Jason McCartney (footballer)

Jason McCartney (born 14 March 1974, in Nhill, Victoria) is a former Australian rules footballer, 2002 Bali bombing survivor and coach of the AIS/AFL Academy. On 19 Oct 2010 the Fremantle Dockers announced they have recruited former AFL player Jason McCartney as a development coach for the next three years. McCartney is now currently at the Western Bulldogs as a List Manager.

McCartney began his career at the Collingwood Football Club amid a huge reputation from his junior football days. He could play at either end of the ground as a key position forward or backman. After McCartney left the Magpies after four seasons from 1991–1994, he switched to Adelaide, with whom he had a good debut season in 1995. He missed out most of the year due to the strength of the team in 1997, therefore missing the Crows' first premiership triumph. So he moved to North Melbourne, where he played in the 1998 losing Grand Final against the Crows. In 1999 he once again had the opportunity to play in a Grand Final, but was suspended during the preliminary final against Brisbane saying that it was the worst day of his life, and went on to miss the Roos' premiership triumph that year. He then played in the team that made a losing preliminary final in 2000, which was the last finals match he played, and could have been considered unlucky, considering circumstances, to have never played in a premiership. In 2002 he had a poor season after being forced to fill the key forward role vacated by champion Wayne Carey who did not compete in the 2002 season following a sex scandal with Anthony Stevens' wife.