It's hard to believe that Conor Nash has just begun his ninth season in the AFL and tomorrow morning (Friday 14 March Irish time) he creates his own piece of history by becoming just the eighth Irish recruit to break the 100-appearance mark.Becoming a centurion in a game as attritional and competitive as AFL is quite the achievement for Conor, underscoring his mental strength as well as physical and athletic attributes. Zac Tuohy (288), Jim Stynes (264), Tadhg Kennelly (197), Pearce Hanley (169), Sean Wight (150), Conor McKenna (123) and Mark O'Connor (122) are the seven other Irish players to have reached 100 in the AFL among the 70-plus that have signed terms with clubs.
"It's one to hang your hat on," Conor said this week as he looked ahead to what is a special occasion for him. "Only this week have I really thought about it. You do feel a sense of pride. I'll feel it when I watch the highlights video or running through the banner with my face across it." Conor was of course part of Simonstown Gaels back-to-back Keegan Cup winning teams in 2016 and 2017, a period that coincided with his first steps into AFL when he signed with Hawthorn. He progressed well for the first three years but by his own admission hit a wall in 2020 and 2021 when his career met a fork in the road. But a positional change, instigated by his current coach Sam Mitchell, put him on an upward curve and for the last three seasons he has missed just one game. "It was a real inflection point," he said of that time in 2021, his fifth season. "At that stage I had around 29 appearances. So he (Sam) said 'we need to change something here." Thankfully he saw another avenue.
"Since the start of 2022 I have only missed that one game (against Essendon in 2022) so really the last number of years my career has moved on with that midfield role. Just a different set of eyes. I thought it might go a bit smoother in the earlier part. When I left I had the goal that I wasn't going to leave until I was told 'no, that's the end of the road, there is not another contract for you.' My clear goal was I wasn't going to be leaving unless I was told to go.""You allow yourself to dream and say 'I'd love to be out here for a long time.' Once you get over the hump you really make a stab at it. "The first three years were going well and then you hit a roadblock in year four and year five, you're not so sure. "That was the time when Conor Glass went home at the end of 2020. Yes, I had another two-year deal but that was at a point when the club really weren't so sure. I really needed to start showing some progression. "I just came back to the number one thing for me which is my work ethic and the want and ability to get better."
Conor has become part of the establishment at Hawthorn and is now the fifth longest contracted player there. Tomorrow's game against Essendon will have an estimated attendance of 85,000 at the 100,000-capacity MCG. Conor's father Tony is currently down with him in Melbourne and will be there to celebrate the 100-appearance milestone with him.
Simonstown Gaels GFC would like to wish Conor well on the occasion of his 100th game, a fantastic achievement.
Colm Keys
#HawthornFC
"It's one to hang your hat on," Conor said this week as he looked ahead to what is a special occasion for him. "Only this week have I really thought about it. You do feel a sense of pride. I'll feel it when I watch the highlights video or running through the banner with my face across it." Conor was of course part of Simonstown Gaels back-to-back Keegan Cup winning teams in 2016 and 2017, a period that coincided with his first steps into AFL when he signed with Hawthorn. He progressed well for the first three years but by his own admission hit a wall in 2020 and 2021 when his career met a fork in the road. But a positional change, instigated by his current coach Sam Mitchell, put him on an upward curve and for the last three seasons he has missed just one game. "It was a real inflection point," he said of that time in 2021, his fifth season. "At that stage I had around 29 appearances. So he (Sam) said 'we need to change something here." Thankfully he saw another avenue.
"Since the start of 2022 I have only missed that one game (against Essendon in 2022) so really the last number of years my career has moved on with that midfield role. Just a different set of eyes. I thought it might go a bit smoother in the earlier part. When I left I had the goal that I wasn't going to leave until I was told 'no, that's the end of the road, there is not another contract for you.' My clear goal was I wasn't going to be leaving unless I was told to go.""You allow yourself to dream and say 'I'd love to be out here for a long time.' Once you get over the hump you really make a stab at it. "The first three years were going well and then you hit a roadblock in year four and year five, you're not so sure. "That was the time when Conor Glass went home at the end of 2020. Yes, I had another two-year deal but that was at a point when the club really weren't so sure. I really needed to start showing some progression. "I just came back to the number one thing for me which is my work ethic and the want and ability to get better."
Conor has become part of the establishment at Hawthorn and is now the fifth longest contracted player there. Tomorrow's game against Essendon will have an estimated attendance of 85,000 at the 100,000-capacity MCG. Conor's father Tony is currently down with him in Melbourne and will be there to celebrate the 100-appearance milestone with him.
Simonstown Gaels GFC would like to wish Conor well on the occasion of his 100th game, a fantastic achievement.
Colm Keys
#HawthornFC
