Steve O'Connor (scholarship player)

[Lady Lawrence]

over to you - danielcanberra

[danielcanberra]

http://www.eastcoasteagles.com.au/news2/images/OConnor%20Steve.JPG

Lions sign scholarship player
12:11:00 PM Thu 4 January, 2007
lions.com.au

Steve O’Connor has taken a step towards achieving his dream of playing AFL football. He recently signed a one-year contract with the Brisbane Lions as the Club’s first ever NSW AFL Scholarship player.

The AFL Scholarship Program was designed this year to attract young athletes from the New South Wales region to Australian Rules football by providing them with a direct path to the elite AFL competition.

As part of the program, each AFL club must select at least one player (maximum of two) for a football scholarship. To be eligible, players must be aged between 15 and 17 and have been living in the New South Wales Region for a minimum of three years.

O’Connor, 17, came to the Lions attention following a string of impressive performances with the East Coast Eagles in the Sydney league. With a strong basketball, cricket and rugby background, it took O’Connor’s father to convince him to pursue an AFL career.

He began playing Australian Rules as a 15 year-old with the Baulkham Hills Falcons where his father encouraged his development with a $20 incentive for each goal he scored throughout the season. Playing as a tall forward, O’Connor was the Club’s second highest scorer for the season with 40 goals and was honoured with the Most Improved Player award. His father’s incentives were subsequently revised down in later years.

O’Connor became a member of the Redbacks U/16 development team in his second season where he moved to the backline as his coach felt that his height and build lent itself to the full-back position.

In June 2006, O’Connor had his first taste of senior football when he was elevated to the East Coast Eagles senior line-up having played the majority of the season in the reserves. He kicked three goals playing up forward in an impressive senior debut.

At 194cm and 87kg, O’Connor has displayed great versatility by playing in a number of roles throughout his short football career and may present an exciting key position prospect for the Lions in the future.

O’Connor will continue playing in the local NSW league this year and his progress will be closely monitored by the Lions recruiting team.

The Lions can choose to upgrade O’Connor to the Club’s Senior or Rookie list at the end of this year when he reaches the eligible draft age.

Through the AFL Scholarship Program, the AFL talent program in NSW/ACT is hoping to contribute 10% of the National Talent Pool by 2010.
http://lions.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=311241

If I get to one of the local games during one of my rare trips to Sydney, I'll report back.

http://www.eastcoasteagles.com.au/

[danielcanberra]

Quigley, I'll let you know as soon as I find out the fixture. I know a few players in the NSW/ACT league.

[danielcanberra]

Quigley, the fixture is up in the East Coast Eagles website.

[Quigley]

Thanks Dan I will take a look and try and pick a game to get along and see earlyish in the season and report back.

Edit: Just having a look at the draw I might try and get down to the round 1 match. It is walking distance from my place which might makes things a bit more convenient than I was anticipating.:D

[POBT]

An integral part of the Brisbane Lions set-up.

[TheBrownDog]

An integral part of the Brisbane Lions set-up.

Just missed out on the co-captaincy as far as I know.

[ZoBlitz]

An integral part of the Brisbane Lions set-up.

The next Jesse Smith.

[blynd_freddie]

http://www.eastcoasteagles.com.au/news2/images/OConnor Steve 1.jpg

Link (http://www.eastcoasteagles.com.au/content.asp?cat=0&dismode=article&foobar=592&artid=600)

Stephen O'Connor visits the Brisbane Lions ...
East Coast youngster Stephen O’Connor, a Scholarship listed player with the Brisbane Lions, was recently a guest of that Club at their Induction day for the Rookies and their families.
The following is an account of Steve’s trip to Brisbane as seen by those closest to him!!
The day started at 9.00amin the Boardroom with theCEOMichaelBowerswelcoming everybody with thefocus mainly on the families being assured that their sons’ welfare and future was being looked after by the club, although there was a long road to travel.

All of the families who were present, but excluding the Rookies themselves, were shown around the workings of the club and introduced to the variousassistant coaches,physios’, trainers, conditioners,dieticians and otherfacilities.In this aspect Stephen was lucky to see for himself, without the other boys being there, in almost a one on one situation. It was impressive to say the least.

From about 10.30am each of the heads of the respective operations above spoke to the group as a whole with an overview of the upcoming season on how matters are managed.Leigh Matthews concluded the session with his view on the intakeof Rookies and how they have prepared for that night’s Inter Club match.

At 4.00pm Stephen arrived at the ground where the match was being held and after changing to training gear he was giveapprox30mins to 40mins coaching with Shaun Rehn. The session touched on positional play and ruck work.A great night and a good opportunity for Steve.

The following day we attended the homeof the Reserve Grade coach along with the entire Brisbane playing group and the coaching staff. We were very much welcomed by all.After chatting to the players, present and past, Stephen went up to Leigh Matthews and introduced himself as the Scholarship player and caught us bysurprise. I don’t think this did any harm tohis long term prospects and he was received well by Leigh.

Allthe peoplewe spoke toowere told thatStephen was an East Coast Eagles’ player and they showedgenuineinterest in his involvement with the Scholarship and his Club in Sydney

Round 1 v Balmain Dockers at Drummoyne will become the “Eastern Derby” to reflect the infamous matches between West Coast and Fremantle. This match is on Saturday April 14th and later that same evening at Subiaco, the Western Derby takes place between the Eagles and the Dockers.



Quigley, I think I ask on behalf of all of us... Please tell us Steve plays with either #12 or #13 on his back.:p

[Quigley]

Sorry guys I was away for the weekend and couldn't get to the game. I am going to try and get to the round 4 match against Sydney Uni (May 5).

At the moment I am going to try and get to 4 matches over the course of the year and report how he is going. Looking at the draw rounds 4, 7, 11 and 15 look like they might suit me best. I will also try and get out to the Div 2 National Champs and have a look at the young guys running around and hopefully Steve will be playing.

[konstas_87]

Just missed out on the co-captaincy as far as I know.

never going to get sick of that joke :D

[irel]

Steve O'Connor was not selected in the NSW/ACT Rams team that played Calder Cannons on Sat (5-May).
Taylor Walker, (Adelaide) Craig Bird, Ranga Ediriwickrama (Hawthorn) had an outstanding game.

http://taccup.footballvic.com.au/?s=results

[Quigley]

I was going to go to the East Coast game on the weekend against Sydney Uni and was checking the time of the game on the day and realised that he was playing in the reserves at that time.

Had a check out of the results and nothing much to go by to date. He has played in all 4 rounds in the reserves but has only been in the best once and that was this weekend just past.

I will try and get to the game against North Shore on May 26 at Henson Park and see him in person.

Irel are the scholarship players able to be selected for NSW for the National Champs? I am going to try and get to the first round games on June 23 and it would be good to get a look at a few of the scholarship players if they are playing.

[irel]

Irel are the scholarship players able to be selected for NSW for the National Champs? I am going to try and get to the first round games on June 23 and it would be good to get a look at a few of the scholarship players if they are playing.I believe so. I'll look forward to your report when you see him. Strange that we would give a scholarship to a guy who is playing reserves in a league that is considered of low standard. Steve has not even been selected in the representative side. Someone must have seen something in the young fellow. I wish him well. Hope he makes it.

[POBT]

Someone must have seen something in the young fellow.

He's young and tall. I reckon that's about all they would have looked at!

[BigCat2]

He's young and tall. I reckon that's about all they would have looked at!

I'm tall(ish), and were I 17 years old again, maybe I'd get a scholarship. :D

[Grimreepah]

What happens to Steve now?

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4870/steveoconnorsk2.jpg

[Warwick]

Well he did play for the East Coast Eagles - perhaps he is our bargaining tool to get Judd.

[Lace Out]

I checked the ECE's game results a few weeks ago.I think he was named in the best only once but no idea how many games he had played.

[danielcanberra]

I wonder what happened to Steve O'Connor.

Looks like he didn't get fast-tracked to the senior or rookie list this time.