THIS WEEKEND, in Carlton’s first ever AFLW qualifying final, captain Abbie McKay will reach her 75th game in the Navy Blue.
She becomes just the fourth Blue to do so, and the first outside of the inaugural Game Changers - Darcy Vescio, Breann Harrington and Gab Pound - to achieve that feat.
It’s been a career to this point defined by grit and resilience, stepping into the game with the spotlight of being “Andrew McKay’s daughter” to now leading her team into a second straight finals campaign as captain.
This has been the story - so far - of Abbie McKay.
October 2018: Becomes first father-daughter draftee
The energy was palpable on the day of the 2018 AFL Women’s Draft, not only from a Carlton perspective but also the wider competition. After being present at the MCG on the day Carlton received its AFLW license before famously ringing the bell at the very first game between the Blues and Pies in 2017, McKay became the first father-daughter draftee in the AFLW’s history when she was taken with pick No.16. It was a fait accompli that McKay would receive the No.5 jumper upon arriving at IKON Park.
Round 4, 2019: The breakthrough
McKay received the nod in Round 4, earning her AFLW debut when the Blues ventured down to the Cattery. Coming off the bench, McKay’s excitement was evident, literally needing to be held back as she entered the field so she didn’t trigger an interchange infringement. Although Carlton didn’t get the win, it was a day McKay would never forget, surrounded by family… except little sister Sophie, who had an unmissable sleepover with her friends that day. Fortunately and fittingly, McKay’s first win came the next week - against Collingwood at IKON Park.
2020-21 off-season: The turning point
The 2020 season was arguably the one which McKay needed to have. After four games in her first season and a two-year contract extension, McKay didn’t play a single game in 2020 with spots hard to come by. The lessons of 2020 fuelled McKay into 2021: on the eve of her 50th game in 2024, former coach Daniel Harford revealed there were conversations around letting McKay go after year two, but she displayed “incredible drive to do something about it”.
Round 3, 2021: AFLW Rising Star nomination
The fruits of McKay’s hard work were evident immediately in 2021, going from playing zero AFLW minutes in 2020 to every game that season. It wasn’t long before the competition sat up and took notice, as she received a Rising Star nomination in Round 3. Becoming an ever-present in the Carlton midfield, McKay was ultimately rewarded with a two-year contract extension to ensure her time at IKON Park would continue.
2022 season six and seven: The next step
In the 10 years of the AFLW competition, 2022 was one of its most transformative, with two seasons played in the one calendar year. McKay started the year kicking her first AFLW career goal on 9 January (again, against Collingwood) and ended her football year on 25 November by finishing second in the Club’s AFLW Best and Fairest award, behind Mimi Hill. Following the departure of Maddy Prespakis, McKay assumed more responsibility in the midfield and ended the year voted the AFLW Fans’ Most Improved Player.
June 2023: Abbie the leader
As Carlton embarked on a new era for its AFLW program in 2023, the Club’s leadership took on a new look. After the appointment of Mathew Buck as AFLW Senior Coach, McKay’s career trajectory and standing amongst the players was reflected when she was voted into the leadership group for the first time. Playing every game for the fourth consecutive year, McKay again finished runner-up in the Club’s AFLW Best and Fairest.
December 2024: Joined by Sophie
The 2024 campaign was another big one for McKay: she was elevated to co-vice captain heading into the season, played her 50th AFLW game and achieved a third straight podium finish in the Best and Fairest. But the big moment came with two weeks to go in the calendar year. On the night of the 2024 AFL Women’s Draft, Abbie was joined by Sophie - with Abbie on hand to present Sophie her first official guernsey on stage.
May 2025: Appointed captain
The McKay family continued to make AFL/AFLW history when in May of 2025, Abbie was voted in as captain of Carlton. Continuing her steady ascendancy at IKON Park, McKay followed in the footsteps of dad Andrew, who captained the Club’s AFL side in 2003 after Brett Ratten retired mid-year. McKay took to leadership brilliantly in year one as skipper, leading the team to a first finals appearance in five years and kicking a goal herself in the semi final against Hawthorn… on her 25th birthday, no less.
2026: More milestones, more finals
The skipper has continued to do what she does best in 2026, leading from the front as the Blues secured top four on the final weekend of the home-and-away season. McKay has averaged a career-high for disposals in 2026, with her 34 disposals against Hawthorn in the AFLW Carlton Respects Game setting a new Club record. Now preparing for her 75th game in the Club’s first AFLW qualifying final, we can’t wait to see what’s next for the Navy Blue No.5.
