After making his first appearance of the season against the Dockers as a substitute, the skilful left footer told NMFC.com.au the decision was an easy one.
“North Melbourne’s just a great club with a great culture and the first 18 months I’ve spent here have been awesome,” McKenzie said.
“I’ve got a really good bunch of team-mates and I’m really confident we are heading in the right direction.”
Hailing from South Australia, the 20-year-old says the lure of leaving Aegis Park has never been an issue.
“I haven’t felt like I’ve wanted to go home and I’ve been really happy here. It’s where I want to be.”
The pull of his own family and a welcoming host also played a large role in McKenzie committing to North.
“It started off with a great host family which really helped me settle into Melbourne,” he added.
“Now I’m living with my brother and sister. My mum and dad are also over here as well which makes it a lot easier. All my immediate family is close to me.”
In his second season at the level, McKenzie has matured both as a person and in a physical sense.
Arriving at the club with a very slight frame, he’s now confident he can match it with the bigger bodies in the AFL.
“I’ve filled out a fair bit since last year. I weighed about 79 (kilograms) at the end of last year and now I’m sitting at 85 so I feel a lot more comfortable when I play.”
On the field, the number two is growing more and more comfortable in his role on the wing after starting his career in defence.
“Last year I was pretty much a half-back the whole time with just a little bit at half-forward.
“This year, pretty much from the beginning, I’ve been playing on the wing. It’s been about getting to know the role and if you know how to play it, it works out really well for you. Now that I’ve played there for the first half of this year I feel comfortable in it and know how to play it well.”
As McKenzie looks to build on his effort against Fremantle and cement his spot in the side, he has come out of the trip to Patersons Stadium in good shape.
“It was actually the first time I’d ever been to Perth so it was a good experience. My body felt pretty good and I haven’t had any niggles from the game.”
