McAdam took an unusual route to Melbourne — picked up by Carlton as a mature-ager, traded on to Adelaide in 2018, debuting in 2020 and then crossing to the Demons ahead of 2024. The 186cm high-flyer missed all of 2025 after surgery on an Achilles tendon, targeting a full return in 2026. He retired at the end of the 2026 season, having played 53 AFL games and kicked 73 goals.