Carlton star Harry McKay opens up on being ‘collateral damage’ in Petracca trade drama

Harry McKay, who was unwittingly linked with the Christian Petracca trade saga, has spoken about the impact it had on him.

Harry McKay got caught up in the Christian Petracca drama. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Blues star Harry McKay has opened up on being the “collateral damage” in the Christian Petracca trade saga.

McKay’s name came up in reports surrounding Petracca’s disgruntlement with the Demons in talk of a potential swap.

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The Coleman medallist said his phone “went ham” with messages from family, friends and teammates during a chaotic 48 hours after his name first emerged in trade rumours.

“I think sometimes we need to have more awareness around throwing a name (around) hypothetically up and not understanding the collateral damage that has sometimes,” McKay said on the Ben and Harry podcast.

Harry McKay got caught up in the Christian Petracca drama. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“I knew there was going to be an article at some stage but how it was reported was a bit more full-on than how I was thinking it was going to be. That next 24 hours you get a lot of calls, lots of messages, family members checking in seeing what’s going on.

“I’m not sure people fully understand – they might think it’s just part of the job and that’s what you put up with as a player – but it’s the people close to you. It’s funny the amount of calls and messages of family members checking in.”

McKay’s manager David Trotter quickly shut down a potential trade, while Petracca has since committed to the Demons.

The gun Blues forward shared a story of a young Carlton fan imploring him to stay at the club.

“I remember the next day, I was leaving the club and there was a young family – a mum and three daughters – were there and had their Carlton jumpers on,” McKay said.

“(They were) asking for a photo and an autograph. The young girl would have been six or seven, but when I was signing she was like, ‘are you getting swapped to Melbourne? Please don’t say you’re getting swapped to Melbourne’.”

McKay, who’s one of multiple potential Blues ins for their elimination final clash with Brisbane, said the support he received from Carlton people is a “really good sign of a really good culture”.

“Everyone at the club was awesome,” the 26-year old said.

“When key stakeholders and people are ringing me straight away, nearly having a laugh about it, saying like, ‘there’s no merit to anything. Mate, you’re super valued’.

“And it was nearly just we were having a bit of a laugh about it.

“It was really good from that point of view and I think the club was great.”

Originally published as Carlton star Harry McKay opens up on being ‘collateral damage’ in Petracca trade drama