EFNL 2025: Kilsyth’s plan to cover league medallist Ryan McNay

Eastern league Division 4 contender Kilsyth has provided an update on the return of one of its brightest stars amid a long injury lay-off – but the Cougars have a plan to cover his absence.

Kilsyth's Ryan McNay will miss the first half of the season. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Kilsyth’s leading man is set to miss the first half of the season as he recovers from a lingering injury – but the Eastern Division 4 club is confident it can cover his absence.

A foot injury in Round 18 last season against eventual grand finalist Whitehorse Pioneers ruled the star midfielder out for the remainder of the campaign.

McNay went on to claim the Division 4 competition best and fairest – the Stephen Jones Medal – by a runaway 15 votes to become the club’s second consecutive winner.

Incoming president and senior coach until the end of last season, Simon Caldwell, said the 2024 captain was set to return after the mid-year King’s Birthday break.

“End of March was when he was told he can start running – the operation wasn’t until October, then he got an infection and that dragged it out longer, and I think he had to wait to get the screws out which was about February,” Caldwell said.

“The aim is to be about middle of the year … we’re hoping he’ll play nine or 10 games after the June long weekend, but you just don’t know with this stuff.”

The Cougars welcomed new coach Damian Murray late last year, along with a swag of signings, including Trent Elliott (Warburton-Millgrove) and Max Le Fevre (Wandin) who could fill the void according to Caldwell.

“To a degree, getting Damian on board as a playing-coach, he played first division footy last year and he’s a similar size to Ryan, strong, fittest at the club … I’d imagine he’ll be versatile,” he said.

“We’ve recruited reasonably well this year with mids … I’m not the coach anymore but he (McNay) could certainly start forward while he builds his fitness up and be impacting in the back-end of the year and into finals, hopefully.”

Kilsyth, which reached the semi-final last year, is chasing its first senior men’s premiership since 1995, and opens its season away to Forest Hill at Koonung Reserve on April 5.