Retired #45: Conor McKenna ☘️ - Returning to the AFL to play with Brisbane - 17/11

[Ambrosia]

If there's demand for him (and there would be some) he'd be nuts to come to Essendon. We don't even have a coach ffs.

Won’t he just go whoever offers the most earning potential? I mean he’s quite clearly coming back for the money given it seems he much prefers living in Ireland.

 

[Lore]

Won’t he just go whoever offers the most earning potential? I mean he’s quite clearly coming back for the money given it seems he much prefers living in Ireland.

He wanted to win both premierships like Tadhg Kennelly, and he wanted to get to 100 AFL games (he’s on about 80).

Money is usually also a factor since Gaelic doesn’t come with a salary, although I think they do get sponsorship.

 

[Beerfish]

He's also a bit up himself so I'm not sure about that influence.

Huh?

 

[ant555]

That's not true.

His argument seems to be that recruiting Connor into a position we already have plenty of talent causes the problem.

The very simple counter point to your Geelong analogy is they don't recruit into positions they're already stacked in.

Edit: and FWIW I don't think it's a great argument that getting him denies players opportunities but it's certainly not cut and dried.

Plenty of talent ?
We have one unproven rookie small forward . One who may be okay and the rest not even drafted yet.
Our genuine small forward depth is minimal.
On top of that we could also play him back.

 

[boncer34]

Plenty of talent ?
We have one unproven rookie small forward . One who may be okay and the rest not even drafted yet.
Our genuine small forward depth is minimal.
On top of that we could also play him back.

Not my argument.

 

[boncer34]

Lore can this go back to the history board since he's not coming back.

 

[Foxx]

I'm not fussed either way. Had pace and some good skill, but used to make a lot of blunders too.

 

[Lore]

Lore can this go back to the history board since he's not coming back.

Beerfish

 

[faible]

Beerfish

Is this the moderator equivalent of 'go ask your dad'?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Won’t he just go whoever offers the most earning potential? I mean he’s quite clearly coming back for the money given it seems he much prefers living in Ireland.

I guess so. Seems like we're not even in the race despite apparently having $50 million in available cap space, so perhaps we're not that interested.

I will say it seems like bullshit in the strict AFL season that a player under contract can leave the game then walk back into another team. Surely he should come back to us and we can trade him.

 

[Beerfish]

Beerfish

Huh?

 

[Don Won]

Lore can this go back to the history board since he's not coming back.

Is there a report that I haven’t seen that confirms this, or are you concerned that the current turmoil/shit prospects rule us out?

 

[ghostdog]

Pretty simple line of thought he's going with. If McKenna comes back it's one less spot in the 22 for one of the young blokes.

It's also one less spot in their potential ideal spot in the VFL to learn their craft in.

Felt dirty liking that.

 

[boncer34]

Is there a report that I haven’t seen that confirms this, or are you concerned that the current turmoil/s**t prospects rule us out?

I've read it's Brisbane or Geelong

 

[Foxx]

Compensation?

 

[ant555]

I've read it's Brisbane or Geelong

At this stage it is a guessing game in the media.
Linked to Geelong because of Kelly and Brisbane because they showed interest before he signed his last deal.
Who knows.

 

[Mootsy]

come home to essington

 

[fishardansin]

I'll be pretty sad if he doesn't come back to Essendon. I want to enjoy him playing, not mutter under my breath when he does something good or laugh out loud if he makes a blooper.

 

[bennyg12]

Bring him back f##ked Geelong and Brisbane

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

He did want to play forward and we have a spot available. I wonder if he’d have what it takes to play the small forward role in AFL…

 

[Ants]

So many sliding doors moments for our club that we end up on the wrong side of. Where some clubs land gun father/sons in successive years (Collingwood with Daicos' etc), or get top picks through academies (Sydney seemingly every year), Bulldogs hitting #1 pick with JUH after a grand final appearance and then #1 pick with a f/s if I'm not mistaken.

Our club loses gun players like Tippa and McKenna for nothing (and a team like Gee will pick him up as a free agent with no compo coming to us) and when we finally look like having a gun academy player it's right when the AFL change the rules meaning we'll almost certainly miss on Munkara.

Goddamn we must be due for some luck!

Edit - I'll also add having the club's first ever #1 pick in what would have to be considered one of the worst drafts in terms of elite top talent in recent memory as another sliding doors moment (consider #1 picks of subsequent drafts including Walsh and Rowell)

Don't forget 2016, the AFL changing the rules on priority picks so we go from getting #2 and #4 to #2 and #20. That was after finishing 4th last in 2015 and getting pick #7 due to three clubs getting priority picks!

Multiple high picks in 2002 & 2003 drafts which were pretty poor drafts also sucked.

The rules on matching F/S picks with 3rd rounders changed only a year or so before Daniher joined us.

I'd also say the number of times we've had decent years, which have aligned with only needing to get 10.5 or 11 wins to make finals, has really hurt us. Inflating our view of our performance, and worsening our picks. I think it's happened 4 times since 2009, but in years we didn't make the finals 11 wins only got you in once or twice (ignoring 2020 of course).

 

[Ants]

Elite? Nah, especially considering he hasn't really played since 2019. He'd be ok to get, but I'm not fussed given we have D'Ambrosio, McGrath and Hind (technically Lord too). I wouldn't be mad if they asked the question and he came back, but I wouldn't be devastated if he went elsewhere.

He was elite in 2018-2019. Obviously might not get back to that immediately. Down back for mobile (i.e. not Lav) medium-small defenders we have Kelly, Redman, Hind, McGrath, Mass and Lord (6 players), to fill 4 spots we play each week. We've delised Cutler and McDonagh, and moved Heppell away from defence because he's no good there anymore. Hind is 28.

So yes, even if we don't try him forward, we need him down back. He might be slow to start in 2023, but if in 2024 onwards he's back then he's a clear upgrade on Hind, providing another fast skillful back.

Pretty simple line of thought he's going with. If McKenna comes back it's one less spot in the 22 for one of the young blokes.

It's also one less spot in their potential ideal spot in the VFL to learn their craft in.

He's 26. He could play for anywhere from 5-8 years. With that much time, it doesn't matter that he's filling a young bloke's spot as he'll be an upgrade.

 

[DERO]

Plenty of talent ?
We have one unproven rookie small forward . One who may be okay and the rest not even drafted yet.
Our genuine small forward depth is minimal.
On top of that we could also play him back.

it is a no-brainer.

 

[yodellinhank]

it is a no-brainer.

Luckily we're good at making no-brained decisions

 

[Reximilian]

Apparently only wants to return to Victoria.