MAKING HIS MARK
The amazing story of how Mark O’Connor joined Geelong’s leadership group after just 30 games
IN the comfortable surrounds of Gaelic football in Ireland, Mark O’Connor was a natural leader.
And while it took him a few years to properly find his feet in the AFL system, the defender has gradually emerged to lead by example.
O’Connor received a strong response from his Cats teammates as Geelong voted on its leadership group for the 2020 season.
The 23-year-old was drafted into the group in place of veteran Harry Taylor.
He will be joined by captain Joel Selwood, co-vice-captains Mark Blicavs and Patrick Dangerfield, as well as Tom Stewart, Mitch Duncan and fellow Irishman Zach Tuohy.
With just 30 games under his belt — 23 of which came in a breakout 2019 season as a lockdown small defender who hardly conceded a goal — O’Connor found himself at the front of the pack when the younger Cats began their preseason.
“I try and lead by example,” O’Connor said.
“When I did come over (to Australia) first I couldn’t really give guidance to players because I didn’t know the game.
“But I feel now I have learnt quite a bit and I can communicate things and set standards in terms of professionalism and caring for my teammates, so that is the kind of leader I am, I think.
Selwood, who is heading into his ninth season in charge of the Cats, said the players knew immediately that O’Connor would make an impact when he joined the club before the 2017 season.
“He was a kid who didn’t know much about the game, but the way he went about it and the way he conducts himself, it’s been first-class since we picked him up four years ago,” Selwood said.
“The thing that stood out is he wanted to get as good as he possibly could as soon as he possibly could. There was no wasting time.
“It’s no surprise inside the four walls that he has made it to this stage of his career so quickly.
“I’m really proud of him. He probably didn’t see this coming. For a lot of us, we knew straight away we got a good player and a good person.”
The leadership group has a say in the game style at Geelong and drives standards in preparations each week.
As he begins to close in on 200 games as an AFL skipper, Selwood said the best part of the job remained leading his side onto the field.
“My favourite part of leadership is going out on game day and just playing and doing, that’s always been the case and that continues now,” he said.
I FEEL NOW I HAVE LEARNT QUITE A BIT AND I CAN COMMUNICATE THINGS AND SET STANDARDS IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONALISM AND CARING FOR MY TEAMMATES.” MARK O’CONNOR