THOSE Irish recruits add something unique to the game. The latest to bring a different perspective to bear is Brisbane Lions recruit Niall McKeever.

It was seven minutes into his eighth game - his first at the MCG - when a 50m penalty brought the tall defender within kicking distance of goal.

He took two deep breaths as he lined up, then five regulation steps before turning sideways as he moved in for three more steps, stuttering forward as though he was racing through an agility ladder before straightening up and kicking through the middle.

His method was a mix between the start of former New Zealand fast bowler Richard Hadlee's run-up and the approach West Coast sharp-shooter Josh Kennedy employed last season. Yep, it was different, a set shot routine that was as unusual to football as Derek Randall shuffling across the crease was to cricket.

McKeever laughed when his unique style was raised. "It's just something that comes pretty naturally to me," he said.

"I'm not sure why I have that run up. It's not something that I do on purpose. It just seems to come out when I kick goals.

"I've been trying to tweak it a bit to change the run up, but as long as I keep on putting it through the sticks, it doesn't bother me too much."

That sounds a bit like the way most of us would explain how we dance if we were asked. But it is effective and, as McKeever said, that is all that matters.

The response from his teammates following the goal indicated McKeever is a popular player and he admitted kicking the goal was a great feeling.

He said strong camaraderie exists at the Lions. "All the boys are pretty close in age."

There is more to McKeever's game, though, than an interesting set-shot kick. He is a strong defender who can pinch-hit in the ruck, and he has taken on some of the game's biggest names in his short career.

Last week, he tried to keep pace with Collingwood's Travis Cloke and soak up the lessons on the way.

"Everyone knows his (Cloke's) bodywork is very, very impressive and he's good on the lead. Collingwood's skills help him out massively and pretty much where he wants to go, they'll kick it, so (I was) learning different ways to counteract that. He is one of the tougher opponents I've played on."

The middle of the MCG is a long way from McKeever's hometown of Portglenone, where he started playing Gaelic football aged six. He arrived at the Lions from County Antrim after representing it at the highest level, an athletic youngster so raw that when he played his first game in Queensland, he handballed the ball to a teammate when taking a kick-out, forcing the umpire to ball it up at the top of the square.

McKeever chuckled at the memory: "The team we were playing against could not believe it," he said. "I don't think they scored from (the bounce) but I think everyone got a good laugh out of it."

From there, he has progressed enough to make his debut against Fremantle in round 14 and impressed in his eight games since. He is athletic and plays with great heart, his skill level improving all the time.

McKeever is a welcome addition to both the Lions and the AFL scene and he has the right approach to make the transition work.

"It's been a massive learning curve," he said.

This article first appeared in the AFL Record