(126th Eagles player)
Claremont (WAFL) 1999
East Perth (WAFL) 2000
Kyneton (Bendigo FL) 2003-2004, 2012
Strathmore (Essendon DFL) 2005-2011
West Coast’s second round pick in the 1998 draft, Michael O’Brien played more senior games than the first-round pick (Brandon Hill), but only just.
West Coast career[]
A useful midfielder, O’Brien spent the whole of the 1999 season at West Coast’s host WAFL club, Claremont. In 2000 he crossed to East Perth when the Royals became the new Eagles’ reserves side.
After some solid performances at WAFL level he was called up to make his debut against a rampant Essendon at Docklands. Although the Bombers won comfortably, O’Brien performed solidly against the eventual premiers and retained his spot for the following week against North Melbourne. After another big loss, O’Brien went back to East Perth.
He would not play for West Coast again, although he did win a flag with East Perth that year. He was delisted at the end of the 2000 season and returned to Victoria.
Post-AFL career[]
O'Brien later won two Essendon District Football League premierships with Strathmore, the second coming in 2011 when he kicked the game-winning goal, as well as playing for his junior club Kyneton in the Bendigo Football League.
Stats[]
| AFL | Gm | G | B | K | M | H | D | T | Cl | WAFL | Gm | G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 0 | Clar | 17 | 13 | |||||||||
| 2000 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 3 | 7 | EP | 16 | 10 | |
| Tot | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 3 | 7 | ||||
| Avg | 0.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | 1.5 | 3.5 |
References[]
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/M/Michael_OBrien.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_O%27Brien_(Australian__rules_footballer)
http://www.wafl.com.au/players/view/573
Luke West, Bendigo Advertiser (23 August 2012), "BFNL player banned for contacting umpire" - http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/239655/bfnl-player-banned-for-contacting-umpire/