On a down day for the Cats at the MCG on Sunday, two Geelong players forced their way into the eye of the coaches to receive AFLCA votes.
The first was Patrick Dangerfield, Brownlow medallist and club vice-captain. The second was Irish Cat Mark O’Connor with 24 AFL Games to his name.
O’Connor has made remarkable progress this season, playing all 17 senior outings for the Cats and producing at a level that has taken even a few coaches by surprise.
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“He had a great pre-season, so we were really confident that he was going to be an important part of our year,” defensive coach Matthew Scarlett says.
“But I think he’s maybe playing a bit better than we all thought at the start of the year.”
“He’s come a long way. He’s really diligent and trains really well so he’s a very good leader. He understands the game and has picked up the game really well. He’s a really smart guy.”
His stellar play earned him a Facebook fan page, ‘Mark the Shark’, a nickname which has quickly caught on around the club.
Mark the shark has improved so rapidly that he’s now viewed internally as one of the first picked on the team sheet.
“He’s one of our most important players I think so credit to him and his hard work,” Scarlett says.
“His development has been enormous and he’s an important cog in our defence.”
“He’s gaining confidence each week and becoming a really important member of our team.”
O’Connor’s willingness to take a hit for his side has won him some fans in a breakout season.
“He doesn’t mind putting his body on the line and he’s really brave,” Scarlett says.
“Most weeks he goes back with the flight and doesn’t even think about it. He understands that’s important for the team and does it every week.”
“His starting points are really sound and solid. Especially at the back of a stoppage. His ability to manoeuvre his opponent out of the way and then win the footy in a 50/50 contest – he’s really good at that. “
