Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Leo Patrick Devereaux O'Connor

Known as
Leo O'Connor

Born
11 April 1890

Place of birth
Murtoa, VIC (3390)

Died
16 January 1985 (aged 94)

Place of death
Melbourne, VIC (3001)

Occupation
Bank manager

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 20y 110d
Last game: 21y 74d

Senior clubs
Essendon

State of origin
VIC

Leo O'Connor

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
EssendonV/AFL1910-19111060.6050%0
Total1910-19111060.6050%0

AFL: 1,697th player to appear, 8,179th most games played, 5,818th most goals kickedEssendon: 208th player to appear, 706th most games played, 524th most goals kicked

Originally from Warracknabeal in Victoria, Leo O'Connor played 10 games and kicked six goals for Essendon in 1910-11. He shifted to Queensland in his employment in 1911, but World War I and work pressures kept him out of football until 1919, when the QAFL resumed after a five-year break. He captained Valleys from 1919 to 1924 and skippered Queensland from 1919 to 1922. 

A key position utility, O'Connor was the 'gun' player of his era, an aloof but highly-respected leader who played a pivotal administrative role. He took over as president of the league immediately after he retired, and was credited with giving the game the impetus to grow through to the late 1930s, and was involved in failed merger talks and experimental matches with rugby league early in that decade. He later became a long-time Queensland delegate to the NFL and was awarded an NFL Merit Award in 1971, marking more than 50 years of service to Australian football in Queensland. 

In a stellar cricket career O'Connor captained Queensland's first Sheffield Shield cricket side, in 1926/27, and scored a century in each innings of a match against NSW at the SCG later that same season. He was touted by the local press as the second wicket-keeper for the 1930 Ashes tour, but as a 40-year-old was not chosen.

Leo O'Connor passed away as a 94-year-old in 1985, after returning to Melbourne.

Author - Murray Bird and Peter Blucher

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.