Delisted Zachary O'Brien (2013-2015)

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Apr 3, 2012
58,140
66,407
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
PICK 23 2013 Rookie Draft
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Position: Midfielder
Height: 180cm
Weight: 80kg
Born: 27/10/90
Home club: Essendon Bombers

The inside word
A mature-aged midfielder, O'Brien plied his trade for the Essendon VFL team last season after coming from Yarrawonga and Aberfeldie. Turning 23 a month before the draft, O'Brien has forged a reputation as a workaholic midfielder who is hard at the contest. A 14.3 beep test at the state combine is testament to his endurance. He also boasts clean hands and makes smart decisions with the ball.


Video:
http://www.afl.com.au/video?guid=592134
 
Just watched his highlights package (sorry, no idea how to post that stuff here) he looks very good. Mature age, great above his head and pretty clean with the ball. Good one.:thumbsu:
 
From Rovers to Brisbane Lions
November 27, 2013
Jeremy Wilson

FORMER Wangaratta Rovers youngster Zac O’Brien looks set to finally realise his AFL dream after being picked up by Brisbane Lions in today’s AFL rookie draft.

Essendon and Gold Coast also spoke with O’Brien prior to the draft period but it was the Lions that pounced on O’Brien, who enjoyed a strong season with the Bombers’ VFL team.

“I’m really excited,” he said.

“It’s the best day of my life for sure.

“I was just in at work and tracking it on the computer and then it came up – number 23 Zac O’Brien.

“I am truly ecstatic.

“It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours but I can’t wait.”
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Wonder if we could turn him into a player similar to Moloney.
 
From Supercoach Paige http://www.scpaige.com.au/2013-rookie-draft-verdict/#more-6675



Zach O’Brien

Club: Essendon VFL
D.O.B: 27.10.1990
Height: 180cm
Weight: 80kgs
Position: Midfielder

Going down the mature-age line, Zach O’Brien will really add to the depth of the Lions, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him elevated throughout the year. O’Brien is as strong as an Ox. He runs a big 14.3 beep test, really underlining the midfielders endurance and work ethic. With the ball in hand, O’Brien is reliable, clean and rarely wastes his disposal. In his 11 senior VFL games this year for Essendon, he was named in the best on six occasions, four of which came against finalists Port Melbourne, Werribee, Casey and Geelong. His best game of the year came against Casey, in which he finished with 24 disposals, seven handball receives, four marks and a whopping nine tackles. In Essendon’s final against Werribee, O’Brien’s numbers again were impressive. 25 disposals, nine handball receives, six marks and four tackles. O’Brien finished the year with an average of 20.4 disposals, 4.7 tackles, five marks and one free for a game in 2013. A really mature body with an unmeasured approach to his football.
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Lions add three rookies
27 November 2013

The Brisbane Lions have finalised their 2014 playing list by adding two local Queensland talents and a mature-age midfielder via the 2013 AFL Rookie Draft. The Lions welcomed Queensland U18 Captain Isaac Conway with their first selection (Pick No.6), before adding 23-year-old Zac O’Brien (Pick No.23). and basketball prodigy Archie Smith (Pick No.69).

O’Brien, who hails from country Victoria, made the progression from suburban footballer to Essendon’s VFL side in 2013, where he played predominantly as an inside midfielder. He caught the Lions’ eye after averaging 23 disposals, five clearances and five tackles in what is largely considered to be the premier secondary competition in the country.

“Zac is a hard working midfielder who also has the capacity to win the ball at stoppages and around the ground,” National Talent Manager Rob Kerr said. “He’s a clever player with a strong physical element to his game and should add some good depth to our midfield group.”
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AFL: Aberfeldie's Zac O'Brien rookie-listed by Brisbane


Zac O’Brien spent five years becoming a chiropractor, only to put his career on hold when the AFL came calling.
The Aberfeldie and Essendon VFL player will be heading to Brisbane to try and forge an AFL career after being selected by the Brisbane Lions in the AFL Rookie Draft on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old split his 2013 season between the VFL and Essendon District Football League, 11 games in each, on the way to being taken at pick 23 by the Lions.
A mid-20s possession average as an inside midfielder and impressive defensive qualities in the VFL caught Lions’ recruiters eyes.
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Best day of Zac O'Brien's life

The Bombers and Gold Coast also had O’Brien on their radars.
“It’s a great opportunity,” O’Brien said.
“It all started when I played for Aberfeldie last year with Hayden Skipworth who was helping with some coaching at Essendon.
“He told me to come for a run with Essendon’s VFL side and I was lucky enough to get on the list.
“Brisbane, Essendon and Gold Coast had a look at me during the season and nominated me for state screening and it’s all gone from there really.
“Then Brisbane rang me 40 minutes before the rookie draft today and said I was in the mix.
“They didn’t make promises, but told me to watch.
“It’s unbelievable really, the best day of my life.”
O’Brien, 23, rocketed up the pecking order by winning Aberfeldie’s best and fairest last year and followed it up with some outstanding performances for Essendon as a midfielder.
A 14.3 beep test at the state screening further boosted his chances.
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No turning back for Zac
November 28, 2013
Lachlan Dyson

Although O’Brien’s qualifications in the field of Chiropractics may be set, it didn’t stop the excitement from creeping in at the hope of igniting an AFL career that might, at times, have seemed unlikely to eventuate.

So after ongoing talks with Lions Recruiting Manager, Stephen Conole, O’Brien’s work colleagues surrounded his computer in anticipation of hearing his name being read out.

“I was in at work and I had about 12 people sitting around a computer and I honestly didn’t know if the Lions were going to pass on me at 23,” O’Brien said.

“I’d had a meeting with Steve (Conole) about two months out from the National Draft and the Club said they were looking at me. They also said that they would seriously consider me for the Rookie Draft if the National Draft didn’t come through.

OBrien_Combine-article.jpg
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Have seen a little bit of the great Z'oB as he is effectually known around the Essendon traps.

A hard at it midfielder with an almost wreckless attack at the ball, O'Brien thrives on the contest and goes harder than his slight 180cm frame should allow. Skills are decent enough and as mentioned, is a bit of a tackling machine (4.8 tackles a game).

A renkowned hard nut, he is virtually an identical player to Essendon senior listed player, Ben Howlett.

If you would like to know anything else, Jack Package saladin and myself have seen a fair bit of the VFL Bombers so we can try and help answer any questions you may have.
 
Yoda_ said:
Have seen a little bit of the great Z'oB as he is effectually known around the Essendon traps.

A hard at it midfielder with an almost wreckless attack at the ball, O'Brien thrives on the contest and goes harder than his slight 180cm frame should allow. Skills are decent enough and as mentioned, is a bit of a tackling machine (4.8 tackles a game).

A renkowned hard nut, he is virtually an identical player to Essendon senior listed player, Ben Howlett.

If you would like to know anything else, Jack Package saladin and myself have seen a fair bit of the VFL Bombers so we can try and help answer any questions you may have.
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Thanks for the info Yoda_, it is much appreciated:thumbsu:
 
Yoda_ said:
have seen a fair bit of the VFL Bombers so we can try and help answer any questions you may have.
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Why do you think Essendon did not draft him considering he was in their back yard?
 
What does he need to improve on to make it in the AFL?
 

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irel said:
Why do you think Essendon did not draft him considering he was in their back yard?
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Skipworth (our vfl coach) intimated it may have been a matter of list space. Unfortunately we still have Jetta on our books. We were also in desperate need of forwards, so inside mids sort of went on the back burner this year
 
Yoda_ said:
A renkowned hard nut, he is virtually an identical player to Essendon senior listed player, Ben Howlett.
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Good to hear. Just about my favourite non-Brisbane player going around at the moment.

Jack Package said:
Skipworth (our vfl coach) intimated it may have been a matter of list space. Unfortunately we still have Jetta on our books. We were also in desperate need of forwards, so inside mids sort of went on the back burner this year
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You guys are probably sorted for inside-mids at the moment anyway.
 
Yoda_ said:
Have seen a little bit of the great Z'oB as he is effectually known around the Essendon traps.

A hard at it midfielder with an almost reckless attack at the ball, O'Brien thrives on the contest and goes harder than his slight 180cm frame should allow. . . .
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Sound a bit like Jed?
 
From the Edfl
http://www.essendondfl.com.au/news/...ies-zac-obrien-picked-up-in-afl-rookie-draft/

Friday, November 29, 2013
Persistence rewarded for respected clubmen


The Essendon District Football League is pleased to see Zac O’Brien being selected by the Brisbane Lions in Wednesday’s AFL Rookie Draft. The Lions used their second selection (23rd overall) to secure O’Brien.

O’Brien played his first season of EDFL Premier Division Football for Aberfeldie Football Club in 2012, after making the transition from the Ovens & Murray Football League, where he played 6 seasons of senior football with both the Wangaratta Rovers & Yarrawonga Football Clubs.

In his first season at Aberfeldie, he won their senior Best & Fairest and was awarded a spot on Essendon Football Clubs VFL list for season 2013. This season he played 11 matches for Aberfeldie, kicking 11 goals & finishing 3rd in the clubs best and fairest. He also played 11 games for Essendon in the VFL, where he was among the best on numerous occasions.

Aberfeldie Football Club were delighted with Wednesdays result, later posting on their website “all members and supporters at Abers wish our young gun well in his quest for a rewarding AFL career. At 23 years of age, if anyone can have the endurance and go the distance it is Zac. We wish him all the best!”

Mature age Rookies have become an attractive proposition to AFL clubs in recent years and Zac should be applauded for his desire to continue to work hard at his football and not giving up on his dream to play at the highest level. The EDFL wish him well on his transition into professional football at the Brisbane Lions FC and congratulate the Aberfeldie Football Club for the role they have played in assisting Zac reach his goal over the past 2 seasons.
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I was wondering the same thing. The most info I got about his past footballing career is:

O’Brien played his first season of EDFL Premier Division Football for Aberfeldie Football Club in 2012, after making the transition from the Ovens & Murray Football League, where he played 6 seasons of senior football with both the Wangaratta Rovers & Yarrawonga Football Clubs.
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I'm going to say no, because his draft year was 2008 and he isn't in this Murray Bushrangers list:
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/murray-bushrangers-2008.419785/#post-10261508
 
Grimreepah said:
I thought they would rookie Jesse, but they picked up Zachary instead. Similar name, similar age, but presumably the list managers rate Zach higher.
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Higher scoring name in Scrabble makes all the difference.
 
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