- Steven McKee
Infobox afl player
| firstname = Steve
lastname = McKee
birthdate = Birth date and age|1978|20|6|df=y
birthplace = Victoria
originalteam = Myrtleford/Richmond
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 8, 17 May 1998
debutteam = Richmond
debutopponent =Adelaide
debutstadium =AAMI Stadium
playingteams = Richmond (1998-1999)20 games, 1 goal
Collingwood (2000-2004)
64 games, 13 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 2004
careerhighlights =
*Collingwood Grand Final side 2002
*Collingwood Pre-Season Grand Final side 2003Steve McKee (born 20 June 1978) was an Australian rules football player for both Richmond (1998-1999) and Collingwood (2000-2004) in the
Australian Football League . An unfashionable yet effective ruckman, McKee is best remembered for his four year stint with Collingwood, where he represented the team in the2002 AFL Grand Final .After a short two year stay at Punt Road, Collingwood acquired the services of McKee, along with draft selection seven (
Danny Roach ) in return forClinton King and draft selection three (Aaron Fiora ) at the end of season 1999. McKee's first season at the club was marred by Legionnaires' Disease, picked up from one of the spa baths at the club's headquarters at Victoria Park, though it was not enough to stop him from shutting down Essendon's key forward Scott Lucas onAnzac Day in the round seven loss. His second season saw gradual improvement, marked by the attention he received for the tactic employed by coachMick Malthouse midseason, which saw both McKee and fellow ruckmanJosh Fraser begin at the centre bounce, with the decision on who rucked made at the last minute, leaving opposing ruckmen flummoxed. McKee's career flourished in season 2002, where his ability to drift a kick behind the play and aid his defenders was crucial in the team's success, as was his ability to act like a fourth midfielder at the stoppages, his efforts twice negating the influence of Port Adelaide powerhouse Matthew Primus, most crucially in the Qualifying Final defeat of the Power. McKee's efforts in the Grand Final were brave, as although swamped by Clark Keating, McKee still managed to lay an impressive nine tackles, breaking the rucking stereotype.Season 2003 saw McKee all but umpired out of the game by a new rule interpretation which worked against his style of ruckwork, which was to stand toe-to-toe with his opponent, instead of leaping. This paved the way for Fraser to make the position his own, relegating McKee to the role of the second stringer, missing out on the finals action, though many believe the durable McKee should have received a call up when
Anthony Rocca was suspended for the Grand Final.His final year at league level, 2004, was a quiet one, the Pies dropping out of the finals face early in the piece, and despite impressive efforts against Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs late in the season, found himself delisted at seasons end.
McKee is now working as a part-time assistant coach at Carlton
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