WHILE school is still a big focus for Tyntynder star Solomon McKay, he has taken another step closer to realising his AFL dream.
“I’ve been working very hard, and it’s definitely my dream, but I don’t wake up thinking I’m getting drafted,” the 18-year-old Bendigo Pioneers midfielder said.
“School is still a massive priority – and potentially university next year.”
The Year 12 St Mary MacKillop College student made his VFL debut on Sunday, fronting up for Essendon’s reserves at the famous Windy Hill.
“I loved it – all the boys were good – and made it a great experience, so it was just an awesome day,” he said.
“We had a captain’s run Saturday, and Michael Hurley came up and introduced himself, which was a bit surreal after seeing these blokes on television for all these years and now there standing next to me.
“My mum and stepdad came down, and we had a jumper presentation then ran out five minutes later – everyone was really supportive – and made me feel part of the group, which made it so much easier.”
As expected, with any young buck going up to the big leagues, McKay received a warm welcome from his Gold Coast opponents.
“This one contest, a ball spilled out, and I got bumped and went flying, which was a wake-up call,” he said.
“That is what it’s like at the next level – and you don’t have much time or space compared to NAB League.”
Unfortunately for McKay and the Bombers, they ended up losing by three points, but McKay showed he was more than capable at the level, racking up 11 disposals from limited on-field minutes.
“I was happy considering my game time, which was around 60-65 per cent,” he said.
“In the first half, I was limited, but when Hurley sort of subbed out in the second half, I got a lot more time and was happy to get into the double digits for disposals considering it was my first game.”
McKay is a late bloomer, this season being his one and only for the Pioneers, but all he has to do is look across the changerooms at Windy Hill to mid-season draftee Massimo D’Ambrosio to see how attitudes are changing to those who’ve come on slower than others.
The half-back has been among the Bombers’ best since being drafted in June and gives hope to those like McKay who might have thought they wouldn’t get a look in from recruiters.
“I always thought you had to be Pioneers from under 16s onwards and then dominate to give yourself a chance, but blokes like that, it certainly does give you hope and shows nothing is impossible if you work hard enough,” McKay said.
McKay will head back to the Pioneers this weekend, where he is averaging 19 disposals from his eight games so far this season, but another game for the red and black is a distinct possibility.
“I talked to them after the game, and they said if other 23-man squads open up, they’d like to give me another chance, and if at the end of the year things don’t go well for me in the draft, they’d be happy to offer me a VFL spot.”
With his Pioneers struggling slightly this season, McKay is keeping a close eye on his local team Tyntynder, who are flying at the moment after winning four in a row and could potentially get even better with one of their finest products a chance to return for the finals.
“If the Pioneers don’t make finals I’ll go back and play for Tyntynder if I can,” he said.
“They’re certainly still a priority of mine, and I love the boys down there.”
The Pioneers play the Northern Knights this Saturday at Preston City Oval.
