CONOR McKenna is one of only four Irishmen to win a flag, but by 6pm on Saturday night the County Tyrone product could stand alone as the only multiple premiership player from that part of the world. 

When McKenna chose to return to Australia at the end of 2022, Brisbane beat Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Essendon – which wanted him to return to the Bombers two years after he went home – to his services when it signed him during the pre-season supplemental selection period.

Brisbane list manager Dom Ambrogio went to visit him in Belfast that July, where McKenna picked him up from the airport wearing equestrian boots and a beaming smile.

Everyone played a role. Pro scout Shane Rogers tracked him on GAA GO, the Gaelic Football streaming service, where McKenna won the All-Ireland title he was chasing. Chris Fagan and Danny Daly spoke to him multiple times from afar. Then CEO Greg Swann was involved in the background, helping pave the way for him to get involved in horse training at Eagle Farm Racecourse. 

McKenna played all 26 games in his first season at the Lions, which ended in a four-point Grand Final loss to Collingwood, before winning a flag in 2024. Last year didn't go to plan, but this year McKenna has established himself as a weapon forward of centre. 

The 30-year-old will be one of only two Lions on the ground yet to sign a deal for 2027 – Darcy Fort is the other one – but Brisbane has offered him an extension and wants to keep him. 

McKenna has spent the past few months contemplating how much longer he wants to do this for and is yet to agree to terms, but since returning to Chris Fagan's side he has played the past 20 consecutive games. 

And amongst that block, McKenna has produced the best season of his career – eight of his top 10 highest-rated games according to Champion Data have been in 2026 – predominantly playing as a forward, where he has kicked 24 goals, including multiple goals eight times and a career-high four goals against Collingwood.

That's how he wound up winning Goal of the Year and an extra $50,000 on Brownlow Medal night, for his stunning soccer on the outside of his right foot against the Magpies at the MCG in round 24. 

McKenna kicked another mercurial goal out of nowhere in last Saturday's preliminary final win over Hawthorn from almost the same spot at the Punt Road end. 

Saturday will mark game No.149 for McKenna. Can he become the first two-time premiership player from Ireland? Will he return to become the sixth to play 150 games after Zach Tuohy, Jim Stynes, Tadhg Kennelly, Pearce Hanley and Sean Wight? 

Time will tell. Either way it has been a smart move returning to Australia to take care of some unfinished business in the AFL.