D-Mac learning to run his own race

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CROWS development coach Alan Stewart is famous for throwing curly questions at young footballers in pre-draft meetings.

In late 2006 he wanted to test the mettle of an Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Adelaide was considering for its third round pick.

David Mackay was coming off a 28-disposal game in the Chargers' TAC Cup Grand Final win but Stewart turned the tables and drilled the then 18 year old on an earlier final where his impact hadn't been as great.

Mackay responded by saying he was a confidence player and it had been down that day. Stewart pounced.

"Alan Stewart would say if you have ability and you work as hard as you can there shouldn't be any need to have confidence all the time." Mackay said.

"When things aren't going the way you want them to (you have to move) past that and not let it affect your performance."

It was an important lesson for Mackay and one that he drew on last year after being dropped from Adelaide's line up for the first time.

Crows wingman David Mackay gets a kick away against St Kilda. Picture: Quinn Rooney.

Once considered one of the Crows' brightest prospects, a lack of form and confidence saw the 25 year old sent back to the SANFL. It hit Mackay hard.

"For all of us who play it's the biggest thing in your life at the time. You have to stay positive but it's not easy," he said.

"I wasn't getting my hands on the ball enough and I wasn't running as well as I could and having the impact on games I needed to be having."

Mackay watched vision of his games at the end of the season and realised he wasn't covering the ground as well as he had in the past.

He ramped up his workrate at training - reaching "a better level than I ever have before" - and focused on playing to his strengths.

Then in late November, senior Crows assistant Dean Bailey was diagnosed with cancer, a tragedy which had a profound effect on Mackay.

David Mackay celebrates a goal against St Kilda. Picture: George Salpigtidis.

"I worked really closely with Bails. In a way it highlighted what was important in life and even though it's a big business and such an important thing what we do, it's still just footy," Mackay said.

"I guess it put things in perspective for me. Made me think I need to enjoy what I'm doing and make the most of it.

"We're very lucky to be able to do what we do. You don't want to get to the end of your footy career and say the whole thing was a battle."

Mackay has honoured Bailey's passing with an electric start to the 2014 season.

He's averaging career bests in disposals (20.3), inside 50s (3.8) and score assists (1.5) and has re-assumed his position as one of the best ball users in the AFL.

Of the competition's top 100 ballwinners, only Jobe Watson has a better retention rate than Mackay.

"One of things I pride myself on is being able to use it well when I do get it," Mackay said.

"As a team it's probably something we haven't done that well this year and it cost us early on.

"It's really hard to play against teams that can control the ball and make you defend for long periods."

Mackay is also embarking on the dashing runs from half back that are a feature of his game when he's playing well.

His average running bounces have jumped from 0.9 to 3 per game and his teammates up field are reaping the benefit.

"That was my biggest focus going into the preseason this year was to get back running again," he said.

"So far it's been a marked improvement from last year. It needs to be a strength of my game and I'm trying to make it that again.

"We're only early in the season but I certainly feel like I'm playing much better footy than I was last year."

THE GREAT RETAINERS

AFL's best retention rates

Jobe Watson (Essendon) - 82.4%

David Mackay (Adelaide) - 82%

Cale Hooker (Essendon) - 82%

Robert Murphy (Bulldogs) - 81.5%

Joel Selwood (Geelong) - 81%

And the worst ...

David Mundy (Fremantle) - 51.8%

Bernie Vince (Melbourne) - 58.6%

Michael Rischitelli (Gold Coast) - 59.1%

Danyle Pearce (Fremantle) - 60.7%

David Swallow (Gold Coast) - 60.9%

David Mackay with girlfriend Sarah Endersbee. Source: News Limited

LIFE BALANCE PUTS D-MAC IN A GOOD PLACE

DAVID Mackay is hoping the Crows can play deep into September this season but there's another important date the following month he's also eyeing off.

The 25 year old is getting married to fiancee Sarah in October.

"The planning is all underway," Mackay said.

"I'm looking forward to that."

Mackay lives with Sarah in a house he bought at Grange a few years ago.

"We love living down here, particularly during the warmer months, with the beach so close," he said.

You sense Mackay is in a really good place in his life after a 2013 season which tested him in ways he hadn't been tested before.

Growing up in Melbourne as the son of a father and mother who worked in biochemistry and pathology at the Austin Hospital, Mackay excelled at most things he turned his hand to.

He was a house captain at Trinity Grammar, won the TAC Cup Grand Final with Oakleigh Chargers and realised his dream of playing AFL when he was selected by the Crows with pick 48 in the 2006 draft.

So losing his place in Adelaide's line-up midway through last season was a learning experience for the dashing half back - one that has left him better prepared to face life's challenges.

"There's always going to be ups and downs but when you get the down periods you just have to move on from them quickly, learn from them and not be so caught up in them and keep moving forwards and look for the positives," Mackay said.

"That's something I've tried to do."

Contracted at Adelaide for another two seasons, Mackay has shown his loyalty to the Crows the past two years.

First he knocked back a four year, $2 million offer from Melbourne to sign a new deal with Adelaide and then last year refused to be included in any potential deal to lure Jared Polec to West Lakes.

"I love being part of this group. It's a great group," Mackay said.

He's hoping his commitment will be rewarded with team success in the near future.

Adelaide has recovered from an 0-3 start to enter tomorrow's game against the Demons with a chance to move to 4-3.

"We're starting to get stronger," Mackay said.

"We're getting a few players back fit and our game style is starting to click over a bit.

"We know when we play our best footy it does measure up."

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