Former Kerry minor star Mark O’Connor has experienced a busy AFL off-season having completed a university degree and also squeezed in a 10,000 mile trip back home from the other side of the world in Australia before returning ‘Down Under’ to prepare for the start of the 2025 AFL season in early March.
The Dingle defender will embark on his ninth AFL season with the Geelong Cats this year and is likely to reach the double figure mark in 2026 having penned a new deal last season.
O’Connor left the Kingdom after winning back-to-back All-Ireland minor titles in 2014 and 2015 and has since established himself as one of the AFL’s best taggers-a tough role which involves shutting down the opposition’s best forward.
The highlight of O’Connor’s 122-match AFL career undoubtedly came in 2022 when he made history alongside retired Portlaoise legend Zach Tuohy as only the second and third Irish players at the time to win an AFL Premiership.
Last year Tyrone All-Ireland winner Connor McKenna made it a fab four of Irish AFL Premiership winners following Tadhg Kennelly’s triumph in 2005.
“I love it, it always refreshes me and I always look forward to going home,” O’Connor said.
“I love the people back there and the place as well, every time the club gives me the opportunity to head back. I always take it and I am always grateful for it.
“I feel fresher now, it is great and puts a bit of life in me which gets me ready for the season.
“I had a couple of surgeries, one of them was pretty slow which was to be expected but I am feeling really good now and I am ready to go.”
O’Connor’s 2024 campaign was curtailed in June when he was ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing knee and wrist surgeries.
In September sat helplessly on the sidelines at the MCG when McKenna’s Brisbane Lions defeated Geelong in a pulsating preliminary final by just ten points before going on to win the premiership.
O’Connor believes home ground advantage at their GMHBA Stadium fortress could play a decisive role in Geelong’s quest for a second premiership in four years this season. The Cats have won 119 of their last 140 matches at home with an 85% win rate since the start of 2007.
“Our record has been pretty good down here over the last few years,” O’Connor explained.
“Obviously the fans and the atmosphere down here has a lot to do with that, so of course it is seriously important.
“The players love it, the club loves it and hopefully we can provide the fans with a style of play that will attract or is worthy of their time at least.
“We love it and hopefully we can go again in 2025.”
Geelong will host Hawthorn in a pre-season fixture on Monday. Ex-Mayo GAA All-Star Oisin Mullin could line-up alongside O’Connor for the Cats with Meath minor star Conor Nash in the Hawks ranks.
