Reilly O'Brien

Last updated

Reilly O'Brien
2017 AFL Grand Final parade - Reilly O'Brien.jpg
O'Brien in September 2017
Personal information
Full name Reilly O'Brien
Nickname(s) ROB
Date of birth (1995-08-20) 20 August 1995 (age 29)
Original team(s) Calder Cannons (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 9, 2014 rookie draft
Debut Round 20, 2016, Adelaide  vs. Brisbane Lions, at Adelaide Oval
Height 202 cm (6 ft 8 in)
Weight 102 kg (225 lb)
Position(s) Ruck
Club information
Current club Adelaide
Number 43
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2015– Adelaide 121 (14)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Reilly O'Brien (born 20 August 1995) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A Malcolm Blight Medal winner in 2020, [1] he is currently Adelaide's first-choice ruckman.

Contents

Early life

O'Brien participated in the Auskick programs at Flemington Primary School in Flemington, Victoria and at Moonee Valley Football Club. [2] He played his junior representative football with the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup. He grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Ascot Vale. [3]

O'Brien was drafted by the Adelaide Football Club with their first selection and ninth overall in the 2014 rookie draft. [4]

AFL career

O'Brien playing for Adelaide in 2019 Reilly O'Brien 2019.5.jpg
O'Brien playing for Adelaide in 2019

Reilly O'Brien made his debut in the 138-point win against the Brisbane Lions in round 20, 2016 at the Adelaide Oval. [5] He didn't play much football between 2016 and 2019, but broke into the side after Sam Jacobs sustained an injury. [6] Jacobs was traded to Greater Western Sydney at the end of the 2019 AFL season, leaving O'Brien as Adelaide's primary ruckman going into the 2020 AFL season. [7]

O'Brien faced controversy when he accidentally tweeted that West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui is "lazy and unfit", attributing the mistake to a broken smartphone. [8] Naitanui responded jestfully by gifting O'Brien a new phone after that weekend's game between their clubs. [9] A stand-out in Adelaide's least successful season in their history, O'Brien thrived at every opportunity, winning the Malcolm Blight Medal in just his first season as the primary ruck. His fantastic form was rewarded with a contract extension to keep him at Adelaide until 2025. [1]

In 2023, with Riley Thilthorpe as his back-up ruckman, O'Brien lead the competition for hit-outs. [10] Part-way through 2024, the struggling Crows chose to drop O'Brien to the SANFL in favour of Kieran Strachan in an attempt to revive the club's season. [11] O'Brien returned after two games on the sidelines, and still led the competition for hit-outs and average hit-outs by the conclusion of the season.

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of 2024 [12]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals  
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds  
  H  
 Handballs  
  M  
 Marks
H/O
 Hit-outs
  †  
Led the league for 
the season
SeasonTeamNo.GamesTotalsAverages (per game) Votes
GBKHDMTH/OGBKHDMTH/O
2015 Adelaide 430———-—————————————
2016 Adelaide 432129192846470.51.04.59.514.02.03.023.50
2017 Adelaide 430—————————————————
2018 Adelaide 430—————————————————
2019 Adelaide 43182412615027660775970.10.27.08.315.33.34.333.23
2020 [a] Adelaide 43170310712523264684620.00.26.37.313.63.84.027.24
2021 Adelaide 43202013815629471555850.10.06.97.814.73.62.829.35
2022 Adelaide 43203212414126553797380.20.16.27.113.32.74.036.92
2023 Adelaide 4323441171692866672888†0.20.25.17.312.42.93.138.83
2024 Adelaide 4318231321102424977898†0.10.16.35.211.52.33.742.8†2
Career1211418753870162336743442150.10.26.27.213.43.03.634.817

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal life

Outside of football O’Brien has completed a medical science degree at Flinders University. He has since undertaken post graduate study, both in business administration and public health through Torrens University. [13] He has also completed postgraduate study in neuroscience through King’s College. [14] O’Brien graduated from high school with an ATAR of 99.75. [15]

In 2024, O'Brien won the league-wide Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award for his advocacy and community work for mental health in South Australia. [16] [17] After achieving automatic eligibility by playing 100 games over 10 years, O'Brien was granted Life Membership with the Adelaide Football Club. [18]

References

  1. 1 2 Staff writer (11 March 2021). "Crows lock in best and fairest winner on long-term deal". AFL.
  2. ↑ AFL Record. Round 1, 2022. pg 52
  3. ↑ Michell, Tim. "Calder Cannons Mark Kovacevic and Reilly O'Brien break the stereotypes about ruckmen". www.heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  4. ↑ Michell, Tim (3 December 2014). "Calder Cannons tall Reilly O'Brien and winger Roarke Smith join AFL ranks through rookie draft". Moonee Valley Leader. News Corp Australia . Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  5. ↑ Fjeldstad, Jesper (5 August 2016). "Battle of beginners looms in ruck as Adelaide's Reilly O'Brien takes on Brisbane's Archie Smith". The Advertiser . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Team: Crows ruckman Reilly O'Brien named to replace Sam Jacobs". Adelaide Football Club. 3 April 2019.
  7. ↑ "2019 Trade for Sam Jacobs", Draft Guru, retrieved 8 March 2024
  8. ↑ "Adelaide Crows' Reilly O'Brien calls West Coast Eagles ruck opponent Nic Naitanui 'lazy and unfit' in accidental tweet". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 July 2020.
  9. ↑ Sutton, Ben (11 July 2020). "'What an amazing human being': Nic Nat's gift to trash-talking rival". afl.com.au.
  10. ↑ "MOST HIT OUTS 2023 AFL STATISTICS". Zero Hanger. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  11. ↑ Mottram, Seb (6 June 2024). "Crows reveal reason behind O'Brien's axing and the fellow veteran "in a similar position"". 1116 SEN.
  12. ↑ "Reilly O'Brien". AFL Tables. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  13. ↑ Pierce, Justin (6 December 2021). "How one Sports Management Student went from Internship to Dream Job at the Penrith Panthers". www.torrens.edu.au. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  14. ↑ Gabelich, Josh (29 July 2023). "Hidden talents: Crows giant could be smartest man in footy". afl.com.au. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "Five things about Reilly O'Brien". afc.com.au. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "O'Brien a finalist for the 2024 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award". afc.com.au. 4 September 2024.
  17. ↑ "Big Crow honoured with 2024 Jim Stynes Award". afl.com.au. 23 September 2024.
  18. ↑ "Crows honour new Life Members". afc.com.au. 19 February 2025.


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