"He's a terrific bloke and I tell you what, he's a sneaky good footballer too," he told AAP.
"I love those dinky Gaelic kicks and his run and carry; he's great to watch."
It may as well have been one of McKenna's coaches talking.
The Irish recruit's sublime season after two years back home playing Gaelic football has been hailed as "remarkable" by Lions football boss Danny Daly.
He'll play his 100th game on Saturday against Adelaide, a milestone that appeared far-fetched when a homesick McKenna left the country after six seasons with Essendon in 2020.
The defender has played all 20 games for Brisbane and been a "breath of fresh air" in a Lions back six that's pushed the club's premiership credentials up a notch.
McKenna was in talks with Port Adelaide, Geelong, St Kilda and the Bombers before deciding on Brisbane, where he felt they could win a flag.
But this is where Heathcote comes into it, he wanted to be around horses too.
McKenna bought and trained several when he moved home, something his father and grandfather had done before him.
The Lions' property manager also works for Heathcote, who boasts retired champion Buffering among his many stars.
The 27-year-old is trackside before dawn whenever possible to help Heathcote in the stables.
"I like it so much when he walks in here and you can see the enjoyment and the passion he has for being at the coalface," Heathcote said.
McKenna, who made no secret of his disdain for Melbourne's football bubble when he left the Bombers, said the stables were his sanctuary.
"Down there at 5am in the morning for a couple of hours with Rob ... I just love horses; being around them gives you a break from football.
"It's (training) something I will look at doing when I go back home."
McKenna signed a one-year deal with Brisbane, Daly confirming the club was in talks with his management to extend that.
"He wanted to give it a year to see if he loved it again," Daly said.
The club is confident he does, Daly admitting his immediate impact surprised them all.
"He's been a breath of fresh air down the back," he said.
"Considering he's had two years away playing a different sport and come back and done what he's done, it's pretty phenomenal in a top-four team."
McKenna won an All-Ireland Championship with Tyrone while he was home, where he played as a star forward and admitted he rarely went to the gym.
The Lions floated the idea of a role up-front but McKenna was keen to make his mark in Brisbane's back six with his trademark dash and dare.
"I was pretty bullish; I wanted to play as many games as possible, all if I could," he said.
"That was the challenge, to come into a good side in Brisbane and try to get a position, but it's paid off so far."
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