# Ben McKay (footballer)

Ben McKay (born 24 December 1997) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was initially drafted to the North Melbourne Football Club.

## Early life

McKay grew up in the Victorian town of Warragul in Gippsland. He played local football for Warragul Football Club.
He attended school at St Paul’s Anglican Grammar.
Growing up he supported Essendon, the club he would later end up playing for.

## AFL career

He was drafted by North Melbourne with their first selection and twenty-first overall in the 2015 national draft. He made his debut in the fifty-one point win against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in round twenty-three of the 2017 season. In February 2019, Ben signed a two-year contract extension keeping him at the Kangaroos until at least the end of 2021.
Taking time to develop, Ben McKay found consistency at AFL level, playing 11 games in the backline in the 2020 season. A great contested mark and busy player under pressure, McKay continued his form into 2021.
McKay moved to Essendon as a restricted free agent in October 2023.

## Family

He is the identical twin brother of Carlton's Harry McKay. In round 13 of the 2024 season, they played against each other for the first time in their careers. Before this game, they had never played one another, despite having been in the league for seven years; often as a result of one of the two being suspended or withdrawn late with injury – leading to internet jokes that they are the same player running a fake twin gambit. Ben (and Harry) are also cousins with former Port Adelaide and North Melbourne player, Stuart Cochrane. Stuart’s mothers maiden name is McKay.

## Statistics

    Statistics are correct to 2024
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | H/O | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | H/O |
| 2016 | North Melbourne | 23 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | North Melbourne | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 7.0 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| 2018 | North Melbourne | 23 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | — |
| 2019 | North Melbourne | 23 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 7.0 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| 2020 | North Melbourne | 23 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 59 | 102 | 36 | 17 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 5.4 | 9.3 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| 2021 | North Melbourne | 23 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 99 | 111 | 210 | 95 | 31 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 9.6 | 4.3 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| 2022 | North Melbourne | 23 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 92 | 47 | 139 | 82 | 11 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 6.1 | 3.1 | 9.3 | 5.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| 2023 | North Melbourne | 23 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 146 | 86 | 232 | 113 | 22 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.7 | 4.5 | 12.2 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| 2024 | Essendon | 32 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 162 | 141 | 303 | 122 | 32 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.0 | 6.1 | 13.2 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 0.02 |
| Career | Career | Career | 94 | 1 | 1 | 555 | 461 | 1016 | 459 | 120 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.9 | 4.9 | 10.8 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 0.1 |