Rooster great Ian McKay was VFL legend John Coleman’s nemesis

NORTH Adelaide great Ian McKay has been revealed as one of legendary VFL full forward John Coleman’s toughest opponents.

Undated. Essendon's John Coleman.

HE took one of the most famous marks of all-time and now North Adelaide great Ian McKay has been revealed as one of legendary full forward John Coleman’s toughest opponents.

In Coleman: The Untold Story of an AFL Legend, McKay has been described as

“something special’’ and one of “the very few’’ defenders to have his measure.

While Essendon great Coleman torched nearly all of the 58 opponents he played on in VFL and State games, 1950 Magarey Medallist McKay — the first full back to win the award — always gave him a torrid time.

In four head-to-head matches at State level, McKay kept the high-leaping Coleman to just 10 goals.

“Ian’s football had everything — terrific marking, correct spoiling, fast ground play and beautiful clearing kicks,’’ former SA, Port Adelaide and West Adelaide coach Fos Williams says in the book.

“Our State successes against Victoria in 1951 and 1952 were in large measure due to McKay’s brilliance.

“He is probably one of the very few defenders in Victoria or SA ever to have had John Coleman’s measure.’’

One of McKay’s State teammates, Allan Greer, said the 164-game backman, who captained the Roosters for eight seasons and led them to premierships in 1949 and 1952, “paced it with Coleman on fast leads, beating him to the mark’’.

“He was a magnificent athlete and he could leap probably higher than Coleman too,’’ Greer said.

McKay’s high mark over Norwood’s Pat Hall in the 1952 SANFL grand final against Norwood at Adelaide Oval remains one of the most iconic SA football images.

Coleman’s average of 2.25 goals against McKay was less than half of his VFL career average of 5.47.

Coleman, who ranks as one of football’s greatest players, booted 537 goals in just 98 games for the Bombers from 1949-54 before blowing out his knee.

His playing career ended at age 25 and he returned to coach Essendon to two premierships before dying at age 44 in 1973 of sudden coronary atheroma.

The league’s top goalkicker award, the Coleman Medal, is named in his honour. He was one of 12 inaugural Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees bestowed “Legend” status.

Coleman: The Untold Story of an AFL Legend by Doug Ackerly. Available at all good bookstores.