McKay Embraces New-Look Carlton Forward Line After Curnow's Departure
Carlton spearhead Harry McKay has declared the Blues will adopt a more dynamic attacking approach following the departure of two-time Coleman medallist Charlie Curnow to the Sydney Swans. The 28-year-old key forward, however, admits to experiencing mixed emotions about his former teammate's high-profile defection.
New Faces Bring Fresh Energy to Carlton's Attack
Curnow is set to make his Swans debut against his former club when Carlton meets Sydney in Opening Round next month. Both teams enter the new season with significantly reshaped forward structures as they aim to return to finals contention.
McKay, who managed just twelve games last season in an injury-interrupted campaign, acknowledges he needs to recapture his own Coleman Medal-winning form from 2021 to help propel the Blues into September action. The forward believes he will receive valuable support from new recruits Will Hayward, who arrived from Sydney as part of the Curnow trade, and former Gold Coast player Ben Ainsworth.
"It's obviously no surprise our forward line looks a little bit different, but it's been fantastic," McKay told 7NEWS Melbourne. "They've been first class — 180 games of combined experience, you can't buy that kind of knowledge. Just the type of people they are has been fantastic for our group."
Transition from Individual Reliance to Collective Strength
The Carlton forward elaborated on the tactical shift, noting: "It definitely looks different — I'd say more dynamic. Instead of maybe relying on one or two key targets, having better balance and more scoring avenues will be great for our structure."
McKay, who also praised the impact of returning assistant coach Josh Fraser, reported being fully fit after what he described as "as fun a pre-season as I've had in years," having not missed a single training session.
While clearly focused on the future, McKay conceded: "It's obviously sad Charlie won't be here. We've been playing together for ten years and worked super closely. There's definitely an element of sadness with that change."
Mixed Emotions About a Decade-Long Partnership
Reflecting on learning about the trade, McKay said: "Mixed emotions, definitely. Getting to play with Charlie for so long will remain one of my career highlights, but I wish him absolutely nothing but the best up in Sydney. I'm keen to watch his progress from afar — except for Opening Round when we play against him."
The forward added: "On the same token, this trade brings some new excitement — kind of a new leaf in our chapter. I think everyone's excited about what we can build together."
Returning to Solo Forward Responsibilities
McKay's Coleman Medal success in 2021 came during what was effectively his second season without Curnow alongside him, after his teammate's career was disrupted by serious knee injuries. Now, with Curnow permanently departed, McKay faces the prospect of consistently attracting the opposition's best defender each week.
"Regardless of whether you have another key forward next to you, it's always a challenge," McKay acknowledged. "Defenders are so good these days. But as a group, we're definitely trying to move away from individual focus toward what we can achieve collectively. Having different scoring avenues is really important to that philosophy."
Renewed Optimism for Carlton's Season Prospects
The bottom line for McKay is one of genuine optimism about Carlton's prospects in the upcoming AFL season. "I haven't been this optimistic about a season in a long time," he revealed. "It feels renewed — we've lost a few players, gained a few others, which brings new energy to the group. In football, anything can happen, and we're excited to show what this new-look team can achieve."
As both Carlton and Sydney prepare for their Opening Round clash, all eyes will be on how these reshaped forward lines perform under early season pressure, with McKay determined to lead Carlton's charge toward finals football.
