FREMANTLE forward Cam McCarthy has parted ways with Fremantle and his hopes of playing for ladder leaders South Fremantle in the WAFL for the rest of 2020 have also been dashed.

Told he wouldn't be offered an AFL contract for 2021, McCarthy and the Dockers came to a resolution on Thursday that would see him walk from his playing contract immediately. 

It is understood the decision for McCarthy to opt against joining the Dockers in their Cairns quarantine hub from round 15 fast-tracked the move. 

"The club, Cam, and his management have mutually agreed that Cam be released from his AFL playing contract for 2020," general manager football Peter Bell said. 

"We have been in discussions with Cam and his management about his future at Fremantle. 

"We believed it was only fair to advise Cam as soon as possible that it was unlikely that he would have his contract extended beyond the end of the 2020 season.

"On that basis, Cam and his management discussed the situation with his family, and subsequently informed the club that he would like to seek an early release from his contract, which was mutually agreed to by all parties."

McCarthy was working towards earning a clearance to play for South Fremantle for the remainder of the WAFL season.

"He is a South boy who has already expressed a desire to come home, whether it is this year......we will have to just wait and see," South Fremantle president Peter Christie told AFL.com.au.

But those hopes ended on Friday when the West Australian Football Commission confirmed that AFL-listed players "being released from their AFL contracts prior to the end of the season" were not eligible to play in the WAFL competition in 2020 under WAFL rules. 

"If he can't play this year, we will certainly get him involved in the club," Christie said.

McCarthy played in the Dockers' round one loss to Essendon before he was rushed to hospital in June after collapsing in a scary incident at training shortly after AFL clubs returned to training.

While he was cleared to return to the field, McCarthy failed to play AFL again for the Dockers.

McCarthy was drafted to Greater Western Sydney at pick No.14 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft before requesting a trade home to Fremantle at the end of 2015 while under contract – a request which was denied.

After sitting out football for the entire 2016 season, McCarthy, along with pick seven, 34 and 72, headed to Fremantle as part of a deal to send pick three to the Giants later that year.

The 25-year-old managed 21 games for the Giants and 49 for the Dockers for a total of 99 goals.