Geelong coach hails Kerry’s Mark O’Connor ahead of remarkable achievement

O’Connor, who joined the Cats after impressing as a Kerry minor, is in line to join a select group of Irish recruits who have played 100 games.

Geelong head coach Chris Scott has hailed Kerry’s Mark O’Connor as the 26-year-old prepares to play in his 100th AFL game this weekend.

The Premiership champions take on Port Adelaide on Thursday. O’Connor, who joined the Cats after impressing as a Kerry minor and debuted in 2017, is in line to join a select group of Irish recruits who have played 100 games.

Sean Wight, Jim Stynes, Zach Tuohy, Tadhg Kennelly and Pearce Hanley all hit the landmark previously. At his pre-match press conference, Scott was asked do they underappreciate what a significant achievement it is for an Irish player to reach 100 games.

“Maybe we do,” Scott said. “I think it is a remarkable effort and it does reflect those guys are the cream of the crop from Ireland. Mark was very young when he came out, he was already a really well-established Gaelic player. 

"Even if you take out the footy side and the fact that it is a different game, Zach Tuohy, Mark O’Connor, even Oisín in the early stages, their ability to come to the other side of the world and not only fit in with what we are trying to do at a professional and elite level but have an influence.”

Tuohy is also likely to feature on Thursday as he closes in on breaking the longstanding Irish games record held by Dublin and Melbourne legend Stynes. Mayo’s Oisín Mullin misses out due to an abductor issue.

O’Connor played in the 2022 Grand Final victory over Sydney Swans before returning to line out for his home club Dingle in the Kerry SFC. Several Geelong players flew to Ireland to watch him play.

“Mark O’Connor is a leader in our footy team and he was after 50 games,” explained Scott. “I am just full of admiration for what he has done. I shouldn’t say this because it sounds like I am comparing him to other underage interviews I have been involved with.

"As an 18-year-old, he was the most together young person I ever spoke to in an interview situation and he has just improved since then. We had high hopes early.

“I will say, just removing the footy side, because they do have some individual physical traits that help them, every Irishmen that I am aware of that has come out and had success, they tend to be really well put together people. Mark has been that for us.”