“I’VE BEEN a Carlton person my whole life, so to be named Captain is such an honour and it was really surreal.”
Abbie McKay knows Princes Park like the back of her hand. So when Mathew Buck delivered the news that she would captain the Navy Blues this year, it was a moment that carried extra weight.
With her father Andrew both playing and working at IKON Park across many years, McKay has grown up immersed in the fabric of the Club – she is truly a Carlton person.
Voted in by her peers for her leadership and strong interpersonal qualities, McKay’s impact on the field is equally influential – her midfield presence will be a cornerstone of the leadership she brings to the role.
“She’s a resilient player, she’s determined all the time and probably understated in how much she cares for her teammates, I think that shines through a lot,” Buck said.
“On top of that, she’s a brilliant player.”
With her father Andrew having briefly captained the Club during his 11 seasons in the Navy Blue, Abbie and Andrew McKay have now become the first father-daughter duo in AFL history to captain the same Club.
A naturally low-key presence, McKay shared that her dad didn’t offer much in the way of advice — just a simple message to stay true to herself and keep following the path she’s on.
“‘He said ‘be yourself, you got the position for a reason, so stay true to yourself and still be focused on being a good player because that’s what’s important on game day’,” McKay said.
“I feel like I’m a very empathetic person, I want to be personable and approachable to all my teammates, so I think that’s something I pride myself on.
“At the same time, juggling that and making sure we hold high standards at the Club and get the best out of everyone.”
Carlton will open their 2025 campaign against Collingwood, a nod to the inaugural AFLW match in 2017, as they aim to start the season on a strong note.
Looking to build on the foundations laid last year, Buck praised the way his side returned for pre-season, highlighting the group’s hunger and drive as key factors in their continued growth.
“I was actually at the first ever AFLW game, I rang the bell with Dad and Sophie as the girls ran out. To think that is history repeating itself but I’ll be the one at the front running through that banner is pretty cool,” McKay said.
“We have a really ambitious group, we’ve had a really good off-season which is been terrific to see they’ve turned up for pre-season in great shape,” Buck said.
“We look to build on what we did, so we started well, we want to start well again and get right into the season this time.”
