List Mgmt. Irish Rookie Mark O'Connor upgraded and will debut

[catswhiskers]

Still don't know who takes his spot. GHS probably. No one is banging the door down at VFL

Ruggles was very good two weeks ago in the VFL. Even when on ball. Didn't see last week. I would have him in or GHS.

 

[Turbocat]

I think Luxford looked worse.

Lux may have..but he did not look as frail. He took tackles , where as our young irish boy look like he just wants to give to the first real player he sees. Im not saying he doesn't have upside..but he is out of his depth atm. Needs a season at VFL level.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Ruggles was very good two weeks ago in the VFL. Even when on ball. Didn't see last week. I would have him in or GHS.

When menegola is already playing mainly forward we have too many inside mids for balance as it is. GHS will struggle to get back in now scooter is there.

With guthrie to come back and cockatoo out ideally we replace oconnor with a forward half option, maybe lang or cunico depending on who plays well in the vfl today.

Mccarthy/gregson and parfitt would walk back in for oconnor and parsons now if they were fit.

 

[ChookNorris]

Guthrie?

He's in for Cockatoo

 

[catswhiskers]

When menegola is already playing mainly forward we have too many inside mids for balance as it is. GHS will struggle to get back in now scooter is there.

With guthrie to come back and cockatoo out ideally we replace oconnor with a forward half option, maybe lang or cunico depending on who plays well in the vfl today.

Mccarthy/gregson and parfitt would walk back in for oconnor and parsons now if they were fit.

Yep you are right GHS not likely. if Guthrie goes to half back we do need a forward. Picking Cunico would be a ballsy statement - lets see how he goes today.

 

[Mahlepi]

the kid needs to go to the twos and get more development

otherwise wells is wasting first round picks on players like lang
just recruit a bunch of irish lads

 

[catempire]

Lux may have..but he did not look as frail. He took tackles , where as our young irish boy look like he just wants to give to the first real player he sees. Im not saying he doesn't have upside..but he is out of his depth atm. Needs a season at VFL level.

Obviously different builds but O'Connor has better smarts, better decision maker and better user on the small sample I've seen.

 

[Daniel McL]

Thought some of his tackles were strong and impressive last night. His handballs are usually fine, sometimes gives it to someone under pressure straight away though, eventually he'll back himself in to kick it more.

He's had his taste of senior footy, now back to the VFL for the rest of the year to keep developing and start pushing for the seniors next year.

 

[Tony Barber]

Obviously different builds but O'Connor has better smarts, better decision maker and better user on the small sample I've seen.

I'm going to go way out on a limb here.
Not a small one. I'm going to make a massive call.

User pure ownage suggested he go out. Someone else said that surely Lang is better value right now. And he probably is. I like Lang.
But let's say o'connor is our 22nd picked player (which he must be). And he has 12 possessions and puts the effort in to stopping the opponent like last night. You take that don't you?

Well here I go.
He is going to be the best rookie listed player Geelong has had. Not just cat b rookie. The best.

You really need to think like this. If I went to the park with you and kicked an oval ball at you, you will take time for the ball to kick left, right, or up. He doesn't have that time at afl level. He has to go early and intercept the bounce. And he's used a footy for 6 months!

Secondly, although his left hand handball lacks power and depth he doesn't even hesitate to go to it.
Again, he's done this for 6 months.

I have no idea about his left foot as he has hardly kicked it full stop. I have no idea about his reported pace as I've never seen him use it. But let's also remember he came from a non tackling sport. He's wearing tackles and he's handing them out.
And in my opinion he looks to have endurance. You take tackles, you hand them out, and it wears you down. I'm not seeing it in him.

Greatest upside of any Geelong rookie I've seen.
If you're happy with 12 disposals and the intent to 'get' the opposition. Then you just keep playing him.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

I'm going to go way out on a limb here.
Not a small one. I'm going to make a massive call.

User pure ownage suggested he go out. Someone else said that surely Lang is better value right now. And he probably is. I like Lang.
But let's say o'connor is our 22nd picked player (which he must be). And he has 12 possessions and puts the effort in to stopping the opponent like last night. You take that don't you?

Well here I go.
He is going to be the best rookie listed player Geelong has had. Not just cat b rookie. The best.

You really need to think like this. If I went to the park with you and kicked an oval ball at you, you will take time for the ball to kick left, right, or up. He doesn't have that time at afl level. He has to go early and intercept the bounce. And he's used a footy for 6 months!

Secondly, although his left hand handball lacks power and depth he doesn't even hesitate to go to it.
Again, he's done this for 6 months.

I have no idea about his left foot as he has hardly kicked it full stop. I have no idea about his reported pace as I've never seen him use it. But let's also remember he came from a non tackling sport. He's wearing tackles and he's handing them out.
And in my opinion he looks to have endurance. You take tackles, you hand them out, and it wears you down. I'm not seeing it in him.

Greatest upside of any Geelong rookie I've seen.
If you're happy with 12 disposals and the intent to 'get' the opposition. Then you just keep playing him.

Totally agree, and damn you, you beat me to the punch.

I will add further, he does not belong out there, as there are more capable players in the squad. So if the club is sticking him in there when it is so obvious, they have a reason for that. Seen it before with Duncan, who is now elite, imo. The kid is going to be a gun.

 

[Down at K Park]

I thought he did good things and didn't really make obvious mistakes except for one out of bounds on the full. Tackled hard, and got handballs out while being tackled. Bloody amazing from someone who has played a handful of afl games. Serious potential there.

 

[Turbocat]

Not necessarily. Its rare that anyone from Ireland will move or make the transition once into their 20's. To be honest, most in the past few years have had very little senior level action and are just out of youth competitions making the move to Australia. The bigger factor in the decision is the chance whilst young to move to Australia and to get paid full time playing sport. Lots of Irish move over to Australia out of school or college for a year or so as a gap year type thing (something I did myself too but for a bit longer) so to get a chance to move whilst being paid to do so and play AFL, massive opportunity. But its also why so many fail, as they see it as that gap year type scenario and the lure of going home will always be there. Whether age or being settled in Ireland is a factor, you wont see too many once they hit 20 make the move.

Here, whilst players are not financially rewarded with professional contracts, there are certainly perks. Top players would get car sponsorship's and playing gear etc. There is minimal financial backing, mostly inflated expenses covered. But the other perks are an ability to get jobs because of their high profile as an elite GAA player. A lot now are also getting full time jobs as GAA coaches of junior academies or schools. But all of the above doesnt take away from the fact that they essentially train and play quite hard (as elite as you can get for being amateur) but yet do not get paid to do so.

I also wouldnt count any previous GAA ability as a factor into whether a player will make it or not. Tommy Walsh was by far the biggest prospect coming out of Kerry when he was young. He was firmly established on their senior team and won the Rising Star equivalent. But he failed to make any impact in AFL. Zach Tuohy was a decent player at half back for a low level enough county side. But there were a lot more on his team, never mind in the country who would have been seen as much bigger prospects. Conor Meredith was the star of that Laois minor team Tuohy played on, and he joined North Melbourne, and I dont think he ever played a senior game. James Kielt was the star of the Derry team that knocked out Laois that year, and he also was with the Roos and St Kilda for a while. But yet here is Tuohy, ten years on and one of the best ever Irish exports and currently is on a massive consecutive games run which is a huge credit to him.

O Connor seems to have the right attributes to make it. He has decent size and pace and a good reading of the game. I'm glad he is named half forward, most Irish exports end up being half back or full back so they are meeting the ball rather than looking to receive it. Although I would say, if you are looking to add to your recruits, there is a guy from O Connors county of Kerry, David Clifford who is one of the best youth prospects to be around for a long time here. If any club gets him, they will really have nabbed a star.

Clifford mentioned in this piece in the Geelong Advertiser. Seems like there is still a bit of resentment back there ..

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...t/news-story/30df74323efa4924938077c50b5bbde3

 

[Willo_]

I was talking to Budda 230 the other week at the pub before the Dogs game, and he told me that he had spoken to to a recruiter for Carlton the week before O'Connors first game, and that they had said when they interviewed Mark he gave the best interview they have had with a potential recruit... EVER.... he absolutely blew them away with whatever he had said, and how he answered their questions.

They were super keen but obviously he chose us.

Budda said they were shocked to see him picked so soon as they had thought he was a prospect really from half way through next year.. but that on the other hand they knew that he would be super professional, that he would do the work and that he would learn quickly.

 

[supahoops]

Article re TK was interesting, does anyone think we are in the box seat with regards Clifford considering how O'Connor has progressed so well plus the Tuohy factor?

 

[dazbroncos]

Article re TK was interesting, does anyone think we are in the box seat with regards Clifford considering how O'Connor has progressed so well plus the Tuohy factor?

I have no info - but yo'd think we'd be better than well placed.

Perhaps the O'Connor upgrade and games had more to it than just getting him to play based on merit. Not saying MOC didnt earn the bump but rather there was more than reason it happened.

GO Catters

 

[Down at K Park]

Apparently his nickname is merrick, cause when the other players asked him his name his accent was so thick it sounded like he was saying merrick.

 

[David the Cat]

 

[Turbocat]

One of John Hurts greatest performances.