Carlton’s Harry McKay says Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins remain the AFL’s best forward duo

Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay are fast becoming the AFL’s best forward pairing, but McKay says there are still two rivals they have to pass.

Harry McKay is one half of Carlton’s dynamic forward duo. Picture: Michael Klein

Geelong is still home to the game’s best twin towers, Carlton’s reigning Coleman medallist Harry McKay says.

The Blues have claims to the title themselves, via McKay and this year’s leading goalkicker Charlie Curnow, but the Carlton spearhead’s vote is still for veterans Cats Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins.

On goals only, Cameron and Hawkins have combined for 89 this year, just ahead of the 86 between McKay and Curnow, as the two clubs prepare to face off at the MCG on Saturday night.

“I think it’s a bit hard to compare, because we’re all really different (but) Jeremy and Tom are probably the two best in the league,” McKay said.

“They’re quite different but the combination is really strong and I think they’ve played really good football together for a couple of years now.

“I often watch Tom and Jeremy and try and pick parts of their game that they’re doing well and kind of sit back and kind of acknowledge some of the things they’re doing that are really good.”

Geelong stars Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron are still the standard-bearers for forward duos, according to Carlton’s Harry McKay. Picture: Getty Images

Curnow’s re-emergence from a horror run with a knee injury is one of the feel-good stories of the season and McKay said his incredible performances were no fluke.

“It’s been awesome. I’ve said it a few times now but playing with Charlie is just so much fun,” he said.

“The amount of energy he brings to not only the forward line but the whole club and the whole 18 people who are out on the ground is really amazing.

“For him to be able to be back playing football and be healthy and have a smile on his face is really great to see, knowing Charlie for a few years now.

“It’s really disappointing when someone has a long time out of the game, but it’s no coincidence that he’s having a really good year, because of the amount of work he puts in.”

McKay also went out of his way to highlight the lower-profile Blues he and Curnow share the forward line with, from Corey Durdin and Matt Owies to Jack Silvagni and Zac Fisher.

Harry McKay (middle) and Charlie Curnow (left) have combined for 86 goals this season. Picture: Getty Images

They have all contributed to Carlton’s impressive rise to fifth spot under new coach Michael Voss after years of promise without delivering results.

McKay said the opportunity to compete for a top-four spot in a blockbuster contest against ladder-leader Geelong so late in the season was a “privilege”.

“I said to someone the other day that it’s really nice this time of year to be playing some important games and being alive,” he said.

“I think since round 1 we’ve built really nicely, and confidence is a really important part of a group and I feel like that’s building really strongly every week.

“Results like the weekend (against West Coast), when we were kind of challenged but put our foot down again to get a result, really helps build confidence. The group’s in a pretty good spot.”

Originally published as Carlton’s Harry McKay says Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins remain the AFL’s best forward duo