Half back’s post-AFL horse plan could aid Cats
CONOR McKenna’s desire to set up his post-AFL career in horse training could help the Cats secure the 26-year-old as Brisbane and Port Adelaide also circle the running defender.
The former Essendon 79gamer will return to the AFL next year with those three clubs forming the chasing pack to secure a player who can be taken as a delisted free agent.
McKenna retired at the end of 2020 because of homesickness and has been out of the AFL long enough to be secured without Essendon having ties to him. Port Adelaide has spoken to McKenna over Zoom
and is keen to be a contender with a list spot open for him and a need for a quality running back.
Clubs might have to end up offering a two-year deal for the dashing half-back given the range of interest. Geelong is still working through its list priorities, having secured Jack Bowes, Ollie Henry, Tanner
Bruhn and the No.7 overall pick in a masterful trade period. But McKenna has told clubs his post-football life would involve transitioning into work as a horse trainer.
He contemplated being a jockey until a growth spurt at 14 with his engineer father Pat turning his attention to horse training with eight horses including Ampeson, which raced in one of Ireland’s major races in September. McKenna could link up with a Geelong horse trainer to work part-time while playing to further those ambitions, so the Cats are seen as the strong favourite.
Rivals believe the Cats are in the box seat for McKenna.
But whether they would be prepared to commit to McKenna on a two-year deal or would be keener to secure him on a one-year rookie contract remains to be seen.
At his best McKenna was a dynamic running half-back but he battled in 2020 with homesickness amid a contentious Covid positive that saw him ruled out of football for a fortnight. Last year he won Gaelic football’s All Ireland championship with Tyrone before quitting the side after the most recent season in preparation to play AFL again.
Brisbane has been a keen observer of McKenna in recent seasons after success recruiting Irish talent through list boss Dom Ambrosio.