FORMER MINOR ALL-IRELAND winning captain Mark O’Connor admits the opportunity to move to Australia to sign for AFL club Geelong was too good to turn down.
The Dingle native was on the radar of a number of Aussie Rules clubs after impressing during the AFL Draft Combine before eventually agreeing terms with Geelong in October.
O’Connor, who was part of Kerry’s victorious underage sides in 2014 and 2015, is settling into life Down Under and has moved in with former Kerry footballer Padraig Lucey.
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“I came out and I just really wanted to take my chance and it’s such an opportunity and you can’t let it go because it only comes around once really,” O’Connor told Geelong’s website.
“It’s the kind of environment over here where it’s just constant improvement and that really appealed to me. We’ll see how it goes and I’ll work hard and I’ll throw myself into it.”
As he prepares to begin pre-season with his new team-mates, O’Connor revealed that he has been speaking to Zach Tuohy since his arrival.
“Zach has been in contact and Zach’s been very good to me as well. Having such a big name like that getting in contact with you, it’s very uplifting I think and very nice of him,” O’Connor said.
“It’s lovely to have another Irishman here. It’s just brilliant. They’ve been through it all as well. They can help me through that hopefully.”
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'It's such an opportunity and you can't let it go': Mark O'Connor on chasing AFL dream
FORMER MINOR ALL-IRELAND winning captain Mark O’Connor admits the opportunity to move to Australia to sign for AFL club Geelong was too good to turn down.
The Dingle native was on the radar of a number of Aussie Rules clubs after impressing during the AFL Draft Combine before eventually agreeing terms with Geelong in October.
O’Connor, who was part of Kerry’s victorious underage sides in 2014 and 2015, is settling into life Down Under and has moved in with former Kerry footballer Padraig Lucey.
“I came out and I just really wanted to take my chance and it’s such an opportunity and you can’t let it go because it only comes around once really,” O’Connor told Geelong’s website.
“It’s the kind of environment over here where it’s just constant improvement and that really appealed to me. We’ll see how it goes and I’ll work hard and I’ll throw myself into it.”
As he prepares to begin pre-season with his new team-mates, O’Connor revealed that he has been speaking to Zach Tuohy since his arrival.
“Zach has been in contact and Zach’s been very good to me as well. Having such a big name like that getting in contact with you, it’s very uplifting I think and very nice of him,” O’Connor said.
“It’s lovely to have another Irishman here. It’s just brilliant. They’ve been through it all as well. They can help me through that hopefully.”
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AFL Life Down Under Mark O'Connor