EXCITING Irish prospect Conor McKenna is undergoing a rigorous football education after joining Essendon as a category B rookie in October.
Recruited from county Tyrone in northern Ireland, McKenna had clubs queuing for his signature based on his athletic talents, but learning the intricacies of the game was always going to be his first challenge.
Is in his fifth week with the Bombers, McKenna hasn't wasted an opportunity to speak with coaches or teammates whenever he can to build his knowledge of the game and complement his physical attributes.
"It might be 10 minutes here or 10 minutes there, but they all add up," McKenna told AFL.com.au.
"It's just good having people explain things to me in more detail, because that's what I need coming from another sport.
"I've got some good development coaches who work with me in the morning and the afternoon, so hopefully it will be a fast-tracking process and I'll get a game soon enough."
McKenna got a number of clubs excited about his potential when he represented AFL Europe against the AIS-AFL Academy team in London earlier this year.
Booting four goals in a best-on-ground performance against some of Australia's leading young footballers, McKenna's path to the AFL was set.
As exciting as the 18-year-old was that day, his kicking needed work and looking back on vision from that match now he can see significant improvement.
"It's come on a lot, so it's good to see that progress going on," he said.
"For me it's about getting the right technique with my kicking and fast disposal, because in this game you only get two or three seconds and then you have to get the ball away.
"So using the ball under pressure is really important."
McKenna has worked closely with the Dons’ head of development Mark Neeld on his kicking and game understanding, and a lot of his spare time is spent watching matches.
"I just try and pick up wee things, and see what I can learn from players," he said.
"I've heard a lot about (Brisbane Lions defender) Pearce Hanley and he was very good last year.
"From home I didn't really get to see a lot of the games, but now that I'm here you can see how good he is."
Described as a natural half-forward by list manager Adrian Dodoro, McKenna could yet follow Hanley into a half-back role early in his career.
The club has long-term hopes for him as a midfielder, but McKenna suspected he might be most comfortable behind the ball initially.
"That's where most Irish players prefer to play because they're coming from behind the ball," he said.
"It's easier from there to watch the game unfold and make your runs, but wherever I am I'll do the best job I can."
