The 28-year-old has swapped the racetrack for the farm this year, learning how to break horses.
"I've seen a few wild moments; young horses, you never know what they're going to do next," the Brisbane Lions import told AAP.
McKenna's teammate Logan Morris can relate.
The teenage forward couldn't believe it when one of McKenna's trademark sharply-angled short kicks landed on his chest, allowing him to waltz into an open goal in Saturday's comeback preliminary final defeat of Geelong.
Conor McKenna has the X-factor to kick around corners. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)
"He didn't see it coming ... even I don't know what I'm going to do, it just comes at the last second," McKenna said of his creative and unconventional ball use borne out of his time in Gaelic football.
McKenna rekindled his love for horses - somewhat of a family business - while back in Ireland after cutting short his first AFL stint with Essendon midway through the COVID-hit 2020 campaign.
He won the All-Ireland title with Tyrone in 2021 and did some horse training on the side, with McKenna now routinely up in the early hours of the morning to watch his charges go around.
Last year he was helping trainer Robert Heathcote at his Brisbane stables and has spent this year on the Gold Coast hinterland.
"I'd never really done that side of it," he said of breaking.
"It's bit hands on, a bit crazy, but really enjoyable.
"It's good for your head; between that and golf you get a lot of that escape."
McKenna is the first to admit his performance has dipped after a brilliant return last season when Brisbane won his signature ahead of a host of suitors.
But the half-back has timed his run nicely.
He's fit again and finding his groove as a handy substitute for coach Chris Fagan at either end of the park.
Conor McKenna has always been capable of the spectacular. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)
McKenna would be the fourth Irish player to win an AFL title, after Geelong's Zach Tuohy and Mark O'Connor in  2022 joined Sydney's Tadhg Kennelly (2005).
But of those three, only Kennelly has won in both countries.
"That would be pretty amazing," McKenna said of joining an elite group.
"But I've only been here two years.
"To get the win for the boys that have been here 10 years, when they were getting wooden spoons, for them it'd be unbelievable."
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