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Conor McKenna

Conor McKenna (born 28 March 1996) is a Northern Irish Gaelic football and Australian rules football player. He currently plays professional Australian rules football for Brisbane Lions in the AFL. McKenna previously played Australian rules football for Essendon in the Australian Football League (AFL) and Gaelic football for Eglish St Patrick's and Tyrone. He won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship for Tyrone in 2021 and the AFL Premiership playing for Brisbane in 2024, becoming only the second player to do so after Tadhg Kennelly.

Conor McKenna
McKenna playing for Essendon in August 2018
Personal information
Full name Conor McKenna
Date of birth (1996-03-28) 28 March 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth County Tyrone, Ireland
Original team(s) Eglish (club)/Tyrone (underage, county team)
Draft No. 62, 2014 rookie draft
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 88 kg (194 lb)
Position(s) Half-back flank
Club information
Current club Brisbane Lions
Number 26
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2015–2020 Essendon 79 (20)
2023– Brisbane Lions 44 (7)
Total 123 (27)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Career

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Tyrone (Gaelic)

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McKenna was born in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and grew up in the village of Benburb near Dungannon. There he played Gaelic football for Eglish St Patrick's and the Tyrone county team (minor level).[1] He played a starring role in Tyrone's run to the 2012 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Final.[2]

Essendon (AFL)

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In December 2013, 18-year-old McKenna attracted interest from several AFL clubs when he was spotted at a talent combine in Ireland.[3] Ten months later, on 3 October 2014, Essendon secured McKenna to a two-year deal as a Category B rookie.[3][4] McKenna made his AFL debut against Richmond at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round 22, 2015,[5] and kicked a goal with his first kick.[6] McKenna re-signed with Essendon at the end of 2017 with a new four-year contract.[7]

On 20 June 2020, McKenna tested positive for COVID-19. This resulted in the postponement of the match scheduled for the following day between Essendon and Melbourne.[8] One other player was quarantined due to close contact during training. McKenna had another COVID-19 test on 22 June which was confirmed as negative in the evening of 23 June. He remained in quarantine pending a further test later in the week.[9] During this time McKenna was subjected to an intense trial by media, abuse on social media and became a public villain in the country, treatment which provoked much criticism.[10][11] Geelong footballer Zach Tuohy described the official and media abuse directed at McKenna as "disgraceful" and "outrageous".[12] In Ireland, it was also suggested "stars of the future that may being [sic] tempted to pursue a life in the AFL Down Under, may reconsider".[13]

On 8 September 2020, McKenna announced his retirement and return to Ireland after 79 games played.[14] Though he had a contract until 2021, McKenna parted on good terms with the club, its representatives and supporters, stating: "I will always be grateful for Essendon's support of both myself and my family since I arrived at the club from the other side of the world at the end of 2014. I will miss my teammates and coaches and I want to thank the Bomber fans for their support across the journey too. I will always wish the boys well and hope they see success in the not too distant future".[15] McKenna told the local ABC outlet that "the way the media works in Melbourne there doesn't seem to be [repercussions]. There's just a free-for-all to say whatever you want. If there are no repercussions, they'll just continue to do that and treat players like a piece of meat".[16] After returning home and resuming his Gaelic football career,[17] he told the Irish Examiner: "I think [the media] it's a very negative thing over there… No matter if it's true, they want to be the first person to say it, no matter what it is", but described an apology as not "something that I was looking for... it didn't make much difference at that stage".[18]

Return to Tyrone (Gaelic)

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The following month, McKenna made his first start for Tyrone against Donegal as the 2020 National Football League resumed after a long suspension caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games. Donegal defender Stephen McMenamin fouled McKenna to concede a penalty in that game but Donegal won by four.[19] In his second game McKenna scored two goals that helped relegate Mayo, in what was that county's first time to be knocked out of the top flight in 23 years.[20]

McKenna scored two goals in the 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final defeat of Kerry.[21] When Tyrone then defeated Mayo in the 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, McKenna became the fourth former AFL player to win the Sam Maguire Cup (and the first since Tadhg Kennelly in 2009).[22]

Brisbane Lions (AFL)

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McKenna confirmed his intention to resume his AFL career in 2023, signing with the Brisbane Lions ahead of the 2023 AFL season.[23] McKenna made his Brisbane debut against Port Adelaide in Round 1, kicking one goal and racking up 20 disposals in a 54-point defeat. He went on to play in the 2023 AFL Grand Final loss to Collingwood.

McKenna was part of the Brisbane Lions 2024 premiership winning team, starting the match as the substitute in a 60 point victory over the Sydney Swans.[24]

Statistics

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Statistics are correct to the end of 2024[25]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
  #  
 Played in that season's 
premiership team
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2015 Essendon 45 2 2 3 13 9 22 7 3 1.0 1.5 6.5 4.5 11.0 3.5 1.5
2016 Essendon 45 12 3 3 102 65 167 41 21 0.3 0.3 8.5 5.4 13.9 3.4 1.8
2017 Essendon 45 19 5 1 207 115 322 69 29 0.3 0.1 10.9 6.1 16.9 3.6 1.5
2018 Essendon 45 18 7 4 213 109 322 57 30 0.4 0.2 11.8 6.1 17.9 3.2 1.7
2019 Essendon 45 22 2 1 316 144 460 58 34 0.1 0.0 14.4 6.5 20.9 2.6 1.5
2020[a] Essendon 45 6 1 0 55 25 80 18 10 0.2 0.0 9.2 4.1 13.3 3.0 1.7
2023 Brisbane Lions 26 26 7 5 358 81 439 95 38 0.3 0.2 13.8 3.1 16.9 3.7 1.5
2024# Brisbane Lions 26 18 0 2 202 32 234 77 10 0.0 0.1 11.2 1.8 13.0 4.3 0.6
Career 123 27 19 1465 581 2046 422 175 0.2 0.2 11.9 4.7 16.6 3.4 1.4

Notes

  1. ^ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours and achievements

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Team

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Tyrone man Conor McKenna to make Aussie Rules debut". BBC Sport. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  2. ^ O'Toole, Jack (14 June 2017). "'He's got some real talent' — Aussie Rules star on Conor McKenna's rise in the AFL and his peculiar diet". Irish Independent. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b King, Travis (3 October 2014). "Essendon wins race to sign Gaelic football star". Australian Football League. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  4. ^ Mannix, Liam (3 October 2014). "Conor McKenna may yet be the pick of the Irish says AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan". The Age. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  5. ^ Nicholson, Larissa (26 August 2015). "Irishman Conor McKenna to play for Essendon in AFL". The Age. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  6. ^ Twomey, Callum (29 August 2015). "Tigers down feisty Dons in scrappy contest". Australian Football League. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  7. ^ McGowan, Marc (13 September 2017). "Irish jet signs long-term deal with Dons". Australian Football League. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  8. ^ Cleary, Mitch (20 June 2020). "Dons-Dees postponed after Bomber tests positive". Australian Football League. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  9. ^ Niall, Jake; Cherny, Daniel (23 June 2020). "Essendon's McKenna now tests negative". The Age. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  10. ^ Mahoney, Donny (23 June 2020). "The Treatment Of Conor McKenna In Australia Has Been A Disgrace". Balls.ie. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  11. ^ O'Dea, Arthur James (26 June 2020). "AFL greats criticise Australian media for 'criminal' treatment of McKenna". Off the Ball. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  12. ^ O'Riordan, Ian (21 July 2020). "Zach Tuohy: Treatment of Conor McKenna was 'absolutely outrageous'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  13. ^ Carvill, Cahal (10 July 2020). "Disgusting treatment of Conor McKenna". Gaelic Life. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  14. ^ Twomey, Callum (8 September 2020). "Essendon Speedster Shocks Teammates With Retirement Announcement". Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  15. ^ Browne, P. J. (8 September 2020). "Tyrone's Conor McKenna Announces Immediate Aussie Rules Retirement". Balls.ie. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  16. ^ Hinds, Richard (10 September 2020). "Conor McKenna's criticism of Melbourne's AFL media puts its integrity under the spotlight". ABC. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  17. ^ Lawlor, Damian (8 September 2020). "Conor McKenna to link up with Tyrone panel after AFL farewell". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  18. ^ Fogarty, John (27 October 2020). "Conor McKenna happy to be home after experience with 'very negative' AFL media". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  19. ^ McNulty, Chris (18 October 2020). "Allianz FL D1: Donegal defeat Tyrone". Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  20. ^ Gannon, Colm (25 October 2020). "Mayo relegated to Division 2 for the first time in 23 years by Tyrone defeat". The42.ie. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  21. ^ "Tyrone stun misfiring Kerry to reach All-Ireland final". RTÉ. 28 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Something from the weekend: Lucky 13, Irish in the AFL and McKenna and Dooher join exclusive clubs". 13 September 2021.
  23. ^ "McKenna's return to land Down Under confirmed". Hogan Stand. 19 November 2022.
  24. ^ "Lion Kings: Fagan's heroes thrash Swans in GF shock". AFL. 28 September 2024.
  25. ^ "Conor McKenna". AFL Tables. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
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