#45 Conor McKenna - the first six years

That’s is actually a very good idea.

As long as they are mates.

THE moment for me last night with Irish was in front of me on centre wing.

Irish had run to space and he had to sit under an average kick whilst his opponent closed the gap.

He played on from a dead start and I thought 100% he was going to get swallowed up because his opponent was at full pace and about 5 metres away.

And Coner just put the afterburners on and burnt him off.

I was godsmacked.

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Great game and his improvement allows us to tackle the best mid on the market at draft time.

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Zer O’touches

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This game was always coming, he needed a solid run of games in the firsts to make it all click. But even so, what a delight to see this kid suddenly realise he can weave around blokes and burn them off. He had no right to get clear in some of those situations, the opposition were right with him as he got the ball and he just bolted.

Walla, Raz, Conor - man, the excitement this team can create is something else right now.

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When does he win his first AA, 2018 or 19?

Honour Conor overlap

I said this a few weeks ago. He has the same build, is as quick and as strong as Dangerfield. Not a goal kicking mid like him obviously but has all his other attributes. Will only get better

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Worsfold to the media this week:
“We’re looking for a fast half back with elite kicking skills”

Worsfold in his office later that day:

“Lol, there he is, number 45, and we got him for faaaark all suckers!!!”

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Right now he’s the player I most enjoy watching, especially at Etihad.

Quote of the night from the Ch 7 commentary team (Richo)…McKenna from Tyrone in Northern England

What a dumbass

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McKenna making it is vital IMO and makes a huge difference to list management. The back pockets/ hbfs is still an issue we should be targeting in the draft/ trade FA periods though.

Right now we have a backline group that is settled.
Along with our 2 KPD we have the following as our main go to group of 4 flankers:

Kelly
Baguley
McGrath
McKenna

But the backline will potentially lose Kelly (retirement) and McGrath (midfield) as soon as next year. Baguley also just turned 30 so a replacement will need to be found in a couple seasons time. We have some OK depth in Gleeson and Dea but I don’t see them as more than ‘4th/5th stringers’. McNeice is an unknown that was passed over by all clubs in both drafts last year. Francis I expect will be huge for us but still seems a fair way off. We need A/B graders filling our flanks.

That is why I still support targeting Jones and particularly JJ despite his disposal criticism…he is still one of the best hbf in the game! We need another 3 quality backline recruits in the next 2 offseasons to keep it a strength. McKenna not making it just makes it another player we have to find.

Ideal 2018 backline core

Baguley - KPD - Francis
McKenna - KPD - Johannisen

5th-6th-7th backline/midfield rotations - Jones, McGrath, Gleeson.

Then you still need another recruit in the wings to replace Baguley in 2020 or if Francis doesn’t become what we hoped.

It was darc.

I was wrong about this bloke. Can play.

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So… it was Moons?

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There were a few teams keen to nab him as an international rookie IIRC. Games like this show you why.

Glad he’s ours.

Never understood why anyone would want an unstable one.

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After the rest of the commentary team were calling him “the Irishman” all night.

Think they said it was 600 and something or even possibly even 800 and something!

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He had many teams asking for him to join them. He was one of the best Irish Gaelic players that came out and played against the u18 (?) All Australian team. In the end he chose us. Wrapt!

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