Unfair’: Bigs in uproar after Roos fell to ‘massive overrun’ … Now $4.8m man needs ‘head turned’ 

‘Unfair’: Bigs in uproar after Roos fell to ‘massive overrun’ … Now $4.8m man needs ‘head turned’

Dermott Brereton warned the AFL’s decision to drop North Melbourne at No.3 was “unfair” to rival clubs as the Roos walked away with a “huge loss” after losing defender Ben McKay.

On Tuesday, North opted not to match McKay’s six-year deal with Essendon, reportedly worth $800,000 per season, which resulted in pick 3 – their fourth first-round pick in the 2023 draft after already having pick 2.

“Nothing against Pole (McKay) but if you look at the fairness of the competition, even in his own draft year I listed five top defenders who were miles ahead of him,” Brereton lamented on Fox Footy Trading Day. .

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“He will be 25 years old now… But do you see enough for him to be able to earn that much money?

“He’s not worth the 3 pick.

“Everything is done by faith.

“North Melbourne is going to be run over by what they’re letting through the door – massive overruns.

“You say did they deserve it (pick 3) when they let somebody who doesn’t deserve it go out … and they get pick 3, which is unfair to every other team before that (in the draft). “It is obvious (as a mistake).”

Trade Day host Anthony Hudson said Essendon was “gaming the system” to ensure McKay was offered a big enough deal to see the AFL’s reward system give the northern pick 3 – and thus not match the offer.

Fox Footy’s Brad Johnson said the size of the deal would make McKay a huge target next season.

“We talk about the contract and the clubs here, but the player – the player himself hasn’t won too many footy games, hasn’t achieved too much in the game so far – suddenly a six-year contract, respected recruit at Essendon,” he said.

“He would want to turn heads the first day he walks through those doors.

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“They did a fair deal for this player so they could turn around in the finals.

“It turns to McKay.

“It depends on the player.”

The stats show that while McKay is a key defender, he is average in tackles and sacks.

McKay has played 71 AFL games since being snapped up by the Roos as a 21-year-old in the 2015 draft. And of those 71 games, only eight wins came.