Sam O'Connor retires after 300 matches for Brock-Burrum

The 35-year-old has been with the Saints ever since their historic 2006 merger, winning two reserve-grade premierships and playing his role in success for the seniors too.

But after Saturday's elimination final defeat at the hands of Howlong, the popular clubman announced his retirement.

"There's nearly been 300 very forgettable games," O'Connor laughed.

"But I have enjoyed being part of the one club for as long as I have been.

"It's been almost 20 years and you sit back and think of how many people have come and gone in the club in that time.

"There are so many people that we see week-to-week and I suppose that consistency of people is one reason why we've been so good for a long period of time, on and off the field.

"But you sit back and think 'jeez, there have been a heap of people that have played, in seniors and reserves, that have come and gone."

O'Connor made most of his 300 appearances in the reserves, barely missing a game since he last ran out for the seniors in 2012.

He was named Brock-Burrum's best on ground against the Spiders at Walbundrie but insists the time was right to hang the boots up.

"I've been very lucky in my career and not had many bad injuries," O'Connor said.

"Mind you, blokes like Darcy I'Anson and me don't run fast enough to hurt ourselves!

"My kids are growing up and they want to play their own sport.

"We've got a couple of guns in the under-17s that are way better than me and deserve the opportunity to play senior footy so if we don't give them opportunities, they'll find opportunities elsewhere.

"There's a heap of names - Nesbitt, Griparis, Clohesy and Korzeniowski - that if we do it well, will be the backbone of our club going forward.

"They don't need me selfishly taking up a spot."

O'Connor has a reputation as one of country footy's biggest pranksters so is the title merited?

"Yes, I plead guilty to that one," he smiled.

"I packed a fake spider in my bag on Saturday for one of the boys who hates insects and I've had a couple of good ones over the years.

"I pretended I lost my licence for nearly a full season just so I could get free lifts to training and games, which didn't go down well when eventually I told them I hadn't actually lost it.

"Four of us used to car pool and when I said during pre-season that I'd lost it, they were unreal, they were fantastic and didn't bat an eyelid.

"One bloke's still filthy about it now.

"I've always said I only play footy for the social side and the showers afterwards.

"I don't drink alcohol or anything like that but I just enjoy the fact I'm there with the lads.

"Everyone's got busy weeks but everything stops and you can talk rubbish on the weekend.

"We're not playing for sheep stations, we're just out there having a bit of fun."

But that's not to say success didn't mean the world to the Saints.

O'Connor played in the 2014 reserves grand final when Brock-Burrum beat Jindera by a point and added a second premiership medallion to his collection with victory over Osborne under Dan Cleary in 2019.

During his playing career, the Saints also claimed four senior flags, with one standing out above the rest.

"That 2013 one was probably the best thing I've been involved in, playing footy or cricket," O'Connor reflected.

"I sat on the bench and was the magnets man, so I didn't play, but to see the adulation and the sheer relief out of the two communities (Brocklesby and Burrumbuttock), there were blokes there who hadn't played for 20 or 30 years and they were more excited and happier than the 22 guys who actually played.

"That was unreal, something I'll never forget, to see what it meant to the men and women on the committee and our supporters.

"That's the thing about community sport and country footy; more often than not, it means more to the supporters and the people around the club and the community than it actually does to the guys that are playing.

"We take it for granted, very much so, that footy's always going to be there but there are people like my Dad who spend more time socialising at the game than actually watching it and it's their release to get out and see people.

"The week revolves around Saturday and that's huge."

But will there always be a place for the reserve grade in the ever-changing world of football?

O'Connor believes so.

"It's massive in every club," he said.

"There's a heap of different reasons why people play reserves, whether they're flat-out not good enough (for seniors) but it's still a way to play footy, whether you're a young guy coming out of the thirds and trying to make your way in footy or you're a senior player who's been dropped.

"Especially in the Hume League, there are so many guys that have played seconds for years and are a huge part of their club like Matt Kilo for Henty or Matt Louwrier in Jindera.

"There's heaps you can name; every club would have 10 blokes that are the heart of the club who just play ressies and they play for nothing.

"They do a heap off the field, they coach, they volunteer and they're the heartbeat of the playing side of the club.

"You see a lot of senior guys come and go, especially now that money's involved in country footy, but the twos guys that have been around for years are so important for every club.

"I do think it will be there into the future.

"At the clubs who are struggling for numbers, it's a way for their U17 guys to double up and get extra exposure.

"Back in the day, and everyone says it, the depth was stronger but it's certainly important for blooding the young guys through, to ingrain the love of the club.

"You see the clubs that do it really well, and Osborne's probably at the top of the tree, because they give them an opportunity, they teach them well, the love of the club's ingrained and they don't leave.

"All of a sudden, you've got a team in the seniors that's near-on full of former juniors; everyone's invested, you're there for the right reason and you've got a sustained period of success.

"That's why we were good for a long while from the first premiership onwards, so I think it is important.

"We've seen it over the journey that clubs go out there and think of the short-term success of winning a twos grand final but if they drop juniors or they drop locals and even if they do win it, sooner rather than later they fall in a big pit and they lack numbers.

"If you do it well, it's really important for the culture of your club."

Osborne and Holbrook's reserves meet in the Hume League qualifying final on Saturday before Howlong play Jindera on Sunday for a place in the preliminary final.

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