Conor McKenna explains why he played in Gaelic footy match
Irish Bomber Conor McKenna says he is willing to accept the consequences of playing in a Gaelic footy game during his off-season break as he explains why he made the controversial call.
Essendon
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Irish Bomber Conor McKenna says he’s willing to accept the consequences for playing in a Gaelic footy game during his off-season break.
Essendon coach John Worsfold said he was “really disappointed” when he learned McKenna had pulled on the boots for his club team during a trip home to Ireland after the AFL season, kicking a goal and helping the club stave off relegation.
“It puts them (Irish AFL players who play GAA) at risk of an injury, of doing something that’s outside their contract,” Worsfold told SEN.
“In effect, it puts them at high risk of costing themselves a contract or a lot of money if they get a serious injury.”
But McKenna has told Irish newspaper The independent he had no regrets.
“I wouldn’t really be in the position that I am in with the AFL unless it was for (club team Eglish) and for the county,” McKenna said.
“You feel like you owe them and I do owe them everything for what they have done for me. I came home before and sat there and watched them and it’s a very hard thing to do, so I came home and they had a relegation battle and I decided to play.”
McKenna said he hoped Essendon would understand his decision.
“I haven’t really talked to the club much about it, I’ll talk to them when I go back. That was the decision I made so I’ll go back and see what the consequences are.
“They know how much I miss home and how much Gaelic and home mean to me so I think they’ll be pretty understanding.”
The AFL this week announced the return of the International Rules Series after a three-year break. Ireland will host two Tests against Australia in November last year.
The news hasn’t pleased everyone, with Gaelic football great Tomas O Se slamming the decision and demanding AFL clubs pay compensation when they sign Irish players.
The five-time All-Ireland winner claims the return of the series is merely an opportunity for AFL clubs to scout and sign Ireland’s best young players.
O Se, who played against Australia in 2002 and 2005, says Australia is contributing nothing to Gaelic football in return.
“We are an amateur sport, these lads are after falling on the perfect golden goose here,” the former Kerry defender told the RTE GAA podcast.
“It is worth everything to them (Australia) because you can get a Tadhg Kennelly (Sydney), a Jim Stynes (Melbourne), there are so many examples.
“I do not get how we are going over and putting our best on show and allowing them a free pass to come over and pluck our players.”
Given the amateur status of Gaelic football, the lure of a professional career is a tempting one for emerging Irish players.
“We make it far too easy, they (the AFL) contribute nothing to our society or our games, nothing,” O Se said.
“We are dealing with a professional outfit here. Let them fork out.”
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A record 17 Irish players are on AFL lists for next year.
Promising Irish duo Ross McQuillan and Cian McBride will link up with McKenna at Essendon having signed two-year rookie contracts, joining the likes of Mark O’Connor (Geelong), Conor Nash (Hawthorn), Zach Tuohy (Carlton) and Pearce Hanley (Gold Coast) in the AFL ranks.
There are also 18 players from Ireland committed to AFL Women’s teams for 2020.
- with AAP