The doctor behind some of the Brisbane Lions’ toughest injury calls — including moments where players’ lives were feared at risk — is making a move.
For more than 30 years, Dr Paul McConnell has balanced life on the sidelines of elite sport with life at home in the Brisbane suburb of Annerley, raising six children with his wife Natalie, renovating relentlessly, and building a home many locals have long admired.
This house at 98 Cracknell Rd, Annerley, is for sale for the first time in three decades.
Dr Paul McConnell with an injured Justin Leppitsch during his time as a doctor for the Brisbane Lions.
Now, the couple is selling their property at 98 Cracknell Road through Place Woolloongabba’s principal James Curtain.
The seven-bedroom home has been the backdrop of family life for the long-serving Brisbane Lions club doctor, whose career has seen him care for some of the game’s biggest names, including former captain Jonathan Brown.
But away from the field, the story of the home is far more personal.
The house has a large back deck with beautiful suburb views.
The kitchen was entirely renovated and is crisp and minimal.
The family bought the property more than three decades ago when Dr McConnell described it as “the worst house on the street”.
“I put my foot through the floor the first time I walked through it,” he said. “It was in pretty rough shape, but we saw what it could become.”
The couple has transformed the home over time, extending, renovating and reworking the space to suit a growing blended family of eight.
“At one stage, everyone was here,” he said. “It was busy, loud, but that’s what made it such a great place to live.”
Dr McConnell brought up his six children in this home.
The property offers seven bedrooms including this one.
As the family grew, so did the home, eventually expanding to seven bedrooms, multiple living zones and a separate guest house.
That guest house took on a life of its own, with young AFL players, including Brisbane Lions draftees, staying there as they transitioned into professional football.
“You’d see them come in pretty fresh, then watch them grow into it,” he said. “That was something we really enjoyed.”
This house at 98 Cracknell Rd, Annerley, is for sale for the first time in three decades.
While Dr McConnell’s career has taken him around the world, including work with the Hockeyroos and as an Olympic doctor for Surfing Australia, the home remained a constant. Mr Curtain said the property stood out not just for its scale, but how it had evolved over time. “This is a home that’s been properly lived in and built around a family,” Mr Curtain said.
“It’s been held for a long time, expanded as life changed, and that’s something buyers really connect with because you can’t replicate that overnight.
“With the size of the home, the separate guest house and the history behind it, we’re expecting strong interest from families looking for something with real substance.”
The home is in immaculate condition and sits on a large, elevated block.
More recently, it’s also been central to family life with their granddaughter, Evie, who lives with them and shares their passion for horses.
Now, with all the children grown and a new chapter calling, the couple is preparing for a move to acreage.
They have secured a 10-acre property where they plan to build a private equestrian setup, complete with stables and a riding arena, for their granddaughter.
The Annerley property goes to auction on-site at 11am on May 16.
Doctor Paul McConnell at training with former Brisbane Lions captain Jonathan Brown.
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