It’s A Big Year For…. #4 Lochie O’Brien

Written by Ari Stamatakos

Throughout the 2022 Pre-season, Blue Abroad will be providing content to cover everything you need to know about the Carlton Football Club. For what should be an exciting and intriguing 2022, let's take an in-depth look at some players on the Carlton list and preview their 2022 season.

Why Is It A Big Year?

Like it was for Paddy Dow last year, it’s make or break for Lochie O’Brien this season. Having been a part of the underwhelming 2017 draft, ‘LOB’ hasn't been the player that we all thought he could be. Despite being under two coaches so far in his AFL career, he has never solidified an influential place in either side. 

Getting more and more out of favour with David Teague, ‘LOB’ didn’t have that many games to prove himself last season. And when he was included, the lack of consistent match time or continuity within the squad hurt him big time. His already inconsistent nature was exuded 10-fold. 

Despite being the only, competent natural winger on the list, Teague’s persistence with playing players out of position in his role has done profound damage to his development. He has the right assets to be a part of an AFL list, and in the modern game, under the right coaching, he can thrive. 

So, this brings us to now, why is it a big year for 'LOB'? Well, apart from the aforementioned 'make or break' nature of 2022, not only is this his chance to secure a spot in the 22 consistently. But it's also his chance to develop into a player that can have a profound impact on games.

Just like what Paddy Dow did last season. In the few opportunities that he had, he showed glimpses of world-class quality, that given time and coaching, could turn the glimpses into full, 4-quarter efforts. 

‘LOB’ is one of the very few players that can hit a target lace out nine times out of ten and his other assets, if coached right, can elevate him to new heights. We saw this last year against St. Kilda. Playing exclusively on the wing, he was hitting targets every time he touched the ball. Having 21 touches and going at 80%, this game was one of few where the midfield to forward connection was on point, and ‘LOB’ was a big player in the fact.

One of the reasons why ‘LOB’ didn’t get the game time that he perhaps deserved, was that when he played in the past, his weaknesses were exposed. This comes down to coaching. A good coach, with good tactics, sees a player with the positives of ‘LOB’, and coaches towards getting the best out of him, and mitigating the impact of his weakness’. 

Michael Voss is a smart enough coach to make that a reality and get the absolute best out of ‘LOB’ 

The Best-Case Scenario 

He has abilities that sets him apart from the rest of the players in his position, so he just needs to lend into those, sharpen that iron, and become undroppable. He must force Voss’ hand and make him develop a system that can get the best out of him.

He adds youthful exuberance to this side and can be a key part of Carlton’s future. But it must start from this season. This is the season where LOB can prove himself to the rest of the competition. 

The overall best-case scenario is that, by the end of the year, we, as a fan base, are talking about O’Brien as a start-up 22 player, locking down that wing spot for the next decade.