Ben McKay needs to find his best form to give himself and North Melbourne a chance of cashing in during free agency

Carlton is months away from being rid of Mitch McGovern’s $800,000 contract. Should it pay Ben McKay the same money for the privilege of doing exactly the same thing?

Ben McKay is out of contract at North Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

In October this year Carlton will finally be rid of an $800,000-a-season contract for an inconsistent intercept defender who has only averaged 10 games a season.

The question for the Blues, as that Mitch McGovern’s deal lapses, is whether it wants to pay Ben McKay the same money for the privilege of doing exactly the same thing.

The McKay free agency sweepstakes started this season with every chance of working out well for all parties if he could put together a full season replicating his 2022 output.

In that year he averaged 4.1 intercept marks — No. 1 in the competition — including a six-week purple patch to finish the season where he was the game’s dominant intercept player.

The Roos had every reason to believe he would take another step in that progression alongside recruit Griffin Logue and then either sign for a big fat contract or hand them a top-six free agency compensation selection if he departed for Carlton or Port Adelaide.

They couldn’t lose either way.

Instead McKay – who has averaged just 7.5 games across his seven completed seasons – has endured a bone stress injury in his foot that has only allowed him to play the past two AFL games.

In a team leaking inside 50s he has taken a total of three intercept marks and conceded four goals to the Joe Daniher-Eric Hipwood combination and five to Ben King and Mabior Chol.

North Melbourne and McKay desperately need him back in form to give both club and player options for the free agency period ahead.

Ben McKay is a free agent this year. Picture: Getty Images

Alastair Clarkson also needs to fix his defensive system to give him and his back six a chance to get a modicum of pressure on the ball.

The simple reality is that for all his wondrous potential McKay doesn’t play often.

Last year he missed the top 10 in the best-and-fairest playing 15 games, in 2021 he was sixth off 22 games and in 2020 he was ninth off 11 games.

Intercept defenders are increasingly being paid vast sums of money — think Jeremy McGovern, Darcy Moore, Tom Stewart, James Sicily, Jake Lever and Nick Haynes.

But suitors Carlton and Port Adelaide would need to see more from McKay before they committed up to $4 million for the next five years.

At Carlton Jacob Weitering is an out-and-out star and Lewis Young’s profile is more impressive at half the price.

Jeremy Cameron got hold of him (six goals) and Taylor Walker kicked three in the loss to the Crows, but he is averaging 16 disposals, 6.8 intercept possessions and has missed only three games in his two years at the club.

Port Adelaide is legitimately interested in McKay given Tom Jonas and Trent McKenzie aren’t getting any younger, excited by the idea of securing a key back not 26 until December this year.

So the ball is in McKay’s court.

As the footy season enters May there is still the prospect of a deal of up to $900,000 a season if McKay can find the All Australian form and consistency that has eluded him for so long.

At this stage last year Jordan De Goey was persona non grata and ended up one of footy’s richest players.