Reilly O’Brien grateful that his standout season has brought an end to his “groundhog days” in the SANFL
Reilly O’Brien is enjoying his standout year as the Crows new No. 1 ruckman and admits if he didn’t have this opportunity, he may have considered giving it all away …
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Football is a game of sliding doors: one season you’re contemplating your very future in the sport. And the next, your good mate gets injured and you finally have your career-defining moment.
For Reilly O’Brien that came in April after his mentor and friend, Sam “Sauce” Jacobs — the Crows long-serving No. 1 ruckman — suffered a knock to his knee.
Until then, O’Brien had played only one AFL game, in 2016, and had been biding his time in the SANFL, with it all feeling really like “groundhog day”.
“Before this year, (I was) probably a little bit frustrated the last couple of years playing in the SANFL and not really getting a look in, and feeling a bit like groundhog day, each year doing the same thing,” he said.
“To be honest, while I was playing reserves the last couple of years, I was thinking: Is footy the way for me?
“Because I do a bit of study outside of footy and you can’t really do that as well, when you’re playing, not that I was considering doing that, but it crosses your mind.
“It would have been another tough year and it was looking like that at the start of the year, so, it’s been awesome just to play.”
Now, the Crows are keen to re-sign him and securing the services of other rucks like Brodie Grundy seem less important.
The medical sciences student said that as contract negotiations with Adelaide continued behind closed doors, he was enjoying the challenge of AFL-level football, including adjusting to the faster pace.
“It’s been awesome, just to play and contribute, feel a part of the team, and I’m really enjoying the challenge each week.
“That’s been awesome, to get the best out of myself and test myself against the best.”
The 23-year-old — who admits he holds the reputation as the biggest eater at the Crows (although he says his room-mate Jake Kelly eats more than he does) — has been building across his 12 games.
He’ll be hoping to continue his form in Saturday afternoon’s Showdown and whether Port Adelaide decides to play one ruck in Scott Lycett, or recall Paddy Ryder and play two, doesn’t faze him.
“We matched up last Showdown, so I know what to expect with those two, I’m ready for whatever challenge they throw at me,” he said.
O’Brien said that while Cameron Ellis-Yolmen didn’t complete training on Wednesday with his sore shin and was in doubt for Saturday, both Tom Lynch and Wayne Milera Jr were “flying”.
Yesterday was a sombre day for the Crows as the club remembered the life of coach Phil Walsh who died on July 3, 2015.
O’Brien said the squad commemorated the day with a moment’s silence.
“Tom Lynch pulled us in and acknowledged it and we reflected on it. (Walsh has) obviously had a huge impact on the group. He was the coach in my first year and had a huge impact on me … he holds a special place in a lot of guys hearts at the club.”