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PLAYERS / BEN MCKAY
Updated 28 June 2026

Ben Mckay

#158/185
DEF
Price $270kBE 40Owned —Avg 43.0
ROOKIEBIBLEVerdict
▲ BUY

McKay delivered 53 in Essendon's 5-point home loss to Carlton — 18 above his 35 BE in a genuine contest. His 98 average at $265k is absurdly good value for a defender, though the sample may be limited. Cash gen negative at -$591/wk but the scoring ceiling is elite. Prior R12 hold, R8 sell — the hold is the right tone now. Buy — a defender averaging 98 at $265k is a gift.

Signals0/3 · No alignment
Form
Declining
Trajectory
Flat
Consistency
Volatile
Recent formSeason avg 43
45
43
53▲
Comparable PicksWhy this comparison · Same primary position (DEF), ±$200k price band

Ben Mckay

DEF

Darcy Gardiner

DEF
—
—
Form
R8
23
R11
98
R12
67
R13
53
R14
43
R16
45
R10
49
R11
66
R12
44
R13
36
R14
91
R16
46
Pricing
Price$270k
Price$271k
Breakeven40
Breakeven40
Cash/wk+$1k
Cash/wk+$0k

Decision

Should I trade Ben Mckay?

Form, breakeven, and a comparable replacement weighed up.

Intel feed

Recent intel

Community Intel· T3

Ben McKay dropped by Essendon again (R10). North fans discussing whether their club should look at him - generally seen as a reasonably young key defender who has flatlined at ESS. Community consensus that McKay choosing to leave North was a mistake, though some wonder if North could afford him.

u/looptarded (post, score 8) + u/Paceandtoil (comment, score 3)
Community Intel· T3

Community consensus is McKay's confidence is shot and a VFL stint is the best path back. Multiple comments note he plays better with Ridley alongside him, and that crowd vitriol has compounded his form slump.

u/TheModernCinephile on r/EssendonFC (post, 27 comments)
Role Change· T3

Ben McKay dropped from Essendon's team to face GWS in Round 9, per Twomey. McKay has been out of form for several weeks with confidence issues; community consensus is the drop was overdue and necessary.

u/daftmunt on r/EssendonFC (post, journalist [Twomey] tag)
Community Intel· T3

Detailed stat analysis shows Ben McKay ranks poorly among key defenders in one-percenters and marking contest effectiveness, but shows good intercept marking and disposal efficiency. Community consensus is he is a zone/intercept defender who struggles in body-on-body contests and benefits heavily from team structure including Ridley availability. Generally viewed as below-average for his salary but not the sole cause of defensive failures.

u/molto-bene22 post + 30+ comments on r/EssendonFC (post, 43 comments)
Community Intel· T3

Ben McKay heavily criticised after Essendon's loss to Collingwood on Anzac Day R7. Multiple comments describe him as scared with the ball, looking to handball quickly, "absolutely pathetic." Calls to drop him from the side. Community notes he has been poor for at least 18 months and is useless without Ridley alongside.

u/newhorizons15018 (comment, score 30); u/General_Knowledge126 (comment, score 21); u/ShirtWorldly958 (comment, score 12) on r/EssendonFC
Community Questions

What people are asking about Ben Mckay

Mentioned in
  • Why was Tsatas dropped the week Parish was managed at Essendon?
    E. TsatasMIDTop: Unjustified omission — coaching blunder (55%)
    74
  • Which player covers Jordan Ridley's role in the Essendon backline while he is out 3-4 games?
    J. RidleyDEFTop: Prior is the direct replacement (45%)
    31
  • Which defender under $500k is best to trade in this week - Houston, Zorko, Dale, or another option?
    D. HoustonDEFTop: Trade in Zorko (40%)
    13

Related Articles

trades11 July 2026

65% of Coaches Voted to Trade McKay Out When He Got Dropped. Here's Who Was Right.

65% voted to trade McKay out when he was dropped for Round 9. The registry called buy by Round 13 at $265k averaging 98. Here's what the trade-out crowd missed.

Read article →
analysis29 June 2026

McKay Got Dropped in R8. The Community Called Him 'Pathetic'. He Came Back Averaging 98 at $265k. The Registry Just Flipped to Buy.

McKay got dropped in R8 and the community savaged him. He came back averaging 98 at $265k. The registry just flipped to buy.

Read article →
settling-the-debate5 June 2026

McKay Is Averaging 98 Since His Return. The Community Is 45/35 on His SC Value. The Registry Has Settled It.

McKay is averaging 98 since returning from the VFL. The community is 45/35 on his SC viability as key-def. The registry has said hold every round since his return.

Read article →
trades24 May 2026

McKay Was Scoring 73 in Round 1. The Registry Called Sell in Round 6. The 25% Still Holding Are Too Late.

The community split 65/25 on trading McKay after his Round 9 drop. The registry has been calling sell since Round 6. Here's the data trail that settles it.

Read article →