The highly anticipated return of Carlton star Harry McKay didn’t last beyond the first quarter after the key forward was involved in a sickening head clash with West Coast young gun Tom Gross.
McKay, 27, played in the Blues’ shock opening round defeat against Richmond – but had not been sighted again before Saturday in Adelaide during Gather Round.
Carlton’s x-factor looked dazed following the accidental collision – and he was taken from the field to have a mandatory Head Injury Assessment (HIA) test.
‘He doesn’t look well,’ Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley said in commentary following the incident.
‘That knocked Harry around a bit,’ another stated.
Carlton then confirmed McKay had been ruled out of the game due to concussion and he was replaced by substitute Cooper Lord.
It comes after McKay broke his silence earlier this week to reveal why he has been sidelined in recent weeks due to personal issues.
‘In late February, I started feeling in not a great place mentally,’ he told twin brother Ben McKay on the Ben and Harry podcast.
The highly anticipated return of Carlton star Harry McKay (pictured) was short-lived after the key forward was involved in a sickening head clash with West Coast young gun Tom Gross
Carlton then confirmed McKay (pictured left) had been ruled out of the game due to concussion and was replaced by substitute Cooper Lord
McKay – under contract until 2029 and earning a reported $1.1 million a season – sat down with twin brother Ben this week to discuss his recent footy hiatus
McKay, 27, played in the Blues’ shock opening round defeat against Richmond – but hasn’t featured since
‘I think the most challenging part was me thinking I shouldn’t be feeling the way I was.
‘Everything in my life was in a really great place – my loving partner, supportive family, the football club.
‘That’s why it was really scary that it didn’t make a lot of sense.
‘I put on a bit of a façade to pretend to be OK, when I really wasn’t. ‘I needed to put my hand up and say I’m not OK, I need some help.’
McKay then acknowledged the love, care and support he has since received – and is ‘really happy to have a smile on his face again.’
With Michael Voss’ job on the line following four successive defeats to open their 2025 campaign, the Blues chalked up a much needed win at Adelaide Oval by 71 points.
Sam Walsh, who a standout against West Coast with three goals, stressed it was up to the playing group to step up.
‘We are all behind Vossy, he’s been a great support for all of us, we’ve been through a lot of things together,’ the midfielder said.
‘I feel like he assesses and sees the game really well and gives us a clear path forward, now it’s up to us to keep on taking that accountability.
‘At the end of the day, we are the ones out there, it’s not the coaches.’
