Michael 'Snoz' O'Connor

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Michael David O'Connor
Nickname(s)
Snoz
Born
Wednesday, 30th November, 1960
Current Age
63 years and 110 days
Place Of Birth
Nowra, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Centre Of The Year
1986, 1987, 1988

Biography

Superb centre established a host of point-scoring records at international level. Originally from Canberra, Michael O’Connor toured with the Australian RU Schoolboys in 1977 (with Wally Lewis and the Ella brothers) and went on to play 13 Tests with the Wallabies. Playing for the Teachers-Norths RU club in Brisbane, O’Connor signed with St George in 1983 abut did not make his State of Origin debut until two years later. The week before his selection, O’Connor had his nose broken in a high tackle by Steve Mortimer in a club match (which contributed to his nickname ‘Snoz’) but then scored all 18 points (2t, 5g) in NSW’s win under Mortimer’s captaincy. O’Connor toured NZ with the Australian team in 1985 but did not make his Test debut until the following year. It is ironic that one of the game’s greatest centres played mostly winger during his Test career but O’Connor was such a brilliant individualist that the move proved a great success. Chosen for the Test series against NZ in 1986 he announced his decision to join Manly shortly before leaving with the Kangaroos. In the space of several weeks he scored record points totals against Papua New Guinea (22pts), Great Britain (22pts) and France (20pts). O’Connor dazzled English crowds with his pace, swerve and chip-kick; running in spectacular tries with effortless grace. He played in all Tests on the unbeaten tour and top-scored with 170pts (13t, 59g). In 1987 O’Connor scored 14pts (1t, 4g) in Manly’s 18-8 grand final win over Canberra, and in the Test match against Papua New Guinea in 1988 set an individual points record of 30pts (4t, 7g) in a Test (since bettered by Andrew Johns). In a busy Bicentennial year, he played in all three Tests against Great Britain and in the World Cup final in NZ. His last Test appearance was on the tour of NZ in 1989 (he ruled himself out of a second Kangaroo tour in 1990 because of a recurring hamstring injury). His last hurrah at State level was his magnificent sideline conversion to win the second match in Sydney in 1991. In the third match of the series he was involved in a ‘conflict of interest’ controversy after Mal Meninga broke O’Connor’s nose in a tackle. The NSWRL refused to cite the Australian Test captain (an Ashes series was coming up) and O’Connor had to settle with a personal apology from Meninga. At the end of the 1992 season, still producing his best as captain of the Sea Eagles, O’Connor announced his retirement. Forthright and articulate in his views on the game and the way that the ARL was running it, he acted as a recruitment officer for the proposed Super League competition in the early stages of 1995. In 1998 O’Connor was the Chief Executive of the Adelaide Rams when the club folded and after a brief period in administration with the Brisbane Broncos, he joined the ARU as a recruitment officer.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 193 87 310   11 979 121 64 8 62.69% List
NRL Finals 11 1 14   2 34 6 5 0 54.55% List
City vs Country Firsts 2 1 10   - 24 2 0 0 100.00% List
State of Origin 19 11 42   1 129 9 10 0 47.37% List
National Panasonic Cup 3 1 10   - 24 1 2 0 33.33% List
Tour Matches Australia 26 22 91   - 270 23 3 0 88.46% List
Test Series 11 7 36   - 34 10 1 0 90.91% List
World Cup 9 9 36   - 108 8 1 0 88.89% List
The Ashes 6 5 23   - 132 5 1 0 83.33% List
City vs Country 4 3 9   - 30 4 0 0 100.00% List
World Club Challenge 1 - 1   - 2 0 1 0 0.00% List
English Championship 11 6 6   - 36 5 6 0 45.45% List
Regal Trophy 4 1 -   - 4 3 1 0 75.00% List
Challenge Cup 3 - 1   - 2 2 1 0 66.67% List
Tooheys Challenge Cup 2 1 1   - 6 0 2 0 0.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1986-90 18 17 65   - 198 16 2 0 88.89% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Rest Of The World 1988 1 1 4   - 12 0 1 0 0.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1986, 1988-90 9 9 36   - 108 8 1 0 88.89% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW 1985-91 19 11 42   1 129 9 10 0 47.37% List
NSW City Firsts 1985-86 2 1 10   - 24 2 0 0 100.00% List
NSW City 1987-88, 1990-91 4 3 9   - 30 4 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1985-1991 25 15 61   1 183 15 10 0 60.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St George NSWRFL 1983 22 14 -   2 58 12 9 1 54.55% List
St George NSWRL 1984 14 7 -   - 28 10 4 0 71.43% List
St George NSWRL 1985 21 6 80   3 187 17 2 2 80.95% List
St George NSWRL 1986 21 6 50 / 79 63.29% 4 128 10 10 1 47.62% List
Manly NSWRL 1987 21 11 39 / 51 76.47% - 122 15 5 1 71.43% List
Manly NSWRL 1988 19 17 65 / 101 64.36% - 198 14 5 0 73.68% List
Manly NSWRL 1989 15 3 32 / 48 66.67% - 76 6 8 1 40.00% List
Manly NSWRL 1990 21 7 29 / 52 55.77% 1 87 15 6 0 71.43% List
Manly NSWRL 1991 19 8 2 / 3 66.67% - 36 12 6 1 63.16% List
Manly NSWRL 1992 20 8 13 / 16 81.25% 1 59 10 9 1 50.00% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St George 1983-86 78 33 130   9 401 49 25 4 62.82% List
Manly 1987-92 115 54 180 / 271 66.42% 2 578 72 39 4 62.61% List
Overall1983-1992 193 87 310   11 979 121 64 8 62.69% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St Helens 1988/89 18 7 7   - 42 10 8 0 55.56% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St Helens 1988 18 7 7   - 42 10 8 0 55.56% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    15/10/2021

    Michael was a amazing player his state of origin and test career was absolutely brilliant. Qld would be jealous they didnt have o connor in there side. His test career was just as good against any nation. What a player michael was his club career was also impressive so i think michael o connor should be on the immortal list he done everything in rugby league.

  • Anonymous
    31/07/2023

    Now i know why o conner joined manly in 87 manly 52 o conber 20 but why

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, AJ Lucantonio, Andrew Ferguson, Paul Carter, Shawn Dollin, Alan Katzmann, Greg Fiveash, Max Turner, Steven Russo, Bill Bates

Sources: NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, Newspapers, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90