Welcome indeed.
Looks to have natural gifts about him.
Give him Number 30.
any footage?
Hope he is half as good as Hanley!!!
Exciting Irishman joins Essendon
October 3, 2014 12:03 PM
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Essendon Football Club is delighted to announce Conor McKenna will join the Bombers as a rookie listed player under the club's Alternative Talent Program.
The exciting Irish prospect has accepted a two-year contract with Essendon and will be the second player to be placed on the club‘s Rookie B List, following Johnny Rayner‘s appointment last year.
McKenna qualifies as a Rookie B as he has not been registered in an Australian football competition for the past three years.
The 18-year-old was a star Gaelic football player from the county of Tyrone, Northern Ireland and was identified for his talents last year. In his first AFL game in a combined Irish/Australian squad, the quick and agile 184cm midfielder kicked four goals and was almost best afield.
List Manager Adrian Dodoro said McKenna‘s raw talent was an exciting prospect for the club.
“We are thrilled Conor has taken the opportunity to join the Essendon Football Club under our Alternative Talent Program,†Dodoro said.
“We were one of two clubs to attend the Irish Combine in December last year, and we were immediately impressed with Conor‘s talents. He has exceptional speed and endurance and he has a strong desire to become a professional footballer.
“His athletic profile is elite and while there is a long way to go, we really feel that Conor has the attributes to become a successful AFL player.â€
Essendon Football Club would like to acknowledge Kevin Sheehan, Tadhg Kennelly and Michael Ablett for assisting the club in this process.
Hope he has some mongrel about him!
He's Irish.. He'll be a total maniac!
PS - That video is sensational.
Sack Quinn!
His game for the European Legion against the AIS Academy earlier in the year is on youtube for those super keen. The full game though, not highlights (Q1 below).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IfExrGFfUQ
McKenna: "The last two weeks have been flat out, Essendon have been great since the start."
Dodoro: "This has been a 12 month project to get him to the club, and he has had no hesitation to join us."
Dodoro: "His skills for someone who hasn't touched the ball before are amazing. It's natural talent."
McKenna: "I think my greatest strengths are my agility and fitness."
McKenna: "I like the sun here. It's a nice change from Ireland."
I like the cut of his jib.
I’m just rapt someone chose our club. Welcome to Essendon Connor!
'He has exceptional speed and endurance '
Very good.
Welcome to Essendon Connor.
Probably the best Irishman ever just signed on with the Bombers.
Go Dons.
I like it. At least some positive news, hopefully he can really spark things up at training with his athleticism and push for selection at some point.
Re that Gaelic highlights of him, just want to be devil's advocate for a minute, but wasn't Tom Walsh a gun at that but totally sucked at AFL??
Anyone have an AFL highlights reel of him?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IfExrGFfUQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcN8Hgpypp0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmmOdpU9Llc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIbZLl2qrEc
Best i could do you mate
Speed and lots of it.....did very well in trials.
I was hoping we would get him!! awesome
Hey, welcome to EFC Conor.
My first prediction regarding your career, is that a whole bunch of people are going to continually spell your name wrong.