The Herald Sun Footy Podcast: The state of play with Tom De Koning and Ben McKay
Tom De Koning and Ben McKay are two of the most hotly talked about off contract players, but are their prices plummeting? Listen to the latest episode of the Herald Sun Footy Podcast here.
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Out of contract players Tom De Koning and Ben McKay’s lack of games and form is hurting their chances of getting a big payday at the end of the season News Corp journalist Jon Ralph says.
The Carlton ruckman and North Melbourne key defender are two of the names that have been discussed the most out of those players who are out of contract at the end of the season.
Geelong has interest in reuniting De Koning, 23, with brother Sam at the Cattery, while St Kilda and Sydney have been rumoured to be interested in offering the ruckman a big long term deal.
McKay, 25, is a free agent and Carlton and Port Adelaide have been among the clubs to show interest in him.
But Ralph said on this week’s edition of the Herald Sun’s Footy Podcast that the two might not get the big paydays they want this season with De Koning out of the Blues’ side and McKay largely struggling for form after his interrupted start to the season.
“Tom De Koning is not a free agent, he is a free agent in two years,” Ralph said.
“Right now there are clubs that will offer him cash, I think Geelong and Carlton are saying he is a really nice player he is probably a two year at $600,000 a year player.
“Potentially Sydney and St Kilda will offer him more but they have to really push.
“The way we thought his season would go, he’s a dominant number one ruckman, he probably kicks 20 goals and if you are Sydney and St Kilda you go yeah he is a seven year, $800,000 player for us.
“He is probably not worth it in 2024 but in 2027 what an inspirational deal
“Right now I think Geelong would say we just can’t afford to overpay him if he wants to go down the highway and be alongside his brother.
“I think the pitch for Carlton is this; we get you into free agency… get your $1.2 million, it is a lot of money and then if you are worth it when you get to free agency either we pay you a motza or another club pays you and you get filthy rich.”
Ralph said McKay might be the better place out of the two to get a big deal.
“Ben McKay finally kicked into gear on the weekend, 10 intercept marks, seven intercept possessions against St Kilda,” he said.
“It is not too late for him to get that enormous sum, but right now Carlton has gone cold on him.
“Port Adelaide is still keen, will he leave Melbourne? He may well get that crazy deal but I think if Port Adelaide saw him play that All-Australian football he was capable of someone might $900 grand but right now he is not worth that.
“North Melbourne will still have to pay a significant amount of money so he will get paid but right now he is affecting his value.
“He is below average in kicks, metres gained, possessions, disposals, intercept possessions and he is only average in one v ones. So he has 14 rounds to get filthy rich.”
Scott Gullan also joins the podcast as he talks about the “spin” around Carlton’s recent messages that finals isn’t the be all and end all for the Blues this year.
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