Since being a late inclusion to the North Melbourne line-up in Round 7, Ben McKay hasn’t looked back, becoming a mainstay in the backline.
The key defender had played just four games prior to the clash with the Tigers, but the seven matches in a row since, have seen him grow in confidence.
“It’s been great being back,” McKay told North Media.
“I’ve been really working on my craft for the last year and a half, and I want to see the rest of the season out and keep improving.”
McKay played the first three games of 2019, but played the rest of the season in the VFL as he built his defensive game.
“It is frustrating (not playing AFL), but the support from the players and coaches has been really good,” he said.
“The craft stuff has been really good, and Shawry and the coaches have been really clear and simple, and making sure that when I get a chance I can step up to AFL level, and I think I’ve done that the last seven or eight games.”
The 22-year-old is learning plenty from those around him.
“Taz (Robbie Tarrant) has been around a long time, and Walks (Josh Walker) has been unreal this year,” McKay said.
“Guys like Lukey (Luke McDonald) and Ats (Shaun Atley) are helping with my development, and they’ve been unreal.”
McKay’s numbers have been impressive too.
His 6 spoils per game places him 13th in the AFL, while he averages the most one percenters for the Roos (6).
In his first game back against Richmond, in which he kept Tigers’ superstar Tom Lynch to just 4 disposals and 1 goal, he tallied the second-most one percenters on record for the club.
But he isn’t getting carried away.
“I just wanted to come into the team and keep it simple,” he said.
“I don’t want to complicate my game too much, and it seems to be working so far.”
Ben was within an hour of matching up on Carlton forward and twin brother Harry in Round 8, before the latter’s late withdrawal from the game.
“We’d been speaking throughout the week, and there was a bit of banter,” McKay explained.
“It got to the Thursday or Friday and we were both playing, then I found out in the meeting that he was out.
“It was disappointing, it would have been great for the family. Mum was more nervous than anyone.
“Hopefully next year we can play against each other and I can get a win against him.”
