ZAC O’Brien has been asked the same thing a hundred times this season: “Are you O’Brien boys all brothers.”
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While it’s dragged out over 18 rounds and one final and is starting to become a little tiresome, the young Yarrawonga forward still has a grin on his face each time he goes through the family tree.
“No, none of us are brothers,” the likeable young Pigeon starts out.
“Jeremy, Matt, Simon and I are all cousins.
“Every week someone ask us about it at the footy and we have a bit of a laugh.
“It’s been good being at the same club together this season as we are all pretty close.”
Zac, Jeremy and Matt will run out together in today’s second semi-final against Albury at Birallee Park, while Simon managed two senior matches before being ruled out for the season with stress fractures in his foot.
The O’Briens come from fine footballing pedigree with Simon’s father Greg winning the Morris Medal in 1976 playing for Wangaratta Rovers, while Matt’s dad Paul lined up in four flags with the Hawks in the 1970s.
Zac, 19, is etching out a fine career in his own right with the Pigeons after biting the bullet and crossing from Rovers to Yarrawonga after Jeremy was appointed assistant coach to Craig Ednie.
“That’s the main reason I went to Yarra,” he said.
“When ‘Jezza’ got the job and Matt was coming from Bundoora I thought it would be good to play with them.
“I have loved it and it’s a bit of a family reunion each Saturday.
“Everyone is pretty much available at the moment with the exception of Clint Runnalls and hopefully we can play our best footy at the right time of the year.”
O’Brien has missed only two matches this season, one through injury and the other due to VCFL under-19 commitments, and is a member of the midfield rotation which destroyed North Albury in the qualifying final.
But the young gun said the Pigeons realised it would need to get even better to roll Albury.
“Albury’s always tough,” he said.
“They are the best side and we know how tough it’s going to be to win this one.
“Craig said that straight after last week and we’re looking forward to seeing how we go tomorrow.”
The addition of O’Brien and Tim Cooper at ground level and Sam Keenan and Steve McKee in the air has made Yarrawonga a superior model to last season when Albury had its measure during the finals series.
An injury-free Drew Barnes is another bonus for the Pigeons.
The gap has closed considerably but whether the Tigers have been reeled in remains doubtful.
Especially on a wet track at Birallee Park.
