Welcome Another Irishman: Stefan Okunbor

Clubber79

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Apr 19, 2015
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I reckon O'Connor has gone backwards strangely enough. As with a few players who have shown promise in the VFL they just don't seem to be allowed to play their natural game at AFL level. Cockatoo was a prime example when he burst onto the scene taking the game on. He got caught once and his run and carry stopped. O'Connor just doesn't seem to play with freedom and confidence at AFL level and I think that's a coaching direction.

Watch these highlights against Box Hill to get an understanding of what I'm trying to say. https://www.geelongcats.com.au/video/2017-05-11/mark-oconnor-highlights

The biggest point of interest is at the 2:10 mark where he takes the game on with confidence. We don't see that now.

I was primarily reading this thread to see how Okunbor was getting on, but it's interesting to read some of the comments about Mark O'Connor.
I think the key word here really is 'confidence'.
The Irish lads that go over there have acquired certain instincts playing gaelic football since they were little kids.
You're encouraged to take the game on and go forward and as we don't have an aussie rules style tackle, you can take the ball into traffic.
Imagine you are at an elite level in one code you've played since you were a kid, and then you take up another code as an adult.
You're essentially thrown into the slow-learners class.
That must be frustrating in itself.
However, you also have to 'unlearn', or temper, a lot of the natural instincts you've acquired over the years playing a different game, as they could get you into trouble in your 'new' code.
I'd imagine it's a difficult balancing act during the development phase to try and keep the desirable traits such as flair, positivity etc. while also moderating them to some extent so you focus on getting the basics right first and foremost.
Maybe now that MOC has settled in, playing a very defined defensive role, he will have the confidence to express himself a bit more, should the opportunity arise.
However, the main thing in the short-term is that he keeps playing and contributing on a consistent basis.
The rest will come with time.
The same applies to Okunbor, who I would have thought was the more 'afl ready' of the two, certainly in terms of physical attributes.
Having both MOC & Tuohy at the club can only be a huge positive in terms of his potential development.
 
I was primarily reading this thread to see how Okunbor was getting on, but it's interesting to read some of the comments about Mark O'Connor.
I think the key word here really is 'confidence'.
The Irish lads that go over there have acquired certain instincts playing gaelic football since they were little kids.
You're encouraged to take the game on and go forward and as we don't have an aussie rules style tackle, you can take the ball into traffic.
Imagine you are at an elite level in one code you've played since you were a kid, and then you take up another code as an adult.
You're essentially thrown into the slow-learners class.
That must be frustrating in itself.
However, you also have to 'unlearn', or temper, a lot of the natural instincts you've acquired over the years playing a different game, as they could get you into trouble in your 'new' code.
I'd imagine it's a difficult balancing act during the development phase to try and keep the desirable traits such as flair, positivity etc. while also moderating them to some extent so you focus on getting the basics right first and foremost.
Maybe now that MOC has settled in, playing a very defined defensive role, he will have the confidence to express himself a bit more, should the opportunity arise.
However, the main thing in the short-term is that he keeps playing and contributing on a consistent basis.
The rest will come with time.
The same applies to Okunbor, who I would have thought was the more 'afl ready' of the two, certainly in terms of physical attributes.
Having both MOC & Tuohy at the club can only be a huge positive in terms of his potential development.

You'll notice anything remotely negative about MOC was written in preseason. This year he looks a different player
 
Dec 11, 2009
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You'll notice anything remotely negative about MOC was written in preseason. This year he looks a different player

Genuine question - how does that happen? How does a player make significant improvements over the off / pre season (he hit the ground running as of Rd 1) yet no-one detected such that improvement?
 
Genuine question - how does that happen? How does a player make significant improvements over the off / pre season (he hit the ground running as of Rd 1) yet no-one detected such that improvement?
Heaps of people did, just not in a forum about Stefan Okunbor.
 
Oct 20, 2004
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he hit the ground running as of Rd 1
I don't know if that's quite true, to be honest - he was serviceable enough in the first few weeks, and certainly did a good defensive job, but it was against the Giants that he started to be eye-catching for mine.

He started backing himself. For some players, that comes naturally - for others, it comes bit-by-bit. I think he's a better player now than he was a month ago.
 
Is anyone able to report how Stefan went in his first game?
Think I saw a GFC tweet or a post that said he had attempted to lay some really hard physical tackles and got a few touches - 8 rings a beel but I could also be 1000% wrong.

GO Catters
 
Think I saw a GFC tweet or a post that said he had attempted to lay some really hard physical tackles and got a few touches - 8 rings a beel but I could also be 1000% wrong.

GO Catters
VFL app says 7 disposals (5k / 2hb), 4 tackles and a mark. Let him build. We can check in on him again in another dozen games or so
 
Great read on our latest Irish recruit - and definitely an interesting way to introduce his ways to the playing group:

In that moment, Okunbor, who had only just walked through the doors last summer as Geelong’s latest Irish recruit, had just poleaxed skipper Joel Selwood in an attempt to get the ball during a pre-season training drill.

It left the playing group stunned.

Did the new guy just iron out one of the game’s most courageous players during a friendly contest in the middle of summer?

Yep. He did.

“I just thought it was a professional set-up, (and AFL is) a bloodbath, (you need to) get body,” Okunbor chuckled.

“It was a 50-50 ball and I just tried to get man and ball. But I ended up getting more man than ball.

“For a split second (I puffed the chest out), until no one got around me then I realised, ‘Oh, I’ve probably made a mistake’. He got up pretty quickly, he’s a tough cookie...

...Veterans Harry Taylor and Tom Hawkins have also been on the receiving end of a hit from Okunbor’s impressive 190cm, 87kg frame.

“Through pre-season we do some match-play periods and it was in one of those that Stef came across to spoil the contest, which was a great defensive decision,” Hawkins recalled.

“But he collected me at the same time … fortunately we were both OK, but being so early in pre-season we have a rule to keep contact to a minimum. So I wasn’t expecting it.

“But that’s the reason why we love him so much, he loves the contact side of AFL footy. He certainly trains the way he plays.”


 

CatRiot

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 3, 2014
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Yeah, you hear about these defenders that come straight into the system and are ferocious...

Apparently Jake Kelly at the Crows was like this too, they had to pull him back in training sessions a few times, he turned out a pretty good player.

From the limited vision, I think this guy has all the attributes to make it.
 
Dec 10, 2003
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Newtown
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Get his footy skills up to standard as quick as possible ...




How Cat Stefan Okunbor floored captain Joel Selwood with first impression
Stefan Okunbor was waiting for the high-fives from his new Cats teammates. Instead, when he looked up, all he saw was a bunch of mortified faces. Ryan Reynolds delves into Okunbor’s journey to the AFL.

STEFAN Okunbor was waiting for the high-fives from his new Cats teammates.
Instead, when he looked up, all he saw was a bunch of mortified faces.

In that moment, Okunbor, who had only just walked through the doors last summer as Geelong’s latest Irish recruit, had just poleaxed skipper Joel Selwood in an attempt to get the ball during a pre-season training drill.

It left the playing group stunned.

Did the new guy just iron out one of the game’s most courageous players during a friendly contest in the middle of summer?

Yep. He did.
 
Oct 31, 2013
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How was he travelling with his kicking skills by the end of the season?
I hoping for him to force his way in after a massive preseason.
 
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