Over the past couple of years, Irish exports to the AFL have found it somewhat difficult to make the ultimate breakthrough to becoming established senior players down under. Pearce Hanley and Zach Tuohy are still flying the flag but, since 2008, Irish players have seen that the conversion from young GAA star to AFL regular is not an easy one.
Clubs in Australia are nonetheless more than willing to give GAA players a chance and former Tyrone minor star, Conor McKenna, will become the latest Irishman to make a senior AFL debut after his club Essendon took the long way round to announce his first start.
It started with a highly debatable selection for the best Bond.
Still the best James Bond. pic.twitter.com/zjG8OWrJD9
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) August 26, 2015
Then they went to U2.
What a great band. pic.twitter.com/8gXbtMwVtU
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) August 26, 2015
A fine looking field.
Looks like a pretty nice place. pic.twitter.com/VjFXgZjDAA
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) August 26, 2015
Then they retweeted this and people were starting to see what was going on.
They gave Irish emigrants down under some seriously nasty flashbacks of studying for Junior cert Irish.
Might need a few more of these around the club. pic.twitter.com/Wm6VOljZev
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) August 26, 2015
And eventually, they broke the news with a lovely video that shows the 19 year old looking rather proud, and shy, about his breakthrough.
The moment that @CMcKenna7 found out that he would be playing this weekend. #DonTheSashhttps://t.co/7JCM7Arrnt
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) August 26, 2015
McKenna's first appearance will come against Richmond on Saturday night having progressed through the club's development squad since joining at the end of 2014.
Development coach Paul Corrigan told the club's website just how well deserved the breakthrough is.
It’s great reward for the hard work he’s put in. He's obviously crammed a lot in the time that he's been here. He does more sessions than anyone else, he never misses a beat.
With two rounds of the regular season remaining, Essendon's chances of reaching the AFL finals have long since disappeared. However, that may be the perfect scenario for McKenna to impress in the last few games of the season and kick on in a big way next year.
Thanks to Kevin Duster McGuane and Shane Kelly for passing this on.
