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- Jun 27, 2013
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Roos' new era opens door for unheralded tall to bolt through
Travis King
December 29, 2016 5:13 PM
Ben McKay is putting on bulk ahead of a big second season for the Roos
WIPING more than 2000 games of experience from the list has spiced up competition for spots at North Melbourne, and unheralded tall forward Ben McKay could be the Kangaroos' biggest pre-season bolter.
The Roos ushered in a new era at the end of last season by not offering veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo contracts, before letting Daniel Wells walk to Collingwood as a free agent.
Opportunities abound amongst what is now the AFL's second-youngest squad ahead of the JLT Community Series, and McKay has been lighting up the training track.
The strong-marking 19-year-old, listed as 199cm and 95kg last season, is still working his way up the pecking order behind tall forwards Jarrad Waite, Ben Brown, Majak Daw and Mason Wood.
But McKay's thirst for improvement has set tongues wagging amongst the North fraternity, and fans could soon get their first look at the big man.
"He really impressed in Utah on the first-to-fourth-year camp. He's in a hurry, he wants to play, which is really good," forward line coach Leigh Tudor told AFL.com.au.
"But from our point-of-view he's just got to get an AFL body, that's the first priority for him is making sure when he does play he can stay in.
"He's first on and last off the track, so he's fantastic to work with that way."
McKay, taken with pick No.21 in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft, had a breakout game against Essendon's VFL side last season, hauling down six contested marks and booting three goals in a dominant performance.
He ended the year with 15 goals from as many games for Werribee, and his form warranted a spot as an emergency for the seniors' round 21 clash against Hawthorn.
"It's been good to watch him develop, he's got something about him," Tudor said.
"He likes to jump at the ball, he takes it at the highest point, he likes a contested mark.
"For a big bloke he's really good below knees; he's really clean.
"Hopefully there'll be some opportunities for him next year. But we'll never gift anyone a game, they're going to have to really earn their spot.
"If that happens in the JLT Community Series, that'd be great to get him in early and the way he's training he's giving himself every chance."
The Roos are keen to experiment with their options in attack, and Tudor hasn't ruled out playing four talls, including 192cm Wood.
But there's one non-negotiable to secure a spot.
"The first nine rounds last year when we were playing at our best, our pressure was unbelievable – and it wasn't just the smalls," Tudor said.
"'Waitey' was right up there (for applying pressure) and we really missed him when he went down, and Mason as well.
"We haven't really got a set theory on how many talls we play, but as long as you can bring the pressure as well, then it doesn't really matter.
"Mason is a different one too, he can play key but he can also play high half-forward because he won the 2km time trial.
"Having lost Boomer and Drew, it's good that we have got some different options and it's really competitive out here at the moment."
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