Just five days out from the Brisbane Lions do or die elimination final at the Gabba against Carlton, Conor McKenna is strapping himself in for the biggest lap of his 2024 AFL rollercoaster ride.
The Tyrone Sam Maguire winner has only played in 14 of Brisbane’s 23 regular season matches this season after breaking down with two hamstring injuries in pre-season and again in round two following by being dropped in round twenty after losing form.
McKenna regained his swagger in the reserves in recent weeks and produced a solid four quarter effort in the Lions 87-67 victory over Essendon at the Gabba in their final match of the home and away season, but uncertainty remains over his involvement at the business end of the season.
At his best, the Eglish speedster is a damaging half-back with the ability to turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye, but after signing a two-year contract extension which ties him to Brisbane until the end of the 2025 season, McKenna’s AFL future could come under scrutiny if he is left out of Brisbane’s team on Saturday night.
The Lions led last year’s Grand Final against Collingwood by two points with just five minutes remaining but were eventually beaten 90-86 in one of the most thrilling season deciders in memory.
Fast forward to this year, and Brisbane’s finals hopes appeared to be all but over with the Lions struggling in 13th spot at the midway point of the season, but a sensational run of nine consecutive wins had them installed as premiership favourites by some respected pundits until late season defeats to Callum Brown’s Greater Western Sydney Giants and Collingwood cost them a top four spot.
Brisbane will now have to win four consecutive matches to win their first premiership for over two decades. Only two sides have climbed that mountain after finishing outside the top four since 1997.
“There is an old saying, that if you are walking on thin ice you may as well dance,” Lions coach Chris Fagan said.
“I told the players that if we are going to go down this year, we have got to go down giving it everything and, having some fun.”
With Glen manager Malachy O’Rourke installed as the early favourite to succeed All-Ireland winners Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan as Tyrone boss, McKenna’s potential return, could herald an exciting new era for Red Hands fans.
