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The photograph (right) of Ian McKay taking a skyscraper of a mark over Norwood’s Pat Hall in the 1952 SANFL Grand Final remains one of the most famous - in an international sense - images of Australian football ever promulgated. Described by Harry Kneebone in 'The Advertiser' thus:

McKay, while on the ball, provided the thrill of the match with the highest mark in the memory of most who saw it. A perfectly judged approach behind the Norwood ruckman Hall enabled the North captain to get the utmost height from his leap. At the top of his bound, with his knees in the region of Hall's shoulder blades, McKay obtained another jet-propelled upward surge and he clamped the ball above the head of the 6' 3" (191cm) opponent. To cap a brilliant effort McKay, from a long way out on the left half forward flank, sent a perfect screw punt through the goal.

Printed in newspapers as far away as London where it was described as having been taken at “a rugby match in Adelaide” the photograph should nevertheless not be allowed to obscure the fact that, as a footballer, Ian McKay was significantly more than a ‘one mark wonder’.

McKay’s senior football career began in 1943 when, stationed in Sydney, he played for a St George side almost entirely populated by players from the southern states. Playing as a forward for the only extended period in his career McKay kicked 70 goals for the season in a side which defeated South Sydney for the premiership.

In 1946 McKay began his 10-season 164-game career with North Adelaide. In his debut year, playing at centre half back, he gained state selection and was named South Australia’s best player in a 37-point loss against the Vics in Adelaide. By the second half of the 1949 season, however - partly through force of circumstance, given dual Magarey Medallist Ron Phillips’ irrepressible form at centre half back - McKay had found his true niche lining up against the opposition full forward. In 1950 he became the first full back to win a Magarey Medal, in addition to representing South Australia in all four of its matches at the Brisbane carnival. He also won the North Adelaide best and fairest award.

McKay’s athleticism and tremendous leaping ability meant that he was ideally suited to taking on Victoria’s champion goalsneak John Coleman, a task he consistently performed with distinction. In fact, it was the opinion of many observers that the South Australian interstate team’s better than average performances against the ‘Big V’ during the early 1950s was in large measure attributable to Ian McKay’s ability to negate the Bomber legend.

Quiet and unassuming off the field, McKay was nevertheless an excellent on field leader: he captained North during all bar his first two seasons in league football, leading the club to premierships in 1949 and 1952. He played a total of 14 interstate matches for South Australia, and was state captain twice.

Author - John Devaney