett, coming second in their fairest and best. McCarthy decided to have a go at Richmond’s VFL leading into the 2024 season where he realised, he was better at footy than he thought. “My journey’s a bit unique because I never took footy seriously, I was always more of a general sportsman. I played cricket and basketball as well and didn’t take footy serious at all and just played with mates,” he said. “I progressed to Highett because Old Mentonians folded … I played some really good footy throughout those years and had a connection to the Richmond VFL program and they reached out and wanted me to try out for a contract. “I went down there for a pre-season and started to progress in my footy and took off from a local level. It was a low local level, so to get to the VFL from there was a massive jump. I took it with both hands.” McCarthy had always been a fit young man but conceded it took time to adjust to the jump to the VFL program. “My fitness was always there, and I am a strong believer I could be fit at the VFL level but I never did a proper full pre-season at any level,” he said. “I knew that if I could have a full crack at it I could be fitter than I could ever be which would enhance my footy. “In terms of the speed of the game and skill of the VFL it was a huge jump, and I admit it probably took me two to three months to get used to it and I was a bit scared originally that I wasn’t going to get a contract because I thought the jump was too great. “In January and February, I took take off and found I could find my feet there and adjust to the speed of the game. And when it came to doing the match simulation and practice games I still hadn’t got a contract by then, but I felt comfortable and gained a lot of confidence out of putting a few months in.” McCarthy had a strong first season at the Tigers as a midfielder, playing 15 games as a hard-running midfielder. It wasn’t until he was forced out of the engine room and into half back at the start of this year did his game take off and he emerge as an AFL talent. McCarthy has taken the opportunity with both hands, averaging 22 disposals from seven games and displaying his pace and elite skill. “I was a midfielder throughout the whole process of going from local footy to VFL and then I got pushed out through the AFL players coming back into the VFL side,” he said. “Luckily, I got the chance not to be dropped but to go back to half back and the coach (Jake Batchelor) saw some speed and some skill and that I could execute back there. “It’s probably why I’ve had this interest and clubs looking at me, because I’m a running player. I take the game on, I’m explosive and I’ve got good foot skills, so it all made sense to line up at half-back.” The interest in McCarthy got so big that he and Batchelor decided for him to sit out the Tigers’ VFL clash against Essendon at the weekend. “I had a good chat with Jake who agreed. We had a sit down on Thursday night at training and went through what the possibility could be for next week,” he said. “We came to the decision to rest me because we believe it’s a good chance and even if it doesn’t happen, I can sitll just miss a game, come back and fill the void at VFL. “If I’m going to have a crack at it we thought the best idea was to rest and see if I can prepare for the draft.” West Coast have a strong history in taking players in the mid-season draft and giving them an AFL debut not long after. Last year Jack Hutchinson ran out for the Eagles 11 days after being picked up, while Ryan Maric had to wait only 10 days and Jai Culley just 16. “I think I’m AFL ready and I think other people believe I am as well,” McCarthy said. “The confidence I am riding with at the moment, if I can get into the club, meet everyone and if the opportunity comes up and they pick me, I’ll definitely be confident the hopefully at the end of this week I can play a good game in the WAFL. “It’s being hopeful but also knowing I am confident enough that it can happen and let’s just hope it does.”