Adelaide life member David Mackay says an injury-plagued first season served as a driving force for a consistent 248-game AFL career.

Mackay was renowned for his dashing run, silky skills and no-nonsense attitude following his debut in Round One 2008 to his final match in Round 23 2021.

But after being selected with Pick No. 48 at the 2006 AFL National Draft, consistency was hard to come by in his first 12 months at the top level, as he battled through a recurring hamstring injury.

Joining Sauce and Thommo on this week’s episode of The Crows Radio Show, Mackay said the early adversity helped him understand what it took to make it as an AFL footballer. 

“It was a pretty challenging (first) year to be honest,” Mackay said.

“I had a really good pre-season and completed all the training but then got injured in Round Two playing in the SANFL and didn’t play another game that year which was difficult. 

“But I look back at that time now and think it was the making of my level of resilience and appreciation of how lucky we are (as AFL players) to play footy every week. 

“That really helped me for the rest of my career in building a really solid foundation of what was required in getting to the level physically and the mental resilience required to play this game at the highest level.”

Hear more from Mackay, plus a podcast-exclusive extended chat with Rising Star nominee Max Michalanney above or on the LiSTNR app.

Tune into Triple M Adelaide this Sunday at 9am or on the LISTNR app for the next installment of The Crows Radio Show, with Scott Burns.