| Ryan O'Connor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Ryan O'Connor | ||
| Born | (1974-06-27)27 June 1974 (age 51) | ||
| Height | 192 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Weight | 107 kg (236 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1994–1998 | Essendon | 63 (47) | |
| 1999–2000 | Sydney | 24(2) | |
| Total | 87 (49) | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2000. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball.com | |||
Ryan O'Connor (born 27 June 1974) is a formerAustralian rules football player. He is best known for playing for theEssendon Bombers andSydney Swans in theAustralian Football League. He then continued his career in theSANFL with thePort Adelaide Magpies[1] where he won theMagarey Medal. He finished his career withVFL clubCoburg in 2005 after winning the Best & Fairest in 2004.
O'Connor, fromUlverstone, Tasmania began his career at the Essendon reserves after being traded by Geelong in the1991 AFL draft for ruckmanJohn Barnes. Even as a young man, O'Connor was known for his massive size (191 cm, 110 kg), considered large even for an AFL player. Despite his bulk and struggle with weight problems, the big man was surprisingly agile and could take strong contested marks.
O'Connor's best year was 1995. He became a centre half forward and strung together a number of impressive games, kicking bags of goals.
1995 put Ryan O'Connor on the map. He stepped up to become an important forward who took the rucking duties in the front half.
In 1997 O'Connor was involved in a car accident which had an effect on his form. He was delisted by the Bombers.
The Sydney Swans picked up O'Connor and used him at centre half forward and centre half back. After a few reasonable seasons, the power forward was delisted at the end of 2000.
ThePort Adelaide Magpies picked up O'Connor, where he starred, winning theMagarey Medal in 2001, alongside former St Kilda playerTony Brown.[2]
O'Connor then moved back to Melbourne in 2004, and joinedCoburg, winning the Best & Fairest that year. Retiring midway through 2005, he would be thrust into the role of General Manager, a role he held until 2009. O'Connor is currently the Talent Manager withTAC Cup sideSandringham Dragons where he has been since 2010.