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

[Old Stuckup]

Rebounding defender Conor McKenna is the other withdrawal after a minor issue reared its head this week.

“He’s had a groin complaint and he couldn’t really hit top speed last week in the game,” Worsfold said.

“This issue is potentially not related, but it seems to have just flared up where we don’t think he’ll be able to hit anywhere near top speed on the weekend, so we need to get that right.”

http://m.essendonfc.com.au/news/2018-07-19/team-selection-rd-18

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Dang! Will be a big miss.

 

[bjisgod9]

I love this Irish campaigner, solid hit on Buddy, needs more love on here I think, such an important player for us.

 

[resurrector]

He and a few of our other especially one sided players i.e. Hepp, Myers were guilty of getting caught on their wrong side A LOT until the last month or so. Seems to have been a directive to at least bang it on with your opposite boot which has helped their games a decent amount

That aside, it's blardy exciting when he and Saad get their running games going and both of em don't take any sh*t and go hard af which is great to see from your running half backs.

 

[blitzer]

He and a few of our other especially one sided players i.e. Hepp, Myers were guilty of getting caught on their wrong side A LOT until the last month or so. Seems to have been a directive to at least bang it on with your opposite boot which has helped their games a decent amount

That aside, it's blardy exciting when he and Saad get their running games going and both of em don't take any sh*t and go hard af which is great to see from your running half backs.

I can think of one he banged with his left foot into the centre that floated way too much and lead directly to a turnover goal. That said he does a lot of good things, including that awesome bit of play where he just accelerated right through the middle of two Swans players.
He's also improved his knowledge of when to take his bounces, so that he doesn't get paid a tackle against just because the player touches him slightly which was an issue for him earlier in the season.

With McKenna you always take the good with the bad because the good is exceptionally good. Still has plenty of improvement in him.

 

[akiva]

I remember watching this, thinking what are the odds of he'll make it.

Fast forward almost 4 years, It's unbelievable what a super important player he's become for us with so much improvement left in him.

Dodoro mentioned they put resources into the international market due to the draft sanctions (so much for "sanctions" ).

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Anyone taking gif requests? Would love one of Buddy thinking he could run through McKenna near the start of the game and coming off second best.

 

[Pweter]

Anyone taking gif requests? Would love one of Buddy thinking he could run through McKenna near the start of the game and coming off second best.

While that'd be great, I'd like to hear the post match chat between he and Colin O'Riordan to see how many words I can pick up.

 

[Don Won]

I can think of one he banged with his left foot into the centre that floated way too much and lead directly to a turnover goal. That said he does a lot of good things, including that awesome bit of play where he just accelerated right through the middle of two Swans players.
He's also improved his knowledge of when to take his bounces, so that he doesn't get paid a tackle against just because the player touches him slightly which was an issue for him earlier in the season.

With McKenna you always take the good with the bad because the good is exceptionally good. Still has plenty of improvement in him.

I think he had one where he bounced it and was touched on Friday. They didn’t pay it thank god.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

While that'd be great, I'd like to hear the post match chat between he and Colin O'Riordan to see how many words I can pick up.

Funnily enough I don't have too much trouble understanding Conor...

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

That bit of play might have in the last i think where he was chasing Papley,Papley falls to the ground and then McKenna scoops up the ball of the deck and away he goes.

 

[Pweter]

Funnily enough I don't have too much trouble understanding Conor...

I think listening to Conor speak around Australians vs a conversation with a fellow Irishman would sound very different.

I'm basing this on a bloke I used to work with who was from England (Manchester I think) and he said he slows things down when here as he got sick of repeating himself and he returns to form when he's back visiting the UK or speaking to people back home.

 

[Atavistic]

He was worth the pay rise. He's done some wonderful things with the ball tonight.

 

[Blind Turn]

This kid is a jet and doesn’t get the media kudos he deserves yet.

 

[lamaros]

Got us going tonight when the game looked in the balance. Would be in my votes for sure.

 

[Rack Watts]

Some really good defensive spoils, reckon he has been talking to Saad.

 

[naraku]

Really loving his game more and more.
Would surely be our most improved this year ?

 

[blitzer]

He continues to grow as a player. Still think some of the defensive work can be a bit shaky at times but he's scintillating when runs and carries the ball. Does have good defensive moments though and can sometimes pluck a great mark. Just still a fraction short of the consistency needed to be a true elite player but has the game to become one.

 

[TheGrizz]

Is our best attacking weapon.

If he gets the ball anywhere forward of defensive 50 arc then the opposition automatically scrambles to close space in front of him and that is when we look our best by linking up in the engineered space.

But also - damn he quick

 

[Beerfish]

I've just got this feeling this guy is actually everything he was ever hyped up to be. The best is yet to come.

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

Composed asf. Doesn't look panicky with ball in hand anymore.

 

[CBombers17]

I've just got this feeling this guy is actually everything he was ever hyped up to be. The best is yet to come.

Same - I recall high praise from Hirdy when we picked him up. Something about him being top 10 pick level if he was Australian.

 

[Vander18]

We are starting to see how good this guy can be. He is the most powerful runner at Essendon (can sustain speed a little longer than Saad) and his kicking is superb.

Can become the most damaging half-back in the comp over next 2-3 years.

 

[Seagrave_Holmes]

His goal kicking on the run is a real weapon, particularly on the 50m arc.

 

[Howard Moon]

first of all well done on making the u22 side, great to se him get a bit of kudos from outside of Essendon..

but I just want to say how much of a freak this guy is, that he doesn't really get recognized for his ability.

Forgetting all the pace and movement and bodywork and everything else, the regulation stuff, I reckon he possesses a skill that not many if any one else has in the AFL. Time and again you'll see him running toward the boundary, or toward a cul de saq of players and you think man, hows he getting out of here? But there will be a little gap, He has this freak ability to kick around the corner, on part of his instep with a regular drop punt that goes straight. Most of all players have to kick the screw punt when they go around corners but he can do it with a normal punt kick. Clearly it comes from kicking the round ball around corners but this is some skill, and he spots up the player almost every time.

Genius.