Cricket Tasmania is delighted to announce that 17-year-old allrounder, Aidan O’Connor, will be joining the Tasmanian Tigers contract list for the 2023-24 season, as a local rookie.
The talented Launceston teenager will remain at home in the north of the state as a member of the Emerging Tigers program, under the leadership of Alistair Taylor, to prioritise his education. Under the new pathway structure, O’Connor will receive all the skill development and sport science support afforded to all Tigers contracted players that is required to continue his growth as a cricketer. O’Connor will then have opportunities to join the Tigers for training blocks in Hobart during periods such as the school holidays to feel a part of the program.
“I was really excited when I found out [that I was going to be offered a Tigers rookie contract],” O’Connor said.
“Growing up playing cricket in George Town and Riverside and going through the process for selection for various underage teams and pathway squads over the years, there’s no doubt that you have dream of playing cricket for your state at the top level at the back of your mind.”
“This opportunity of getting a contract – even a rookie one – has come sooner than I could’ve hoped, but I also know that there are no guarantees in sport. I’m just going to make the most of the opportunity to learn from the players and coaches in the program, and really hope that I can improve my skills and my game over the next year.”
Tigers head coach, Jeff Vaughan, said he was excited that the organisation had the opportunity to approach the rookie program differently.
“For the 2023-24 season, we are thrilled to be able to offer Aidan this opportunity,” Vaughan said. “There is no doubt that skill-wise, he is one of Tasmania’s brightest cricketing talents, but he is also very young. We want to give him the opportunity to grow and foster that talent within our program, whilst also remaining at home to complete his schooling and potentially even pursue other interests outside of cricket.”
"Being a rookie, can be one of the most difficult positions on a contract list,” Vaughan continued. “As a rookie you are a young player that is relatively new to the elite system, training full-time, with little time to pursue other interests outside of cricket, and a lot of your focus is on eventually earning that contract upgrade and forging a career as a first class cricketer.”
“Generally, you also don’t get as many playing opportunities, which we know can be frustrating and can make the whole experience really challenging.
“Hence, we wanted to develop an opportunity specifically for young Tasmanian talents, to fast-track their development as players, get them into our system early, but also not overwhelm or overload them while they’re still so young.
“We’ve just seen with the retirement of Tim Paine how, when managed well, a cricketer can go on to have a career in excess of 20 years. This is something we hope for any of our young Tassie talents, and we believe this model of the rookie program allows them the best opportunity to achieve that.”
O’Connor has recently spent time in Hobart training as a part of the Tigers program during the school holidays, and will now join the Emerging Tigers program in the north.