Former Essendon speedster Conor McKenna could be on his way back to the AFL.
Reports out of Ireland say McKenna has informed Gaelic side Tyrone of his desire to return to Australia and resume his AFL career in 2023.
Homesick McKenna announced his AFL retirement in September 2020 with a year to run on his contract, playing 79 games for the Bombers across six seasons.
The ex-Bomber returned home to Ireland to help Tyrone win the All-Ireland Championship in 2021.
Brownlow Medallist Nathan Buckley warned potential suitors to do their due diligence on McKenna.
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“What I need to say about the Irish boys – and it’s not all of them and this is tarring them with the brush a little bit – but it’s a little bit like the international BBL guys, how long are you going to be here?” Buckley told SEN Breakfast.
“Because they decide that they’re going to come over for a couple of years … and they do get homesick and then they want to get home because they can play a professional sport over there.
“There is a little bit of picking and choosing that happens – it would be buyer beware for me.
“If Conor McKenna has been here and then gone home and then wants to come back out again, there’s a little bit of in and out that happens with the Irish boys.”
Buckley spoke of his experience of managing Irish footballers during his time as Collingwood coach.
“Mark Keane … Marty Clarke went back but he was actually going through health issues at the time that he needed to get home for, so there are mitigating circumstances in all of these, so I’m not putting a broad brush across,” he said.
“But obviously Jimmy Stynes, Sean Wight … this was a new life that they were coming out for, and they made their life in Australia.
“I still think the world’s a bit smaller and there is a little bit of over and back and I’d want to ask those questions of anyone you were going to recruit from Ireland going forward.”
According to AFL Media, Geelong, Port Adelaide and Brisbane have all been linked to McKenna as he eyes a return to football next year.
