Harry McKay rejected Brendan Fevola’s offer of goalkicking advice

Harry McKay has brutally snubbed Carlton legend Brendan Fevola in a show that could be branded either confident or arrogant.

Carlton forward Harry McKay and former Carlton forward Brendan Fevola

Carlton legend Brendan Fevola has revealed he was rejected by the Blues’ Harry McKay after approaching his old club to give the 2021 Coleman Medallist goalkicking advice.

Fevola is the third-most prolific goalkicker of all time for Carlton, booting 575 goals from 187 games in a decorated career that included two Coleman Medals, three All-Australian selections, and seven consecutive club leading goalkicker titles from 2003 to 2009.

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McKay was the 2021 Coleman Medallist, and is on track to surpass Fevola in terms of goals kicked if he plays 290 games in the league, but Fevola still felt he could contribute to McKay’s game.

Brendan Fevola (top) was arguably the best key forward in the league through the 2000s.

Harry McKay’s form this season should worry the Blues. Pic: Michael Klein

“I reached out to (former coach) David Teague when he was the coach of Carlton a couple of years ago,” Fevola said on 101.9FM The Fox’s breakfast show Fifi, Fev & Nick.

“I said, ‘Mate, I’d love to do some goal kicking with Harry (McKay), just to help him’.

“I can see some flaws in his routine but, you know, I might not be able to teach him anything, but it would be great to just go down, have a chat and he might pick up something little that might help him.

“Just to help him, this is nothing against Harry.

“Harry said no, he said ‘Nah, I’m right I’ve got it all covered,’ which is fair enough, that’s no worries.

“Everyone can learn on the job, because you’re never brilliant at anything, no one’s perfect.

“So if someone comes to you and says, ‘hey dude, let’s have a little bit of a practice’, you might get something little (from it).

“They think they’ve got it covered, but sometimes you don’t.”

Under Teague, McKay averaged two goals a game, lifting in 2021 after the pandemic-shortened 2020 season to win a Coleman Medal and boot 58 goals at 3.1 goals per game.

Teague was fired at the end of 2021, and McKay kicked 45 goals at 2.4 goals per game in 2022 under Michael Voss, but has regressed significantly in 2023 to 1.5 goals per game.

AFL great Kane Cornes opined in a column for The Age earlier this season that McKay’s form was an “annoying alarm” for Carlton, at the time of writing (April 6) having had only eight shots at goal for two goals.

“The numbers say his teammates have lost confidence in him as a target inside 50; they have gone to him just 26 per cent of the time compared with 35 per cent last season,” Cornes wrote.

Harry McKay is Fevola’s spiritual successor at Carlton, but he’ll be looking to go one further and win a flag. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Fevola’s revelations come as the Blues come under fire for their inefficient play this season, compounding McKay’s troubles up front.

“When I watch Carlton play at the moment, it’s a bit of a snoozefest – there’s no real dare,” North Melbourne great David King said on Fox Footy’s First Crack after their loss to St Kilda.

“Right now, (Voss has) got the biggest challenge in the competition as coach. He’s got the talent, he’s got the forward line and they are underperforming.

“Is it individuals not necessarily living up to their end of the deal or is it the system still being clunky six weeks in? Time is slipping.

“Their clearance game is ranked 12th in the competition for actually winning the clearance but 16th in terms of score differential – last year that was an absolute strength for them.

“Forward 50 is now 16th at goals per entry even with McKay and Curnow down there – how is that the case? The mind boggles.

“Every team in the comp would crave to have Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay in their front half.

“They should be leading the competition in marks inside 50 – there’s no excuse for that really.”

Carlton only managed nine inside 50s against St Kilda, and rank 14th in the competition for marks inside 50, alongside various other statistical indicators that should be cause for concern for Michael Voss.