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

[Lore]

Is a gaelic football not a soccer ball?

I wouldn't say I'm an expert on soccer balls, but I believe they're made from hexagonal and pentagonal pieces of fabric, while the Gaelic is in strips. They're both round and typically white though

 

[quotemokc]

I wouldn't say I'm an expert on soccer balls, but I believe they're made from hexagonal and pentagonal pieces of fabric, while the Gaelic is in strips. They're both round and typically white though

Like a volleyball?

 

[D Mitchell]

Like a volleyball?

The Gaelic ball is smaller and heavier than the soccer ball.

 

[Lore]

The Gaelic ball is smaller and heavier than the soccer ball.

Thank you kind human. I assume you're familiar with them?

 

[D Mitchell]

Thank you kind human. I assume you're familiar with them?

Not so familiar with the soccer ball. Whoever heard a soccer manager yell from the sidelines

"Box it, ye fuggin eejit" ?

 

[ghostdog]

The interview is really interesting, if you can manage the accents I'd recommend giving it a listen. Would probably be easier if you could slow it down slightly but Facebook doesn't have that feature It's a pity Aussie interviewers don't have a go at it to be honest, the muttonhead ex-AFL players that most radio stations seem to employ just give up after 3 minutes without really trying.

In any case they've asked him every type of question about himself, about Essendon, about Daniher and players from other teams (even mentioned Brereton!), about the style of play and strategies and structures in the AFL, rule changes, Shiel's bump (vaguely), his opinion on changing the rules in both Gaelic and Aussie rules football, the equivalent of the 'college system' and how you get into the AFL (completely didn't mention the U18s though, only talked about state leagues), also about the international landscape and other international players in the AFL and particularly other Irish players, the Irish community in Australia and the support he's gotten from them, his experience coming over to Australia, what it's like playing with no crowd (hot tip, he didn't play a single game with zero crowd)...

He also talked about the hub situation in Queensland, and his opinion of these homesick blokes when their families are a 2 hour flight away is kind of amusing. He's like 'well what do you think I've been dealing with for the last 6 years...'

He was meeting up with the other Melbourne-based Irish players once a fortnight too, they were his family away from home until his brother came out. He also said he was training once a week with a Melbourne-based Gaelic team instead of one of our training sessions. (Both a bit difficult currently since he's not in Melbourne though).

But they seem to have brought a Gaelic football to Queensland with them, and got it out at training...

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The Irish commentators put the pressure on for him to return don't they? He'd get quite a bit of that when he goes home I imagine.

 

[Lore]

The Irish commentators put the pressure on for him to return don't they? He'd get quite a bit of that when he goes home I imagine.

Yeah a bit. These ones do actually seem to follow AFL a bit though, they were talking about our structures and the importance of Daniher and stuff like they'd actually watched a few games, and one of them really likes Hawthorn and as I said brought up Brereton running through people and how the rules have changed, so he obviously knows a few things about Aussie rules more than just 'that sorta-similar game that steals our kids and pays them money to train'.

Some of the questions actually came off more like finding out information for other Irish kids who might want to follow in his footsteps, almost like an advertisement for Irish kids to go to Melbourne lol and the support they'd have, how you have to be mentally tough to do it and so on.

 

[ghostdog]

Yeah a bit. These ones do actually seem to follow AFL a bit though, they were talking about our structures and the importance of Daniher and stuff like they'd actually watched a few games, and one of them really likes Hawthorn and as I said brought up Brereton running through people and how the rules have changed, so he obviously knows a few things about Aussie rules more than just 'that sorta-similar game that steals our kids and pays them money to train'.

Some of the questions actually came off more like finding out information for other Irish kids who might want to follow in his footsteps, almost like an advertisement for Irish kids to go to Melbourne lol and the support they'd have, how you have to be mentally tough to do it and so on.

Interesting. Maybe a talent scout on the side or something. I did get to the part of the interview talking about Joey - a lot of interest there and knowledge about the challenges facing the forwardline. I shouldn't be surprised.

I like the Irish accent. I think it might be one of the easier ones for the ear to become accustomed to.

 

[yaco55]

You find that the Irish sporting media are a step above the Aussie sporting media when it comes to in-depth discussions about tactics, preparation, etc,etc.

 

[boncer34]

You find that the Irish sporting media are a step above the Aussie sporting media when it comes to in-depth discussions about tactics, preparation, etc,etc.

Avid follower of Irish media are we Yaco?

 

[owen87]

I wouldn't say I'm an expert on soccer balls, but I believe they're made from hexagonal and pentagonal pieces of fabric, while the Gaelic is in strips. They're both round and typically white though

If this doesn't sum Lore up in a single post, I don't know what does.

 

[Ambrosia]

IggypopsTshirt will blow a gasket when he sees that Essendon are allowing McKenna to miss training once a week to train with Melbourne’s Gaelic team

 

[ghostdog]

IggypopsTshirt will blow a gasket when he sees this with Essendon allowing McKenna to miss training once a week to train with Melbourne’s Gaelic team

We could open betting on the number of melty posts?

 

[D Mitchell]

.. Melbourne’s Gaelic team

Out of curiosity only, Shamrock or Dan Breen ?

 

[eth-dog]

Out of curiosity only, Shamrock or Dan Breen ?

I'm guessing the one closest to Essendon

 

[Ambrosia]

Out of curiosity only, Shamrock or Dan Breen ?

Not sure if he mentioned which one in the interview. Shamrock rings a bell though.

If you’re bored watch the interview. Wish there was more content like it

 

[D Mitchell]

I'm guessing the one closest to Essendon

Both play at Gaelic Park Keysborough. Thanks, anyway, comparative and superlative

 

[D Mitchell]

Not sure if he mentioned which one in the interview. Shamrock rings a bell though.

If you’re bored watch the interview. Wish there was more content like it

I'm a guest here, perhaps a trespasser. Can you provide a link / map to the interview ?

 

[eth-dog]

Both play at Gaelic Park Keysborough. Thanks, anyway, comparative and superlative

Oh, okay. Fair enough. Sheesh, that'd be a trip and a half from the northern suburbs

 

[Ambrosia]

Ah, yep. From an Irish Facebook group:


[/QUOTE

I'm a guest here, perhaps a trespasser. Can you provide a link / map to the interview ?

Sorry would have linked you earlier but assumed you’d seen the post and scrolled past.

 

[D Mitchell]

Sorry would have linked you earlier but assumed you’d seen the post and scrolled past.

much obliged

 

[Old Campaigner]

The Irish commentators put the pressure on for him to return don't they? He'd get quite a bit of that when he goes home I imagine.

He was considered a generational talent over there to be fair. It'd be like if the best junior talent and consensus number 1 pick decided to play cricket or something, that player would be constantly asked if they wanted to go back to footy.

 

[eth-dog]

He was considered a generational talent over there to be fair. It'd be like if the best junior talent and consensus number 1 pick decided to play cricket or something, that player would be constantly asked if they wanted to go back to footy.

Basically Will Sutherland

 

[yaco55]

Avid follower of Irish media are we Yaco?

Yes - Their sporting media is high quality.l

 

[D Mitchell]

He was considered a generational talent over there ...

Conor Mac Cionaoith, pride of County Tyrone