Ben McKay is set to nominate Essendon over Hawthorn as his preferred new destination, per multiple reports.
The Bombers and Hawks had been the two teams understood to still be in the running for the North Melbourne free agent, with Sydney falling out of the race earlier this week.
McKay’s nomination, as first reported by AFL Media’s Cal Twomey, is a big boost for Essendon, who struggled for depth in key defenders this year and are also set to lose Brandon Zerk-Thatcher this trade period.
North Melbourne free agent Ben McKay is set to choose Essendon as his preferred new home. @AFLcomau
— Callum Twomey (@CalTwomey) September 22, 2023
As a restricted free agent, North Melbourne will receive draft compensation for McKay should they not match a contract offer from Essendon.
The 25-year-old has played 71 games for North Melbourne since debuting in 2017 and finished 7th in the club’s 2023 best and fairest.
Shortly after the reports, a North Melbourne statement confirmed McKay would explore his options.
“We understand that free agency is part of football,” Kangaroos list boss Rawlings said.
“Given Ben is a restricted free agent, we have the option to match any contract that’s on offer to him.
“The official start of the free agency period is still a couple of weeks away so we’ve got time to assess our options and make a decision in the best interests of the North Melbourne Football Club.”