Carlton’s four-time Premiership player David McKay - the only man in Carlton history to represent his club in three Premiership victories over Collingwood - is to present the matchday ball to the officiating field umpires prior to the first bounce in Friday night’s Round 5 match against the Magpies at the MCG.
McKay, a member of the Blues’ 1970, ’79 and ’81 Grand Final triumphs over the black and whites, was also there when they racked up the record Premiership-winning scoreline of 28.9 against Richmond in ’72.
On Friday night, McKay will also be inducted into Carlton’s newly-established Ring of Honour which appears via LED signage on matchdays at all home matches staged at the venue.
Brendan Fevola, this club’s third highest career goalkicker who presented the matchday ball to the umpires in the season opener against Richmond, was the first Carlton cult hero represented on the signage, with 1995 Premiership player Fraser Brown the second for the recent Essendon game.
Recruited to the club from Michael Jamison’s hometown of Newlyn, McKay, famously nicknamed “Swan”, represented his club with distinction in 263 matches through 13 seasons – the first of them at the then Western Oval in the third round of 1969 when he famously earned “Mr Football” the late Ted Whitten senior as his opponent.
Carlton great David "Swan" McKay will present the matchday ball for Round 5. (Photo: AFL Photos)
Considered by many experts as best player afield in the ’70 Grand Final – you know, the one where Collingwood coughed up a 44-point half-time lead to spectacularly lose by 10 – McKay was genuinely humbled with the honour of again setting foot on the hallowed turf, at a time when football history is to be created.
“A full-house, Carlton and Collingwood, and Mick (Malthouse’s) milestone. It doesn’t get much bigger or better,” McKay said.
“This is a real honour, absolutely. Mick’s breaking of McHale’s record is a once-in-a-lifetime which may never be superceded, and to be a small part of this occasion is what you would call a career highlight even though my career has been long over.
“If you include the 174 games played to the 714 games Mick’s coached that’s a massive number of games. It’s quite incredible really.”
