Conor McKenna's first love was always horses, not AFL
The Brisbane Lions star just won AFL Goal of the Year. He comes from a horse racing family with deep roots in training and racing.
Conor McKenna went into Saturday's Grand Final for Brisbane with the 2024 decider already behind him, but his heart was always divided. The 30-year-old Irishman's grandfather Malachy and father Pat trained horses, and his cousin Liam is a jockey.
McKenna himself owns two racehorses, Cuban Grey and Battle Borne. Conor McKenna dreamed of being a jockey as a teenager but was deemed too heavy for racing.
He won the AFL's Goal of the Year this week. He said the prize money might go toward another horse.
McKenna is already one of Ireland's greatest AFL exports. He helped Tyrone win the All-Ireland football championship in 2021.
He became only the second player after Tadhg Kennelly to win both an All-Ireland and an AFL premiership.
- 30
- Age
- Cuban Grey, Battle Borne
- Racehorses owned
- 2021
- All-Ireland victory year
- Second after Tadhg Kennelly
- Dual champion position
Why it mattersMcKenna's story shows how great athletes can excel across different sports and cultures. It shows how passion for one thing stays with you even when you build a career in another.
AustraliaAn Irish player in the 2026 AFL Grand Final reveals how deeply the sport has woven Irish families into Australian football, and how rare it is to master two sports at the highest level.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 37 min ago
Open this story in InSnip →
