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

[fairbump_playon]

And still win their little round ball thingy.

That’s not a ball, it’s a potato

 

[Mr Bultitude]

Just listened to the Robbo melt.

Is he seriously bringing the whole wedding thing back into contention? It blew my mind the first time people raised their eyebrows. FFS People actually questioning why he was allowed to go and attend??

Get a flipping grip!!

If my employers told me I couldn't take time off for my brother's wedding I'd tell them where to shove it. And yes I know I'm not a professional athlete but that's beside the point.

 

[HirdyLannister]

It was the right choice for player retention.

 

[Hitch Hiker]

Thank christ for that! Came rushing here in my drunken state thinking he'd knocked an old codger out have a schooner in a Dublin bar.

 

[madrigal]

If my employers told me I couldn't take time off for my brother's wedding I'd tell them where to shove it. And yes I know I'm not a professional athlete but that's beside the point.

If my brother told me he was getting married the same day Essendon was playing, I'd tell him where to shove it.

 

[Matthew_Lloyd]

Just listened to the Robbo melt.

Is he seriously bringing the whole wedding thing back into contention? It blew my mind the first time people raised their eyebrows. FFS People actually questioning why he was allowed to go and attend??

Get a flipping grip!!

If my employers told me I couldn't take time off for my brother's wedding I'd tell them where to shove it. And yes I know I'm not a professional athlete but that's beside the point.

Robbo is a blithering idiot. There are more important things in people's lives than football ffs

 

[DERO]

Robbo is a blithering idiot. There are more important things in people's lives than football ffs

Not Robbo’s

 

[DapperDon]

Robbo likely stopped being invited to weddings so in his world they don't mean much.

 

[Darealrath]

Back to pre wedding form last night. Seemed to take less risks on kick outs too.

 

[Kakkle]

Peroxide hair, 'solo' candy and battling 'a wee bit' of homesickness

Conor McKenna on football, family and why he's so grateful to the Bombers

www.afl.com.au

Surprisingly good read from an article on the AFL site. Nice to hear that his brother and his wife will move down for 6 months.

I hope to god I'm wrong, but I still think he'll go back at some stage before his time is well & truly up.

Will be interested to see if that forward role does eventuate.

 

[eth-dog]

That's something to try tomorrow for patches. See if it works.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Robbo is a blithering idiot. There are more important things in people's lives than football ffs

very true.

That article above outlines why the club made the right (and only) decision:

Peroxide hair, 'solo' candy and battling 'a wee bit' of homesickness

Conor McKenna on football, family and why he's so grateful to the Bombers

www.afl.com.au

"My brother actually moved the wedding six weeks forward so it would suit me better," [McKenna] said.

"I told them well in advance and said what I was looking to do and they were very supportive and said 'Yeah, that's grand, go home because you were probably going to miss a game being rested or something', so I took it as that.

"The club could've just turned around and said no, but I think it could have backfired if it said no. Because if I had have missed a family event like that, I've missed weddings but not with my immediate family, then I don't know if I'd be willing to do it, honestly.

"For them to give me the confidence to go over, have my week, and then get back into it has worked really well."

 

[Haychh]

I said earlier in the year when he was struggling he should be playing forward. I think he's too valuable down back when he's on though.

McKenna, Raz and Walla in the same forward line would be fun to watch though

 

[Nifft]

I said earlier in the year when he was struggling he should be playing forward. I think he's too valuable down back when he's on though.

McKenna, Raz and Walla in the same forward line would be fun to watch though

He'd probably be pretty good on a wing.

 

[cAsEy_18]

He'd be pretty good at playing footy.

I know Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti enjoys playing footy, but maybe we get him and McKenna to switch roles.

 

[eth-dog]

He'd probably be pretty good on a wing.

Disagree. Unlike guys like Ridley and Ham he isn't a 360 degree player which will hamper his ability to consistently impact on a wing.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Very interesting, I do absolutely love him down back though as his speed and ability to take on the game is so valuable. Maybe if Ridley can make the step up...

 

[astrowizzle]

Just listened to the Robbo melt.

Is he seriously bringing the whole wedding thing back into contention? It blew my mind the first time people raised their eyebrows. FFS People actually questioning why he was allowed to go and attend??

Get a flipping grip!!

If my employers told me I couldn't take time off for my brother's wedding I'd tell them where to shove it. And yes I know I'm not a professional athlete but that's beside the point.

BUT why on Earth didn't he just fly there wedding party over here and get married. Ffs

 

[Lore]

very true.

That article above outlines why the club made the right (and only) decision:

Peroxide hair, 'solo' candy and battling 'a wee bit' of homesickness

Conor McKenna on football, family and why he's so grateful to the Bombers

www.afl.com.au

6 weeks later would've been the elimination final ha. See Robbo melt then

 

[Run and carry]

Why forward? Our competitive advantage is having two half backs who are number 1 and 2 in the league for running bounces.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Play him 1 on 1 in Pagans paddock, kick it into space. Nobody will stop him.

 

[DERO]

Play him 1 on 1 in Pagans paddock, kick it into space. Nobody will stop him.

I miss Greeny.

 

[Vindicater]

Still think we are playing him inbthe wrong part of the ground. Was a goal kicker in his gaelic youth and has an attacking flair that gets him in trouble down back.

Stick him forward and watch him cause havoc around goal with his unpredictability.

Just quoting my old post.

 

[fishardansin]

I would be happy for him to have bursts forward, but at this stage, he and Saad together are just too potent to change. They are better when they're both there because the opposition can't tag them both so don't bother with either.

 

[blitzer]

I wouldn't be against McKenna as a forward IF he's actually good up there. I know he was bloody good in the forward line in the VFL but early in his AFL career he simply didn't have the experience or the smarts to make it work up there. I'd be willing to revisit that but he'd need to be able to perform.

Its not like we don't have other options. Saad, Redman, Gleeson, McGrath etc. He'd still be available to move down back when injuries hit etc. Plus its much easier to find a good defender than a good forward.

My question is mostly whether he can make it work as a forward. He's not a bad mark but not really that great that he will take contested marks reliably and I'm not sure he'll be that good when a defender is on his hammer taking marks at full pace either. On the positive side he can bomb long goals which is always nice.