Matthew Lloyd critiques $1.1 million Essendon standout Ben McKay as ‘disappointing’

Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd has taken aim at Ben McKay after the highly-paid Bombers defender had a subdued performance against the Hawks in their opening round clash.

Few players in the AFL command a larger salary than McKay, who is currently in the second year of a lucrative six-year contract reportedly worth $800,000 annually.

The former Kangaroo’s deal with Essendon is front-loaded, with him set to earn $1.1 million this season, following a pay packet of $1.4 million last year, according to reports from News Corp.

However, Lloyd highlighted on Nine’s Footy Classified on Monday night that McKay has won only 67.6 per cent of his one-on-one contests during 2024 and 2025 — a statistic that pales in comparison to other leading defenders.

Carlton’s Jacob Weitering (89.1 per cent), Melbourne’s Steven May (86.5 per cent), Hawthorn’s James Sicily (82.9 per cent), and the Giants’ Sam Taylor (80.7 per cent) have all outperformed McKay significantly.

During Essendon’s 26-point loss to Hawthorn at the MCG last Friday night, McKay recorded a mere seven touches, which was the lowest for any Bomber on the night.

As the Bombers found themselves 18 points down with eight minutes left, still with a chance to make a comeback, McKay’s crucial fumble allowed Jack Ginnivan to pounce on the ball, leading to a goal from Dylan Moore, who netted three for the match.

Hawthorn secured the victory with a final score of 17.9 (111) to 12.13 (85), continuing their impressive resurgence under coach Sam Mitchell in his fourth year.

“Ben McKay was extremely disappointing,” Lloyd stated bluntly on Footy Classified.

“You bring him into the club with hopes he’s a player similar to Steven May, Jacob Weitering, or Sam Taylor.

“What Hawthorn did exceptionally well was avoid bombing the ball into the forward line, which meant he couldn’t make an impact… he needs the ball to be launched high for him to contest effectively.

“At this point, he doesn’t appear to contribute like other key defenders at rival clubs.”

McKay will be a vital figure for Essendon in their upcoming match against Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday afternoon, particularly with fellow key defender Jordan Ridley out due to concussion, resulting from a collision with Jack Scrimshaw in the first round.