John O'Connell

[JB12]

I was reading a thread about player deaths and I was shocked to learn that John O'Connell had passed away at the age of 38. I've searched but I can't find any record of what actually happened to him.

Anybody know anything about this?

 

[Aphrodite]

http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=John+O'Connell

 

[JB12]

Yeah I saw that but it doesn't actually say what happened to him

 

[Aphrodite]

Yeah I saw that but it doesn't actually say what happened to him

I tried google but couldn't find anything and that was the best I could come up with.

Maybe someone in the know could shed some light as to what happened.

 

[JB12]

Yeah ok. Thanks for trying

 

[AlecDuncan]

Waite Southby O'Connell. As good as it gets.

 

[ianh]

I have a feeling it was cancer, but I could be mistaken.

 

[AndyLucimitis]

Pretty certain it was cancer.


My first Grand Final was the triumph in 1972 and my lasting memory of John O'Connell is him having the ball and booting it in the air when the final siren went.


Always thought he looked like a daggy-version of Bob Dylan.


RIP John !

 

[The Coach]

99.9% certain that it was the terrible C. As I have posted long ago - JC's efforts as Captain and Coach of Diamond Creek in the '82 GF v the Lalor thugs was the bravest thing I have seen on a football field

 

[LukeO14]

Just spotted this thread.

A (very) late reply but can confirm John O'Connell passed away in 1989 after an 18 month battle with cancer.

 

[FootyGeek]

 

[agro]

Loved the holding the ball decision he got with his tackle on Bartlett (@ the 2.35min).

Those highlights show he had more of a turn of foot than I remember, some of his crumbing work, reading the ball off the packs show he probably could have played more in the midfield if he wasn't up against finding a spot there against, Gallagher, Armstrong, Keogh, Robertson, Quirk and Crane.

 

[LordLucifer]

Waite Southby O'Connell. As good as it gets.

Saw all three play !!

 

[LordLucifer]

Cool.

I am a little more 'vintage' you realise Harks.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

John lived a few streets from my family home in Glenroy. Same age as my brother and went to the same school. A gifted sportsman who loved footy most of all. My brother received an invite to Carlton u19s along with John and another friend Mick D. Mum was the taxi service to footy training and she loved the success that he had at Carlton as a senior player. John and Bruce Doull were inseparable. Doully was a Jacana boy so they grew up in the same hood. Not long before his death mum spied him at a Carlton game at Princes Park. She was unaware of his illness and remarked how fit and well he looked. She attended his funeral and like others there she was broken hearted. Too young to be taken.

 

[thylacine60]

and I than you realise........

and I th................oh, never mind.......

 

[Aphrodite]

and I th................oh, never mind.......

Oh me too!

 

[Glaeken Oracle]

Apologies for the bump, but was just flicking through my 1973 Scanlens footy cards wondering what happened to some of the lesser lights of that set. As my Doggies didn’t feature much in the finals in the 70s, I tended to follow the Blues as my de facto team. I had a vague memory O’Connell could kick both feet - pretty impressive distance off the left in a couple of those highlights. 38 is way too soon, at least there is plenty of footage of him. Happy festive season, btw, cheerio.

 

[Robertio]

Apologies for the bump, but was just flicking through my 1973 Scanlens footy cards wondering what happened to some of the lesser lights of that set. As my Doggies didn’t feature much in the finals in the 70s, I tended to follow the Blues as my de facto team. I had a vague memory O’Connell could kick both feet - pretty impressive distance off the left in a couple of those highlights. 38 is way too soon, at least there is plenty of footage of him. Happy festive season, btw, cheerio.

Thanks mate, your input is welcome.

 

[BLUEALLTHRU]

Thanks mate, your input is welcome.

Mine is more welcome though.

 

[KohPhi]

Mine is more welcome though.

BLUEALLTHRU and RobR fighting over who is more welcoming..

 

[Robertio]

BLUEALLTHRU and RobR fighting over who is more welcoming..

That would definitely be us, no one was ever in danger of getting hurt.

 

[KohPhi]

That would definitely be us, no one was ever in danger of getting hurt.

I did get worried when BLUEALLTHRU ripped off his shirt. But your interesting tactic of making constant 'chicken noises' eventually wore him down.

 

[Robertio]

I did get worried when BLUEALLTHRU ripped off his shirt. But your interesting tactic of making constant 'chicken noises' eventually wore him down.

That was the best fight i've ever seen, a thousand punches thrown and they never got closer than ten feet to one and other.

 

[BLUEALLTHRU]

That was the best fight i've ever seen, a thousand punches thrown and they never got closer than ten feet to one and other.

Greatest part for me was the old school shake hands and have a beer after.