Australian Football

From Triabunna on Tasmania’s east coast, Leigh McConnon, a lightly framed and extremely speedy wingman, joined North Hobart in 1973. His three season stint with the club saw him play roughly 40 games, including the 1974 TANFL grand final in which North accounted for Sandy Bay. In 1975 he represented Tasmania in a loss to South Australia at VFL Park.

Victorian clubs were quick to show an interest, and the 1976 season saw McConnon at Carlton, where he would spend two seasons, playing 26 games, and kicking four goals. While this was creditable enough in itself, it has to be recognised that the game was changing fast, and wingmen of McConnon’s type were being superseded by bigger, stronger, heftier types who simultaneously lacked nothing in speed.

McConnon next surfaced at Fitzroy in 1980 where he played 23 VFL games and scored four goals in two seasons. He rounded off his playing career with a stint at VFA first division club Williamstown, where he played 12 games, and kicked 17 goals in 1983-4. After retiring as a player he became a successful and highly respected player and coach in Tasmanian Super Rules.

Author - John Devaney