HARRY McKay didn’t want to be drawn into cliches — instead, just “the genuine truth”.
On a weekend where the top eight sides all play one another for the first time in a decade, a bumper round of football is in store in all corners of the country.
For Carlton, that means a return bout with Fremantle, with Saturday’s instalment to come under the roof in the family friendly time slot of 1:45pm AEST.
Speaking on SEN’s Whateley, McKay was asked whether he and the team were able to look ahead at what was to come.
Rather, the age-old adage rung true.
“From a Carlton point of view, we haven’t touched on it too much. All year, we’ve spoken about chasing us and being the best versions of us,” McKay said.
“The results, ladder and position will take care of itself… I know it’s a cliche and people in the media don’t like hearing it, but that’s the genuine truth.
“‘Vossy’ has been fantastic at [talking about] one week at a time and chasing us. Everyone is excited about this weekend.
“They beat us last time we played Freo, so we’re looking forward to round two.”
"I just love being here and I'm really grateful for the opportunity the Club gave me."
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) June 21, 2022
Lovely words from as good a clubman as any. 🤝
McKay admitted to having a glance at this weekend’s fixture, saying that as a football fan, it was impossible not to be excited about the current state and closeness of the ladder.
He said that the games which have implications on the wider season are the ones he wants to play in, and have been few and far between since being drafted as a Blue.
“It’s a privilege to be in games where ramifications are high, because it means we’re doing something right,” he said.
“We’re not stupid: we know there are big games coming up!
“A lot of players are football fans. You look at this round, I was looking at the fixture the other day and there are a lot of big games and ramifications to the top eight.”
Personally, McKay has put together two games post-bye since returning from knee surgery, kicking three goals in his return before a four-goal haul nearly saw Carlton surge to an unlikely win over Richmond.
After the initial disappointment of the injury, McKay believes he is now “in a pretty good spot”.
“Having surgery on my knee isn’t ideal, but looking at it from another lens, it was a nice chance to refresh the batteries and get some energy back,” he said.
“I felt pretty good upon return. Obviously I’m a little scratchy and there are things to work on, but it’s been great to be back out with the boys.”
