Article in FOX reveals the back story about how Dan Jordan and Conor got together and managed to get Ray back to learn to play half back in our VFL team. Ray already had 2 years of development at St Kilda, but stagnated there playing in a position he is not suited to.
The article is on the Fox Sports website. Its a good read.
Do we not have a rookie spot available for him?
Seems strange to bring him all the way back to Australia to develop him in the VFL and if he excels he’s available to all sides.
Well we now have a rookie b option, or is he not able to be put on there anymore?
Great article- thanks for posting. Hope we can sign him on sooner rather than later! (Can we add a rookie before the season starts- or during it?)
You forgot the new Mid year Draft.
We can have a good close look and grab him then if he’s really showing something.
He’d have to nominate I assume, which given his St Kilda experience he’d only do if we gave him the nod.
Otherwise he & we can just give it twelve months, see what happens, and Conor will be happy to have another bloke round the club who can actually understand him.
No, he’s been on an AFL list in the past 3 years. (Or close enough)
I think we asked Rob Harding about mid year rookie at the BBQ and he poured cold water on it but others may recall better like @nackers or @MattPocock18
I think that’s only open if you have an open list spot (we don’t) or have a season ending LTI
My understanding is it’s for Cat A rookies only, we’re full up on those, unless we get a long term injury.
I’d say that’s why he didn’t really mention it.
I’m surprised that Saints didn’t give Connellan another year. I saw one of his VFL games and he was pretty good and it’s not like they are drowning in talent. Hopefully they’ll live to regret it.
Halfway through 2017 (McKenna’s 3rd year) there were still plenty of people on here who thought McKenna had no chance of making it.
Maybe the st Kilda coaches are as short sighted as them*.
After a year in the vfl we can still sign him as a delisted free agent
Ok, that makes sense.
Well worth a shot then.
With Hind now gone the addition of Connellan and Ham will be important.
Got designs on him as Conor Mac 2.0 sounds like.
Hopefully he’s ready by the time Conors ready to full time Mid. 
It’ll be interesting whether we play him forward or shift him down back where Irish boys tend to look more comfortable.
If we have hole anywhere in our presumptive round 1 VFL team it is probably a linebreaking HBF, especially with Hind gone. Going by the reports long has also been spending time with the backline in training.
As to why he’d come back to Melbourne for a VFL spot, isn’t Gaelic strictly amateur so players get no €€?
Gaelic football is amateur but the players still make money via sponsorship and endorsements.
Obviously it’s not as lucrative as here but the best players do get something.
Do we?
Ham will likely slot in back there. And Long is quickish.
can’t we just category rookie b him? not like he actually played footy at the saints.
I think the chances of McKenna moving to midfield are slim now. We’ve got too many other good mids now and we need him in defence