Carlton AFL star Harry McKay finally opens up about his mental health issues after they became the talk of the AFL

• Harry McKay took a recent step back away from footy 
• Ongoing absence has been a constant talking point
• Blues star sat down with twin brother Ben to explain himself

By ANDREW PRENTICE FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Carlton star Harry McKay has broken his silence to reveal why he has been sidelined in recent weeks due to personal issues.

McKay, 27, played in the Blues’ shock opening round defeat against Richmond – but hasn’t featured since.

The decorated key forward raised eyebrows after playing a VFL match against Southport last weekend – but with his misfiring team still winless in 2025, McKay is expected to line up versus West Coast this weekend in Adelaide during Gather Round.

AFL legend Tony Shaw declared on 3AW he ‘didn’t understand’ McKay’s situation – and wondered if the pressures associated with playing professional footy left the Blues X-factor in a questionable headspace.

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd stated on Footy Classified that the situation would be ‘frustrating’ for Carlton and their supporters, before emphasising McKay’s importance to his team.

McKay, who is under contract until 2029 and earning a reported $1.1million a season, sat down with his identical twin brother Ben – who plays for Essendon – to discuss his footy hiatus.

Carlton star Harry McKay brought up his ‘loving’ partner Mattie Gouman (pictured together) as he admitted he was in a ‘really great place’ when his troubles first hit

McKay, 27, played in the Blues’ shock opening round defeat against Richmond – but hasn’t featured since

McKay – under contract until 2029 and earning a reported $1.1 million a season – sat down with twin brother Ben this week to discuss his recent footy hiatus

‘In late February, I started feeling in not a great place mentally,’ he said on the Ben and Harry podcast.

‘I think the most challenging part was me thinking I shouldn’t be feeling the way I was.

‘Everything in my life was in a really great place – my loving partner, supportive family, the football club. ‘That’s why it was really scary that it didn’t make a lot of sense.

‘I put on a bit of a façade to pretend to be OK, when I really wasn’t. ‘I needed to put my hand up and say I’m not OK, I need some help.’

McKay then acknowledged the love, care and support he has since received – and is ‘really happy to have a smile on his face again.’ 

Meanwhile, Carlton coach Michael Voss knows a win against fellow strugglers West Coast is essential this weekend – and he has a supporter in midfielder Sam Walsh.

‘We are all behind Vossy, he’s been a great support for all of us, we’ve been through a lot of things together,’ he said.

‘I feel like he assesses and sees the game really well and gives us a clear path forward, now it’s up to us to keep on taking that accountability.

‘At the end of the day, we are the ones out there, it’s not the coaches.’

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Carlton AFL star Harry McKay finally opens up about his mental health issues after they became the talk of the AFL

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