Hired by the Western Bulldogs as their list manager, McCartney went on to win the AFL Premiership that had eluded him as a player during the Bulldogs' surprise 2016 season (McCartney had been suspended for the 1999 Grand Final, which North Melbourne had won against Carlton.) He is currently the list manager for the Greater Western Sydney Giants and a successful motivational speaker. He also published an autobiography, "After Bali", recounting his ordeal after the bombings and his road back to the AFL, and also married Melissa Vanderheyden, who he had been engaged to before the bombings, just 63 days after the attacks. A medal named after McCartney is also awarded to the most courageous player during contests between North Melbourne and Collingwood, McCartney's original team.