Luke McKay is departing the Eagles to challenge himself in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL)

McKay has signed with Woodville West Torrens and he said that he's looking forward to the challenge of playing at state league level.

"It's really exciting," McKay said.

"I've been born and bred in Canberra and I haven't really left so it's a big step, but I'm ready for it and I'm really excited."

McKay revealed that he'd been thinking of a move to Adelaide for a fair while however had only locked in his plans very recently.

"It's been a bit crazy," he said.

"I was speaking to Central District and I spoke to Muz (Murray Stephenson) from Wagga Tigers during the year actually.

"I spoke to him because he's obviously had some time at Central District and then I got onto Mark Rosser at the footy club and they were keen to get me over.

"Then one of my good mates Mitch Hardie who's been at Woodville heard I was coming over for a look so he teed it up and I heard from Woodville.

"I met with both clubs and it panned out that Woodville was suited better to me I thought which was good."

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McKay has a pretty impressive footy resume that includes a number of years playing with Belconnen in the AFL Canberra competition while he has also played with Canberra Demons in the NEAFL.

The talented midfielder said that the reason behind the move was to test himself at a higher standard of footy.

"Yeah I think so," he said.

"The SANFL is something that I've wanted to do for a long time now, I've been to Adelaide quite a few times and I've just loved the place.

"The footy is obviously really professional over there and it's probably the step down from the AFL.

"It's just another challenge that I've wanted to do for a while so I can tick it off the bucket list."

Still relatively young and after seeing Hardie get picked up in the mid-season draft this year, McKay didn't entirely rule out his chances of eventually ending up on an AFL list.

"You see blokes are getting picked up older and older every year so if that came about that would be unreal," he said.

"But the main focus for me is challenging myself and taking that next step, obviously everyone who plays footy's dream is to play AFL and if I could do that it would be unreal."

The news of McKay's signing follows on from the Eagles' recent announcement that former Adelaide, Carlton and Greater Western Sydney ruck Sam Jacobs would be the senior coach next season.

McKay said he was looking forward to getting stuck into training under Jacobs and revealed that he would look to make the move to Adelaide early next year.

"I'm heading over just after the new year," he said.

"I'll try and get down there before Christmas for a week and then straight away after new years I'll be down there."

McKay's departure from Narrandera will leave a huge vacancy in their side and he admitted that it's difficult to leave the club after three enjoyable years with the Eagles.

"It is really hard to leave Narrandera," he said.

"It was tough telling the boys and some of my stronger connections at the club.

"I think they sort of knew that I was looking at the SANFL as an option but telling them that I was actually going was really hard.

"It's such a good community and a good club and they've been really good to me since I've been there."

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