Heritier O'Brien
Encyclopedia
Heritier "Harry" O'Brien (born 15 November 1986) is a professional Australian rules football
er in the Australian Football League
.
He was born to a Brazilian mother and a Congolese
father in Rio de Janeiro
, and moved to Western Australia
when he was 3 years old. However he was raised by his Australian stepfather and was 19 years old when he found out about his biological father. He supported the Essendon Bombers as a child, with his family owning a pet dog named Sheedy after the long-time Essendon coach, Kevin Sheedy.
The 187 cm O'Brien, who has played most of his football as a medium defender (in the style of James Clement
), has the distinction of being the first Brazilian-born player in the Australian Football League
. He was picked up with pick 21 in the 2004 AFL Rookie Draft by Collingwood
, and made his debut in Round 18 of 2005 against Fremantle
at the MCG
. He kicked a great goal against the Kangaroos
shortly after his debut, and did enough to be retained on the rookie list. In 2006 Harry showed more improvement and was elevated to the senior list again during the year, this time due to the absence of Sean Rusling
, playing a total of 9 games.
Coach Mick Malthouse
at one point in an interview challenged the AFL's rules on rookies in response to not being able to permanently play O'Brien in the seniors on the basis of his excellent form.
He was elevated to the senior list for season 2007. In 2008, he came 5th in the Copeland Trophy
count, Collingwood's Best and Fairest
. In 2009, he came 4th in the Copeland Trophy.
He has played in numbers 43, 30 and his current number 8.
In 2010 he has won his first All-Australian honour in the half-back flank.
He was instrumental in Collingwoods's 2010 grand final replay win over St Kilda and kicked a long goal from the boundary line late in the game.
He went to school at Rossmoyne Primary from 1994–99, and also went to Rossmoyne Senior High School
.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
.
He was born to a Brazilian mother and a Congolese
Kongo people
The Bakongo or the Kongo people , also sometimes referred to as Kongolese or Congolese, is a Bantu ethnic group which lives along the Atlantic coast of Africa from Pointe-Noire to Luanda, Angola...
father in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, and moved to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
when he was 3 years old. However he was raised by his Australian stepfather and was 19 years old when he found out about his biological father. He supported the Essendon Bombers as a child, with his family owning a pet dog named Sheedy after the long-time Essendon coach, Kevin Sheedy.
The 187 cm O'Brien, who has played most of his football as a medium defender (in the style of James Clement
James Clement
James Clement is a former professional Australian rules footballer for Collingwood and Fremantle in the Australian Football League...
), has the distinction of being the first Brazilian-born player in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. He was picked up with pick 21 in the 2004 AFL Rookie Draft by Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, and made his debut in Round 18 of 2005 against Fremantle
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
at the MCG
McG
Joseph McGinty Nichol , better known as McG, is an American director and producer of film and television, as well as a former record producer....
. He kicked a great goal against the Kangaroos
Kangaroos Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
shortly after his debut, and did enough to be retained on the rookie list. In 2006 Harry showed more improvement and was elevated to the senior list again during the year, this time due to the absence of Sean Rusling
Sean Rusling
Sean Rusling is a former professional Australian rules football player who played for in the Australian Football League....
, playing a total of 9 games.
Coach Mick Malthouse
Mick Malthouse
Michael "Mick" Malthouse is a former Australian rules footballer and the former coach of the Collingwood Football Club.While his playing career included a premiership for Richmond in the VFL, he is best known for his Australian Football League coaching career.Malthouse is the most successful coach...
at one point in an interview challenged the AFL's rules on rookies in response to not being able to permanently play O'Brien in the seniors on the basis of his excellent form.
He was elevated to the senior list for season 2007. In 2008, he came 5th in the Copeland Trophy
Copeland Trophy
The E.W. Copeland Trophy is an Australian rules football award given by the Collingwood Football Club to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for Collingwood during the year....
count, Collingwood's Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
. In 2009, he came 4th in the Copeland Trophy.
He has played in numbers 43, 30 and his current number 8.
In 2010 he has won his first All-Australian honour in the half-back flank.
He was instrumental in Collingwoods's 2010 grand final replay win over St Kilda and kicked a long goal from the boundary line late in the game.
He went to school at Rossmoyne Primary from 1994–99, and also went to Rossmoyne Senior High School
Rossmoyne Senior High School
Rossmoyne Senior High School is an public high school in Western Australia. The school is located on Keith Road, Rossmoyne, a southern riverside suburb of Perth, the state capital city.- History :...
.
External links
- Harry O'Brien's AFL Profile on the Official AFL Website of the Collingwood Football Club