Aasta O’Connor has announced her retirement ahead of Geelong’s final AFLW game for season 2021 this weekend.
O’Connor will hang up the boots after a decorated football career. An AFLW premiership player with the Western Bulldogs in 2018, O’Connor was a member of four premierships with the Darebin Falcons in the VFLW and four with the Logan Cobras in the QWFL.
The Cats recruited O’Connor to the club mid-way through 2018 before the club’s inaugural AFLW season in 2019.
“The game has been so good to me, I’ve scraped every last little bit out of my body and the time is right to move onto the next phase of my football life,” O’Connor said.
“I’m proud to say I’m a Geelong person. There’s something about wearing the hoops. I’ve had the opportunity to play alongside a lot of young players I coached through the pathway, they’ve helped me understand my true calling in footy. I look forward to watching the club achieve great things under Meghan McDonald’s leadership in the years to come.
“I’m so grateful to those women who went before me. It’s because of women like Debbie Lee, Sal Rees, Jan Cooper, Marlo Brack, Lisa Hardiman and Kerryn Stephens, girls now have the opportunity to play AFLW. They are true heroes. Special thank you to Peta Searle, she taught me to always raise the bar, I owe her so much.
“I want to thank my mum and dad for not giving into the social norms of the time, girls didn’t really play footy back then but they backed me in.
“To Kate and Leo, thank you for everything. You’re always there through the ups and downs. I simply couldn’t have done it without you.”
Geelong’s Head of AFLW Brett Johnson thanked O’Connor for all she has given to the club.
“Aasta’s commitment and passion for the club over her time with us is to be commended. As member of the player leadership group, Aasta’s football experience and leadership on and off the field has been a valuable asset,” Johnson said.
“We thank Aasta for all she has given to the Geelong Football Club and wish her the best with her life post-football.”
Fittingly, O’Connor will travel back to where her football career began and play her 32nd and final AFLW game in Queensland on Saturday in front of family and friends.
