Mark’s tops for effort

GEELONG rookie Mark O’Connor says he plans to regularly pick the brains of fellow Irishman Zach Tuohy this summer as he steps up his campaign to add to his two AFL games next year.

This year O’Connor made a sensational rise up the ranks in his first season at the Cats, going from a Category-B rookie in November to become a senior-listed player and making his debut in May.

But after two appearances the County Kerry junior was back in the VFL side, where he spent the remainder of the year as he overcame an ankle injury that curtailed his push for a recall.

O’Connor said having the opportunity to lean on Tuohy, who has now notched up 145 AFL games, was too good to pass up.

“Zach is very helpful like that,” O’Connor said.

“He has been through it and knows what I’m going through — and he knows what to look out for and what to avoid.

“I think this is his ninth ‘I’d love to play some AFL games, that is always going to be the goal. I just have to do the work in the pre-season’ year, so it’s great to have Zach as a resource to (ask him) questions and to train alongside him and take advice where I can.”

O’Connor returned to Ireland at the end of the season for three weeks to see family and friends and despite his home county of Kerry being knocked out, caught up with some GAA football while he was there.

His love of Gaelic football is something he has spoken openly about, just as he has his desire to return to the sport down the track, but for now the 20-year-old is setting his sights on returning to senior football for Geelong next season.

“I’d love to play some AFL games, that is always going to be the goal,” O’Connor said.

“I just have to do the work in the pre-season and build to get to that standard and add some layers to my game as best as I can.

“When the time comes you hope you’ve shown enough to the coaches that you’re ready to go, so I think it’s just about taking it day by day and trying to improve and then take it from there.”

GEELONG ROOKIE MARK O’CONNOR