Essendon coach John Worsfold admits he’s “really disappointed” with Conor McKenna after the gun backman played a game of Gaelic football in Ireland without the Bombers’ permission.

McKenna, who’s in Ireland for his off-season break, represented local club Eglish on the weekend – a move Essendon was unaware of.

Worsfold, with tongue in cheek, said the club “certainly didn’t send him back (to Ireland) to play football”. But he added McKenna’s lack of communication was inadequate.

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Finals Week 1

“I was really disappointed when I heard that,” Worsfold told SEN Breakfast on Wednesday morning, “because we know that he’s passionate about his Gaelic footy, he’s passionate about footy, he’s an energetic young man, his personality is so up and about.

“I can imagine them saying: ‘Do you want to have a kick?’ (But) it puts them at risk of an injury, of doing something that’s outside their contract. In effect it puts them at risk of costing themselves a contract, or a lot of money, if they get a serious injury.”

Essendon’s Conor McKenna finished fourth in the club’s 2019 best and fairest count. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia

Worsfold said Bombers football boss Dan Richardson would likely have spoken to McKenna directly or his management.

“I’ve reflected on it and I won’t speak to Conor until he gets back and I will be disappointed that he played and at least didn’t feel like he could have rung and just checked … he might’ve had a compelling argument,” he said.

McKenna is coming off a career-best season for the Bombers where he averaged 21 disposals per game and finished fourth in the club’s best and fairest count.

Worsfold said he’d discuss why the move was risky and not appropriate with McKenna when he returns from Ireland.

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But considering the club’s off-season fitness expectations, Worsfold said McKenna’s decision to play non-contact Gaelic football was a better option than activities like skiing or rugby.

“In terms of physical risks, I’m pretty comfortable he wasn’t putting himself at massive danger,” he said.

“Players at that stage of their off-season are starting to really ramp up and getting ready for full training and they should be running flat out and they should be kicking the ball.

“In terms of doing something out of the ordinary, he certainly didn’t do that.”