AFL side Essendon’s senior coach Brad Scott has opened up about the team’s recent selection calls, revealing that dropping underperforming key defender Ben McKay to the reserves has yielded exactly the positive results the coaching staff was hoping for, while stopping short of locking in an immediate return to the senior squad.
McKay was a notable exclusion from the Essendon lineup that faced GWS last Saturday, a match the Bombers ended up losing by a narrow margin. The omission marked the 26-year-old’s first appearance in the state-level Victorian Football League (VFL) in seven years, coming after a prolonged stretch of underwhelming form in the team’s defensive line. The defender’s struggles were thrust into the public spotlight recently when a leaked opposition scouting whiteboard from the Brisbane Lions notably had no entry listed under McKay’s strengths.
Speaking to media ahead of this weekend’s round of matches, Scott explained that the decision to send McKay to the VFL was designed to take pressure off the out-of-form player, and the early results have been encouraging. “We felt it was best for Ben to go back and regain some form and belief in the VFL, and he played very well,” Scott said. “This just released the shackles for him and freed him up to go and do what he does best, focus on his strengths, and he’s handled that very well.”
Beyond his own solid performance, Scott added that McKay also stepped into a leadership role for younger developing players during his VFL run, marking a clear positive step forward in his recovery of form. With key players Nick Bryan and Mason Redman returning from injury to boost the Bombers’ selection flexibility, Scott said the club would now weigh what outcome would work best for both McKay and the senior squad. While McKay has made clear his eagerness to earn an immediate recall to the AFL side, Scott noted no final decision has been made. “He wants to get back into the senior team as soon as possible, and, as we always do and as every team does, we’ll do what’s best for him and the team,” Scott added.
The Essendon coach also addressed ongoing off-season speculation surrounding star midfielder Zach Merrett, whose attempted trade to Hawthorn fell through during last year’s trade period. Merrett drew fresh attention last week when he declined to publicly confirm his long-term commitment to the club, but Scott moved quickly to shut down any uncertainty around the 28-year-old’s future.
Scott, who speaks to Merrett on a daily basis, reaffirmed that the midfielder remains fully committed to seeing out his existing contract at Essendon. Merrett signed a four-year contract extension with the Bombers four years ago, leaving him with two full seasons remaining on his current deal. “I’m more focused on action and he’s delivered in spades in terms of what I knew he would this year, right from the start of pre-season, right through to now,” Scott said. “He’s fully invested in trying to make this team as good as it can possibly be, and we’re focused on right now and what we need him to do for the team. The commitment is really clear.”