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

[84859300]

I think there's plenty of goodwill between us and Conor. Who knows where we'll be in 2 years time? At the end of 2016 Richmond were considered one of the weakest clubs in the league. If we had done what some were suggesting there'd be a 0% chance he'd choose us. The way we've handled it, if he were to come back I think we'd be heavy favourites to be the club he chooses.

We will see.

 

[MiguelM]

Shame he could have been one of our best.

Could see his heart wasn't in it this year. Was flat as a tack. Club tried its best, but hard to manufacture desire.

Best for both parties in the end. Club and player can move on.

 

[Vindicater]

Right decision for him as a person.

Thought he could have developed into a star but not to be.

Getting destroyed by the afl media about corona would not have helped

 

[sameolds33]

I think there's plenty of goodwill between us and Conor. Who knows where we'll be in 2 years time? At the end of 2016 Richmond were considered one of the weakest clubs in the league. If we had done what some were suggesting there'd be a 0% chance he'd choose us. The way we've handled it, if he were to come back I think we'd be heavy favourites to be the club he chooses.

In a contract for services like this there's no point in playing hard ball once the contract has ended. Even while it was on foot, it appeared that EFC was working at maintaining the relationship rather than demanding that CM perform the services under the contract. - eg not demanding he come back from Ireland for the pre-season etc. From the time CM first started making going home noises, the best result the club could achieve was maintaining goodwill, in the unlikely event Conor returns to AFL. Agree with Eth. It was also the right thing for the club to do.

 

[yodellinhank]

Cut the other two loose, send a message.

 

[VexOh]

What a fun, fun player to watch.

You will be missed Connor. We will all severely miss that feeling of having absolutely 0 clue of what comes next when you had the ball in your hands.

 

[Burzum]

Cut the other two loose, send a message.

What message would that be sending? What if the other Irish players on the list love Australia?

 

[SherbertLemon]

Cut the other two loose, send a message.

Look man, in spite I kinda thought the same thing.

But everyone is different, and it’s the risk you take with every international you take on.

Hopefully the others guys come good and do the Irish jig on the premiership podium

 

[Bungeye]

They should start playing irish players up forward. They might even show the Aussies how to kick accurately for goal. Mason Cox is your prime example.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

They should start playing irish players up forward. They might even show the Aussies how to kick accurately for goal. Mason Cox is your prime example.

Mason cox is ******* rubbish mate.

 

[Howard Moon]

Wonder if toiling away in scratch matches was the final straw... Came to Aus for the big time! If I wanted to run around with amateurs on cow paddocks i'll just go home and play Gaelic

 

[cAsEy_18]

Mason cox is ******* rubbish mate.

True.

But he's a straight set shot kick.

 

[RearNaked]

worst part in all this is now dodo will have an excuse to draft a half back flanker

 

[srobbo]

What a waste....so disappointed with this.

Made huge adjustments to his game & up until this year was on the cusp of becoming an elite player of the comp imo.

Honestly think if weren’t such a cluster * we’d have had a better chance to retain him for another contract. Best of luck irish.

 

[essendon]

Who’s next??????

 

[HirdsTheWord]

True.

But he's a straight set shot kick.

When he eventually marks one he’s usually 30m our directly in front.

80% of the Comp would kick them the way he does. Nothing special.

Mind you Though, anyone from Essendon wouldn’t.

 

[NAB777]

The right decision.

Good luck, Conor.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Who’s next??????

 

[Harlequin]

Goldberg

He was my favourite

 

[ant555]

What a waste....so disappointed with this.

Made huge adjustments to his game & up until this year was on the cusp of becoming an elite player of the comp imo.

Honestly think if weren’t such a cluster fu** we’d have had a better chance to retain him for another contract. Best of luck irish.

I think if it was a normal year we would have kept him. IMO it has nothing to do with us as a club and everything to do with a bloke who has home sickness issues living in an AFL bubble in a world battling something it has not seen for 100 years.

 

[Duckworth]

worst part in all this is now dodo will have an excuse to draft a half back flanker

I think it's based off his last scratch match game where he played midfield.... I read the dodo rulebook.

 

[jmoo wan]

just watched his farewell video



i think we could have done a lot better by him.

 

[Lore]

just watched his farewell video



i think we could have done a lot better by him.

So not ruling out coming back to AFL at some point in the future, trying to get his 100 games milestone. Wouldn't be the first Irishman to do that either

 

[jmoo wan]

So not ruling out coming back to AFL at some point in the future, trying to get his 100 games milestone. Wouldn't be the first Irishman to do that either

yeah - that was a nice little nugget in there. go home, win the county championship a few years in a row, come back when we’ve finally sorted our s**t out. hopefully his 6 mates are still with us too...

 

[Lore]

yeah - that was a nice little nugget in there. go home, win the county championship a few years in a row, come back when we’ve finally sorted our sh*t out. hopefully his 6 mates are still with us too...

I'd like to see him get his 100. Was one of the things I was wondering about - he's only a full season off it at 79.

Being away from your family during a pandemic must be awful, knowing if someone gets it you might not be able to get back in time.