Toast Mark O'Connor

[Willo_]

Where would Merrick sit in the table of irish recruits to have played the game? Potential is a dirty word but he could be very good in another couple of years so quick has been his development...

i can tell you what, he is a better one on one player and defender than pretty much any Irish player I can remember. Most of the Irish guys have been dashers who can use the ball well off half back.. this bloke i am now starting to just expect not to get beaten when it is kicked near him and his direct opponent

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

It's been great seeing Mark develop over this season. He's not a star defender, but a good ordinary player, a blue collar worker, but the type that's essential in any successful team. Especially in defence. There may be times when an exceptional player might turn him around a bit, but you often see him fight back and he rarely gets beaten twice by the same player. This is a terrific fighting quality. He won't win you games, but he'll provide constant and solid defence that allows our more heralded players to do their thing.

 

[Hamingja]

I reckon he is a master of not deliberately, deliberately, finding the boundary line.

The Irish guy has the limits sussed but players who have played their whole life don't.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Yep second from the top. Cos he is scared and always takes the safe option. Just like blicavs. And kolo also up high. Do you have a metres gained stat?

Sj was one of our best disposers of the ball in the past thirty years and his DE was attrocious. Cos he took risks.

It's all about risk and reward - SJ was great at it - awesome when it came off but a cluster when it didn't.
Important and obvious difference is SJ was a forward and the guys being discussed are defenders - you don't want defenders taking too many risks as it's hard to win games when you concede 20 goals

I was very critical of MOC disposal last season but it's obvious he has worked on it big time - he's assured now and even taking a risk off his left - has made tremendous gains and should be lauded for that

 

[Cataholic]

That doesn't make any sense.
The DE stat is the one that classifies a disposal as "effective".
Unless you are setting up an alternative method of classification.

I think MoondOg is trying to say that he or she equates DE with the 'quality' of the disposal.

ie..... You could kick 15m backwards to a guy on his own, and get 95% DE, vs kicking to a guy 30m upfield with 80% DE.

I think moond0g is saying the second scenario is more valuable than the first.

 

[Seldom Seen Kid]

Id have thought between Pearce Hanley and Zac Tuohey ............ at least alphabetically..

As a Irishman, I've a keen interest in this and I'd rank them in tiers along the following lines:

Irish GOAT: Stynes - Brownlow and 244 consecutive games. Nothing more to be said really

Top Tier (100+ games & good-solid players): Kennelly, Hanley, Tuohy, Wight.
Kennelly obviously won a flag and was a very good player for a long time. Hanley was the most talented of this group and had a couple of years of near-AA form but injuries have ruined the latter part of his career. Tuohy you don't need me to elaborate on, has been very solid and durable for a long time across two clubs. Wight I didn't see play but his record puts him into this group

Current AFL Players (non-Rookies): McKenna (Ess), O'Connor (Geel), O'Riordan (Syd), Nash (Haw), Glass (Haw), Joyce (StK)
McKenna is clearly the best and most established of this bunch and is well on his way to equaling or surpassing some of the group above. O'Riordan is having a quietly solid season with the Swans. Nash is one of the most athletic specimens I have ever seen. He has a tough gig playing up forward but could be a star if he puts it all together. Glass and Joyce have some work to do but both have potential to be good AFL players.

There's been plenty of others over the years but didn't stick it long enough at a high level to really register: Setanta, Marty Clarke, Begley etc. And there's lots of first year rookies who haven't really started yet.

On topic, from what I've seen, MOC is hugely impressive and it's his defensive nous and body work that stands out most. His attacking game is developing well this year and he has huge scope for improvement given that is usually what the Irish players pick up first and most struggle with the defensive/positioning nuances that he already has down. Homesickness is the only obstacle to him playing 150+ quality games for you guys.

 

[FredLeDeux]

As a Irishman, I've a keen interest in this and I'd rank them in tiers along the following lines:

Irish GOAT: Stynes - Brownlow and 244 consecutive games. Nothing more to be said really

Top Tier (100+ games & good-solid players): Kennelly, Hanley, Tuohy, Wight.
Kennelly obviously won a flag and was a very good player for a long time. Hanley was the most talented of this group and had a couple of years of near-AA form but injuries have ruined the latter part of his career. Tuohy you don't need me to elaborate on, has been very solid and durable for a long time across two clubs. Wight I didn't see play but his record puts him into this group

Current AFL Players (non-Rookies): McKenna (Ess), O'Connor (Geel), O'Riordan (Syd), Nash (Haw), Glass (Haw), Joyce (StK)
McKenna is clearly the best and most established of this bunch and is well on his way to equaling or surpassing some of the group above. O'Riordan is having a quietly solid season with the Swans. Nash is one of the most athletic specimens I have ever seen. He has a tough gig playing up forward but could be a star if he puts it all together. Glass and Joyce have some work to do but both have potential to be good AFL players.

There's been plenty of others over the years but didn't stick it long enough at a high level to really register: Setanta, Marty Clarke, Begley etc. And there's lots of first year rookies who haven't really started yet.

On topic, from what I've seen, MOC is hugely impressive and it's his defensive nous and body work that stands out most. His attacking game is developing well this year and he has huge scope for improvement given that is usually what the Irish players pick up first and most struggle with the defensive/positioning nuances that he already has down. Homesickness is the only obstacle to him playing 150+ quality games for you guys.

Sean Wight was as good as Keneally.
But he was Scottish.

A bit earlier, before the Irish Experiment, Stuey Magee was an outstanding player and a regular State rep, racking up 150-odd games.

As a footnote, it was tragic that Wight and Stynes each died from cancer in their 40s.

 

[Turbocat]

As a Irishman, I've a keen interest in this and I'd rank them in tiers along the following lines:

Irish GOAT: Stynes - Brownlow and 244 consecutive games. Nothing more to be said really

Top Tier (100+ games & good-solid players): Kennelly, Hanley, Tuohy, Wight.
Kennelly obviously won a flag and was a very good player for a long time. Hanley was the most talented of this group and had a couple of years of near-AA form but injuries have ruined the latter part of his career. Tuohy you don't need me to elaborate on, has been very solid and durable for a long time across two clubs. Wight I didn't see play but his record puts him into this group

Current AFL Players (non-Rookies): McKenna (Ess), O'Connor (Geel), O'Riordan (Syd), Nash (Haw), Glass (Haw), Joyce (StK)
McKenna is clearly the best and most established of this bunch and is well on his way to equaling or surpassing some of the group above. O'Riordan is having a quietly solid season with the Swans. Nash is one of the most athletic specimens I have ever seen. He has a tough gig playing up forward but could be a star if he puts it all together. Glass and Joyce have some work to do but both have potential to be good AFL players.

There's been plenty of others over the years but didn't stick it long enough at a high level to really register: Setanta, Marty Clarke, Begley etc. And there's lots of first year rookies who haven't really started yet.

On topic, from what I've seen, MOC is hugely impressive and it's his defensive nous and body work that stands out most. His attacking game is developing well this year and he has huge scope for improvement given that is usually what the Irish players pick up first and most struggle with the defensive/positioning nuances that he already has down. Homesickness is the only obstacle to him playing 150+ quality games for you guys.

Clark was pretty good for Collingwood... several have the offensive run that seems natural from the irish game from what I have seen so far MOC shows def elements perhaps not as natural.. shows great promise. I listened to an interview yesterday with Ciaran Sheehan .... interesting.. gives one a glimpse of what they go thru...

‎SEN Afternoons: Ciaran Sheehan (24/7/19) on Apple Podcasts

‎Show SEN Afternoons, Ep Ciaran Sheehan (24/7/19) - 23 Jul 2019

podcasts.apple.com

 

[Max Milburn]

Here's what Scarlo thinks:

Mark the shark has improved so rapidly that he’s now viewed internally as one of the first picked on the team sheet.

“He’s one of our most important players I think so credit to him and his hard work,” Scarlett says.

“His development has been enormous and he’s an important cog in our defence.”

“He’s gaining confidence each week and becoming a really important member of our team.”

 

[Cattery]

Here's what Scarlo thinks:

Mark the shark has improved so rapidly that he’s now viewed internally as one of the first picked on the team sheet.

“He’s one of our most important players I think so credit to him and his hard work,” Scarlett says.

“His development has been enormous and he’s an important cog in our defence.”

“He’s gaining confidence each week and becoming a really important member of our team.”

Bad news for Bews or Henry, one of them is gonna miss the cut it would seem.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Sean Wight was as good as Keneally.
But he was Scottish.

A bit earlier, before the Irish Experiment, Stuey Magee was an outstanding player and a regular State rep, racking up 150-odd games.

As a footnote, it was tragic that Wight and Stynes each died from cancer in their 40s.

Wight from memory died from lung cancer despite being a non-smoker. Passive smoking from working in clubs.

 

[Landgraft]

Bad news for Bews or Henry, one of them is gonna miss the cut it would seem.

If it plays out that way it can only be a good thing. Means the 22 we have now is stronger than the one we expected to go in with.

 

[Will_I_Am]

This guy was good on the weekend again, was good to see him in action live for once. Side note: the three women I watched the game with, who'd never been to a game of AFL chose him and Zac Touhy as their 'favourite players' by the end of the first quarter (a task I set them). Is there something about the Irish blokes??

 

[catempire]

This guy was good on the weekend again, was good to see him in action live for once. Side note: the three women I watched the game with, who'd never been to a game of AFL chose him and Zac Touhy as their 'favourite players' by the end of the first quarter (a task I set them). Is there something about the Irish blokes??

Normally I’d say the accent but...

 

[Max Milburn]

This time of year we need every tid bit we can get...

This is great read. It's about MOC's home turf of Dingle...

“Mark O’Connor! Number fotty tooh!”

Roger Lowrey meets a Geelong fan in, of all places, Dingle in Ireland and is also surprised to learn something about Irish recruit Mark O’Connor. [Love the connectedness Roger – Ed]

www.footyalmanac.com.au

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

This time of year we need every tid bit we can get...

This is great read. It's about MOC's home turf of Dingle...

“Mark O’Connor! Number fotty tooh!”

Roger Lowrey meets a Geelong fan in, of all places, Dingle in Ireland and is also surprised to learn something about Irish recruit Mark O’Connor. [Love the connectedness Roger – Ed]

www.footyalmanac.com.au

I like that. And the first comment would HAVE to be from John Harms wouldn't it?

 

[Turbocat]

This time of year we need every tid bit we can get...

This is great read. It's about MOC's home turf of Dingle...

“Mark O’Connor! Number fotty tooh!”

Roger Lowrey meets a Geelong fan in, of all places, Dingle in Ireland and is also surprised to learn something about Irish recruit Mark O’Connor. [Love the connectedness Roger – Ed]

www.footyalmanac.com.au

The nuns used to give me the Cuts in primary school .... never actually barracked for them before.. LOL ...

 

[Sttew]

The nuns used to give me the Cuts in primary school .... never actually barracked for them before.. LOL ...

Which school was that?

 

[Gunf]

Breakout O'Connor Season No Surprise

Mark O'Connor's teammates saw his career-best season coming.

www.geelongcats.com.au

 

[Max Milburn]

Which school was that?

I'm banking on Mother Marcellus at Our Lady's.

 

[cats_09]

This thread deserves a bump

I think quite rightly that the likes of Menegola & Guthrie have been praised for their improved performances & consistency this season; Mitch Duncan continues to do Mitch Duncan things which is being super consistent and often overlooked in the media though not by Cats fans, etc

But what about the season that this guy is putting together

Surely a chance for top 5 in the b&f

 

[FredLeDeux]

This thread deserves a bump

I think quite rightly that the likes of Menegola & Guthrie have been praised for their improved performer performances & consistency this season; Mitch Duncan continue to do Mitch Duncan things which is being super consistent and often overlooked in the media though not by Cats fans, etc

But what about the season that this guy is putting together

Surely a chance for top 5 in the b&f

View attachment 935361

Also becoming noticeably more confident and active in verbally directing and co-ordinating the defence.

 

[Spearman]

doing well, lot of confidence, and have a lot of confidence in him

and can we get those gits to stop calling him shark. Merrick much better and less plastic.

 

[Mr Meow]

This thread deserves a bump

I think quite rightly that the likes of Menegola & Guthrie have been praised for their improved performer performances & consistency this season; Mitch Duncan continue to do Mitch Duncan things which is being super consistent and often overlooked in the media though not by Cats fans, etc

But what about the season that this guy is putting together

Surely a chance for top 5 in the b&f

Truly sensational bump and I'm a little disappointed in myself for not getting there first.

MOC perhaps hasn't been praised as much for improvement because he was still very good last year and especially towards the latter stages. So it's definitely been an upward trend but more a continued development profile rather than the other two where they've come out of stagnation or flattering to deceive a bit.

Anyway he certainly has been one of our most reliable defenders, if not the most reliable at shutting his opponent down and gets more of the ball than Bewsy. Plus, a good decision maker with ball in hand and building more confidence in his rebounding game. His closing speed and decisions in those 1v1s (many where he forces it over the boundary line or traps the ball in his opponent, preventing escape) are really, really strong.

I can't even remember the last time an opponent really got on top of him. He hasn't dropped his H&A standards much in finals unlike peers, which is also a real plus.

I'm a massive fan.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Never doubted the boy. I think he is just starting to show how good he can be ...and there is plenty of upside.