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PLAYERS / BEN MCKAY
Updated 17 May 2026

Ben Mckay

·Bye Rd 12
DEF
Price $239kBE 35Owned —Bye Rd 12Avg 47.0
ROOKIEBIBLEVerdict
▼ SELL

McKay posted 23 in a 64-point home belting by Brisbane — but the score is irrelevant, because he has been dropped for R9. The form slump has been building for weeks: confidence shot, struggling in body-on-body contests, crowd pressure compounding the slide. He plays better with Ridley alongside him and that structure has not been there. Trade him out now. He may return but you cannot hold a $238.6k defender who is not in the team.

Signals0/3 · No alignment
Form
Declining
Trajectory
Flat
Consistency
No data
Recent formSeason avg 47
23▼
51▲
42▼
Comparable PicksWhy this comparison · Same primary position (DEF), ±$200k price band

Ben Mckay

DEF

Campbell Gray

DEF
—
—
Form
R3
44
R4
18
R5
87
R6
42
R7
51
R8
23
R5
39
R6
42
R7
40
R8
61
R9
58
R10
31
Pricing
Price$239k
Price$238k
Breakeven35
Breakeven35
Cash/wk+$-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

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