Aasta O'Connor explained

Aasta O'Connor
Birth Date:21 June 1987
Birth Place:Brisbane
Originalteam:Darebin Falcons (VWFL)
Draftpick:No. 12, 2016 AFL Women's draft
Debutdate:Round 1, 2017
Debutstadium:VU Whitten Oval
Height:182 cm
Position:Ruck
Years1:2017–2018
Games Goals1:12 (3)
Years2:2019–2021
Games Goals2:20 (1)
Games Goalstotal:32 (4)
Statsend:the 2021 season

Aasta O'Connor (born 21 June 1987) is a retired Australian rules footballer who played as a ruck for and for in the AFL Women's competition.[1] She is also a member of the Darebin Falcons' VFL Women's team.[2]

Early life

O'Connor was born in Brisbane[3] and raised on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.[4] She attended Immanuel Lutheran College throughout her upbringing and began playing football for the Northshore Jets under 10s mixed team in the local Sunshine Coast junior league.[5] At the age of 18, O'Connor moved to Brisbane and began playing top level QAFLW football for the Logan Cobras. Her stint with Logan included four premierships, five Queensland state representative appearances and three All-Australian honours.[6] In 2010, she decided to relocate to Victoria and began playing for the Darebin Falcons in the VFLW. Her time with Darebin included a further four premierships and state representative honours for Victoria.

Achievements

O'Connor is a four time premiership player with the Darebin Falcons, four time premiership player with Logan Cobras FC (QLD), Lisa Hardman medallist, 2 time Cath Wotton medallist, Vic rep at the first female AFL AIS squad in 2011.[7] She was also the twelfth draft pick for the AFLW,[8] but was limited to four games in the 2017 season due to a knee injury.[9]

The Western Bulldogs signed O'Connor for the 2018 season during the trade period in May 2017.[10]

In May 2018, O'Connor accepted an offer from expansion club Geelong to play with the club in the 2019 AFL Women's season.[11] In March 2021, O'Connor announced her retirement.[12]

Personal life

Off the field, O'Connor is manager and coach at the AFL Women's Academy[13] [14] [15] and lives in Abbotsford, Victoria with her partner, fellow AFLW player Kate Tyndall.[16]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2018 season[17] |- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"| scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017|| 4 || 4 || 1 || 0 || 9 || 14 || 23 || 4 || 6 || 24 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 2.3 || 3.5 || 5.8 || 1.0 || 1.5 || 6.0|-| scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2018|| 4 || 8 || 2 || 0 || 40 || 23 || 63 || 21 || 16 || 82 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 5.0 || 2.9 || 7.9 || 2.6 || 2.0 || 10.3|- class="sortbottom"! colspan=3| Career! 12 || 3 || 0 || 49 || 37 || 86 || 25 || 22 || 106 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 4.1 || 3.1 || 7.2 || 2.1 || 1.8 || 8.8|}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Australian Football - Aasta O'Connor - Player Bio. australianfootball.com. en. 2017-03-08.
  2. Web site:
    1. 3 Aasta O'Connor - Victorian Women's Football League - SportsTG
    . SportsTG. en. 2017-03-08.
  3. https://www.aflq.com.au/2023-queensland-football-hall-of-fame-aasta-oconnor/ 2023 Queensland Football Hall of Fame – Aasta O’Connor
  4. Web site: Bulldogs star Aasta O'Connor to take on old-love Lions. theaustralian.com.au. en. 2018-03-24.
  5. Web site: Aasta's excited by inaugural AFL women's league. sunshinecoastdaily.com.au. en. 2016-11-16.
  6. Web site: The long road travelled for Aasta O'Connor. sportstg.com. en. 2014-09-24.
  7. Web site: Darebin Falcons fly high to claim grand final glory. 2014-09-08. 2017-03-08.
  8. Web site: Meet all 145 members of the AFL Women's Draft class of 2016. Marsden. Matt. girlsplayfooty.com. en-AU. 2017-03-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20170912191345/http://girlsplayfooty.com/2016/10/meet-all-145-members-of-the-afl-womens-draft-class-of-2016.html. 2017-09-12.
  9. Web site: Four big inclusions for road trip to Brisbane - westernbulldogs.com.au. westernbulldogs.com.au. Western Bulldogs. 16 March 2017. 9 March 2017.
  10. Web site: AFLW: All the clubs' full lists after trade period - AFL.com.au. afl.com.au. Telstra Media. 26 May 2017. 26 May 2017.
  11. News: Alex. Oates. Boyd pulls on hoops for AFLW team. 2021-04-22. www.geelongadvertiser.com.au. subscription. 37.
  12. Web site: O'Connor Calls Time. Stacey. Oates. Telstra. Geelong. 25 March 2021.
  13. News: Women's AFL: A League of Their Own - Melbourne Press Club. 27 April 2017. Melbourne Press Club. 1 March 2017. en.
  14. News: Colangelo. Anthony. AFLW Academy prospect Monique Conti eyes professional football and basketball career. 27 April 2017. The Age. 13 April 2017.
  15. News: Hill. Adam. Academy prospect. 27 April 2017. The Stawell Times-News. 24 April 2017. en.
  16. Miller, M. "Inner Sanctum", Herald Sun, Weekend, 30 September 2017, p. 4.
  17. Web site: Aasta O'Connor–player stats by season. Australian Football. 30 May 2018.